Deformation in the upper crust is governed by brittle failure, fracturing, and/or frictional sliding, whereas the lower crust and upper mantle are deformed by plastic mechanism, dominated by thermal and rate-dependent viscous flow. In my research, I investigate the mechanisms and underline processes in which diverse rocks deform under different mechanical and thermo-chemical conditions.
Research interests: high pressure and temperature deformation of rocks, texture evolution through lab experiments and from the field, subduction zone dynamics, deformation of hydrous minerals