Crustal Structure & Geophysics

Atomic to tectonic scale examination of crustal geometry, deformation, and evolution using seismic studies, field mapping, fracture analysis, petrography, and geochemical analysis. Some examples of current research by our faculty in Crustal Structure and Geophysics are shown below. Visit the faculty members' pages through the above links to get more information about research in Crustal Structure and Geophysics at UT.

Appalachian Crust

Dr. Hatcher has been working to understand the mechanisms of emplacement of large thrust sheets in a high grade metamorphic terrane. Components of this project involve detailed geologic mapping in and southwest of the South Mountains and Brushy Mountains in North Carolina and areas in northwestern South Carolina, developing techniques to measure map-scale strain, and efforts to better understand the mechanical behavior of different components at all scales within ductile fault zones under different P-T conditions. The map left shows structure contours on the Appalachian Precambrian basement surface.

Near Surface Geophysics

Dr Baker's geophysical research includes projects such as: imaging Pleistocene sediments within lakes on Baffin Island for climate-related studies using GPR and acoustic sub-bottom profiling (NSF); environmental site characterization on Fort Wainwright & Fort Richardson, Alaska, using seismic, GPR, and resistivity techniques (DOD); glacio-geophysics research at Matanuska Glacier, Alaska, using seismic, GPR, and resistivity techniques (NSF); archaeo-geophysics studies on a 4th Century Roman fort in Humayma, Jordan, using GPR, magnetic gradiometry, and resistivity (NSF); a joint EPA/Forest Service ecosystem management project involving restoration of wet meadows in the Great Basin of Nevada using seismic and GPR; and a 3D tracer mapping project in the fractured bedrock of Altona Flats, New York, using GPR (NSF).

Structure and Tectonics

Dr. Jessup's research is focused on testing aspects of the tectonic evolution of continental crust and orogenic systems.  He integrates structural geology with metamorphic geology, geochronology and thermochronology. Some examples of recent and ongoing projects in the Himalayas, Tibet and Colorado include:

1. quantifying the kinematic evolution of shear zones,
2. exhumation of migmatite-cored domes during orogen-parallel extension and
3. interplay between focused denudation and exhumation

Dr. Fedo conducts structural and tectonic analysis of Early Archean rocks of southwest Greenland.  In addition, he studies Neoproterozoic and Cambrian strata in order to interpret the early tectonic evolution of the Cordilleran Laurentian margin.