Juan Carlos Afonso (Ph.D., Ottawa) Geophysics - Geodynamics Complete address and e-mail GEMOC ARC National Key Centre Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Building E7A, Sydney, Australia. TE: + 61 (0)2 9850 8298 FAX: + 61 (0)2 9850 6904 e-mail: juan.afonso@mq.edu.au

How do you like the "shape" of the Earth?????

Research interests:

My research interests lie in the fields of geophysics and geodynamics, and span many different geophysical and geological processes. My current research integrates different disciplines such as mineral physics, petrology, geodynamics, lithospheric modelling, nonlinear inversion, and physics of the mantle in general, to explore and improve our understanding of plate tectonics. More specifically, I am interested in the evolution of the lithospheric mantle, the mechanical and geochemical interactions between tectonic plates and the sublithospheric mantle, and their effects on small and large-scale tectonic processes. I currently employ a multidisciplinary approach that gives insights into lithospheric stability, thermal structure, possible compositional fields, and sublithospheric small-scale convection. For this, I combine mineral physics, fluid dynamics, thermal modelling, potential field modelling, petrology and geochemistry of the mantle, seismological modelling, and inversion techniques. I am also working on global lithospheric models and on the development of 2D and 3D computational codes for dynamic and static modelling of the upper mantle. We released an interactive 3D code for integrated petrological-geophysical lithospheric modelling in 2009 (LitMod3D, check the 2D version in Afonso et al., 2008, G-cubed). A formal paper dealing with the fundamentals, applicability, and limitations has been published in G-3. If you are interested in getting the code, just click the "Software" tab above. We are testing the full thermo-mechanical (dynamic) equivalent at the moment (check this poster). These projects are collaborations with J. Fullea, S. Zlotnik, A.G. Jones, J.A.D Connolly, M. Fernàndez, D. Garcia-Castellanos, H. Zeyen, Y. Yang, and S. Lebedev.

PhD Projects and Post-doctoral positions available!!!!!!!

Some interesting links:

Video of the month:

A section dedicated to the revival of some classic '60, '70 and '80 songs...

previous videos? click here

Some hobbies...

I enjoy very much playing drums and guitar (also singing in the shower)...

Brewing beer at home while listening to good '70 and '80 music...   

and some pictures...