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Manon Carpenter

Manon Carpenter

  • Email: eemrca@leeds.ac.uk
  • Thesis title: How and why is deformation localised in continental crust?

Profile

I am a postgraduate researcher at the Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics, School of Earth and Environment. My research interests cover the deformation of Earth’s crust from micro- to km-scale, using geological and geophysical observations and techniques including fieldwork, microstructural analyses (SEM/EBSD and XCT), mineralogical and geochemical analyses (EMPA, SIMS, XRD) and numerical modelling (SCycle). I am funded by the Leeds-York Panorama NERC DTP (2020) and supervised by Prof. Sandra Piazolo, Prof. Tim Wright and Dr. Tim Craig at the University of Leeds.

My PhD project uses new geological observations to help constrain the range of expected rheology of continental crust within and surrounding mid-lower crustal shear zones, to numerically model a crustal-scale fault more accurately and capture the surface deformation observed over the period of an earthquake cycle. I have conducted fieldwork in Assynt, NW Scotland to constrain the rheology of ancient mid-lower crustal shear zones and input this knowledge, along with existing studies, to model a crustal-scale fault over a number of earthquake cycles, for a number of conceptual geologic settings. The outputs of the numerical model include surface deformation so that I can identify any correlations between shear zone characteristics and surface deformation signatures.

I previously completed my Masters at Cardiff University where I investigated the fault structure of intrarift and border faults in the Malawi Rift, where I integrated field observations with microstructural, mineralogical and geochemical analyses to characterise the fault zones and compare with existing, global datasets.

In addition, during 2023 I joined the NERC-funded project ‘Exploring the geological signature of Slow Earthquakes through legacy experiments and field analysis’, led by Prof. Sandra Piazolo, as a research assistant where I assisted with fieldwork and EBSD sample analysis.

Qualifications

  • MESci Geology (International), First Class Honours. Cardiff University

Research groups and institutes

  • Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics
  • Rocks, Melts and Fluids
  • Geodynamics and Tectonics