TOPO-4D

Funded by: CNR, NWO, NFR, SNF

The impact of mantle processes on surface deformation is perhaps conceptually well understood but largely lacks thorough quantification. As a result, it is in many cases impossible to discriminate between mantle-induced and surface-induced contributions to surface deformation. Valuable observations of vertical surface motions can often not be equivocally interpreted unless basic assumptions, such as isostasy, are being invoked. Any progress in understanding present-day topography and topography evolution, and progress in making correct interpretations of valuable surface observables requires quantification of real-Earth mantle dynamics and of the surface response. The European-Mediterranean region is a well-studied natural laboratory for which this progress can now be made and this is what our CRP aims at.

Project Leader:

Professor Wim Spakman

Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Universiteit Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

Principal Investigators:

Professor Carlo Doglioni

CNR-Instituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingeneria, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università La Sapienza, Roma, Italy

Professor Taras Gerya

Department of Geosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

Professor Paul Tackley

Department of Geosciences, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland

Professor Trond H. Torsvik

Center for Geodynamics, NGU, Trondheim and Physics of Geological Processes, University of Oslo, Norway

Dr. Arie P. Van Den Berg

Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

Associated Partners:

Professor Wolfgang Friederich

Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie une Geophysik, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany

Dr. Thomas Meier

Institut für Geologie, Mineralogie une Geophysik, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany