Rheology and Microstructure

Research

Main scientific interest

My main scientific interest is the understanding of micro- and mesoscale processes and their link to macroscale phenomena. To achieve this, it is essential to quantify microstructures and thus microstructural processes active during a variety of P-T-fluid conditions.In addition, the development of new techniques to observe, interpret and evaluate processes is part of my research.

I am leading the group "Rheology and microstructures / Bergdeformation och mikrostrukturer" which is part of the PetroTectonics Centre at the University of Stockholm

Projects

Grain boundary migration and nucleation in crystalline materials

This project is aimed to advance our understanding of the mechanisms of grain boundary migration and nucleation using a combination of detailed microstructural investigations of field examples (using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) Analysis), in-situ heating experiments within a Scanning Electron Microscope and numerical simulations using the program Elle (view example movies). Materials used are deformed rocksalt, qtz, cc, magnesium, nickel and aluminum. The project was first the main part of the Marie Curie Research Fellowship working within the Microstructure, Deformation and Rock-Fluid Interaction Research Group at the University of Liverpool and is now being continued at Stockholm University

Subprojects
Post-deformational annealing in geological materials: field studies and numerical modelling Collaborators: H. Bergmann (PhD student) & D. Prior, M. Hollness, M. Jessell

Substructure Development in rocks and metals: A combined experimental and numerical study: This project is part of the EUROCORES Project within the EuroMinScI program "Substructure dynamics" Collaborators: V. Borthwick (PhD student) & G. Pennock, P. Bons

Influence of triple junction geometry on grain boundary migration: Evidence from in-situ experiments using 2D Al foil Collaborators: D. Prior, V. Surseava

Deformation microstructures in experimentally deformed hematite Collaborators: Prof. Siemes

Microstructural evolution of deformed Mg - an analogue of olivine and feldspar deformation?! In-situ experiments Collaborators: D. Prior, M. Drury

Annealing microstructures in Cc from a contact aureole Collaborators: A. Harstad, H. Bergmann

Linking numerical simulations and in-situ experimetns Collaborators: V. Borthwick (PhD student) M. Jessell, L. Evans, D. Prior

Deformation mechanisms at high and ultra high temperatures: Pyroxene, Feldspar, Qtz

This project is focussed on deciphering the main deformation mechanisms in high and ultra high grade polymineralic rocks. We concentrate on the most abundant phases in the middle to lower crust: pyroxene, feldspar and quartz. This project is a combination of detailed fieldwork in Antarctica and Greenland and microstructural analysis including high resolution EBSD analysis

Subprojects
Deformation mechanisms in Archean Anorthosites: Influence of fluid influx and composition This project is closely linked to fieldwork conducted in the mid-Archean area in West Greenland in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. Collaborators: H. Solgevik (PhD student)

Deformation mechanisms in ultrahigh temperatures felsic gneisses from the Napier Comples, Antarctica Collaborators: M. Lund (MSc student) & S. Harley

Deformation microstructures in Qtz at the brittle-ductile transition zone

Characterization and tectonic significance of a new anothosite complex in West Greenland

This project investigates a new Archean anorthosite comples in West Greenland. It constitutes a major part of the PhD projects of Henrik Solgevik and is closely linked to a mapping campaign of the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland

Pseudotachylites: The significance of their geometry and microstructure

This project is focussed the geometric expression of pseudotachylites which formed at different conditions.

Deformation mechanisms in ice

Here we utilize the Europe-unique capability of the in-house ESEM with a cooling stage. Therefore, it is possible to analyse naturally and experimentally deformed ice using EBSD.

Subprojects
High resolution analysis of experimentally single and polycrystals Collaborators: M. Montagnat & J. Chevy

High resolution analysis of naturally deformed ice Collaborators: M. Montagnat

Metamorphic history of a deeply exposed Palaeoproterozoic orogen

Interest in the different metamorphic signatures throughout a Palaeoproterozoic orogen Focus lies in the connection deformation style and metamorphic history Collaborators: Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland & Lina Aarberg, University of Lund, Sweden

Past Projects

Interest in the evolution of calcsilicates and marbles of high grade terrains focussing on fluid-rock interaction and effect of a regional contact aureole Collaborators: G. Markl, University of Tuebingen, Germany

Use of GIS in unravelling the tectonic history of high grade terrain Geographic Information Systems GIS can help significantly in deciphering the geological history of a large terrain. GIS offers the possiblity to view and query a large amount of data in subject, space and scale. Field area for this study is: Nagssugtoqidian orogen of West Greenland research done while at Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland,Denmark
Collaborators: I. Alsop, J. van Gool, Bo Moeller Nielsen Geographic Information Systems GIS can help significantly in deciphering the geological history of a large terrain. GIS offers the possiblity to view and query a large amount of data in subject, space and scale.

Shape fabric development during progressive deformation
Shape fabrics develop during deformation, the subject of this project is to develop tools that enables the geologist to use such fabrics for the interpretation of rocks. In this study, three different approaches have been used: Field work, analogue modelling using polymers and numerical modelling using Elle (PhD thesis, PDF file)

back