Geology and Geophysics
Tectonics
EAPS faculty and students in tectonics study how the Earth has evolved over billions of years, integrating observations from the building and breaking of mountain ranges to the rise and filling of ocean basins, with an eye to their impact on the evolution of life.
Geophysics
Our geophysics faculty and students quantify the forces that currently shape the surface of our planet, from plate tectonics to mountain building, and the strength of the crust and mantle, from cold rocks that break as earthquakes to warm rocks that flow.
Geomorphology
Select EAPS faculty and students focus their research on the study of the origin and evolution of landscapes created by physical and chemical processes including tectonics, the flow of water and ice, and climate change.
Energy
Research in the traditional and unconventional energy thematic areas are conducted by our faculty and students, including the study of the exploration of reservoirs, the sedimentological and structural characterization of wells, and fluid/rock interactions.
Geology and Geophysics News
Mapping Kamchatka Earthquake Displacement
09-15-2025
Earth Observatory — A group of satellites with interferometric synthetic aperture radar makes it possible for geologists to detect how much and where land surfaces shift due to earthquakes. Purdue EAPS Department Head Andrea Donnellan was quoted in the article.
NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Spots Bizarre Helmet-Shaped Rock and Mysterious Megaripples
08-25-2025
Scitechdaily — On Mars, the story of the past is preserved in solid rock, but the planet’s present is being shaped in shifting sand. Just last week, NASA’s Perseverance rover studied a set of inactive megaripples to better understand how winds continue to sculpt the Martian surface today. This article was written by Athanasios Klidaras in EAPS.
Asteroid Bennu: A time capsule of materials bearing witness to its origin and transformation over billions of years
08-25-2025
Phys — Asteroid Bennu is a mixture of materials from throughout, and even beyond, our solar system. Over the past few billion years, its unique and varied contents have been transformed by interactions with water and the harsh space environment. EAPS's Michelle Thompson was named in the article along with her research.
Mars boffins probe mysterious new mineral
08-21-2025
The Northern Miner — Scientists have spotted on Mars what could be a previously unknown mineral linked to the kind of sulphaty gunk that clogs tailings ponds on Earth. EAPS's Roger Wiens was mentioned in this article.
Decoding Space Rocks with AI: The Meteorite Breakthrough
08-13-2025
Securities — Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we do things, not only on Earth but also in Space. Lead author Marissa Tremblay, assistant professor with EAPS, further noted that meteorites tend to be denser than rocks on Earth, are magnetic and contain metal. However, finding meteorites isn't that easy.