Rock and Mineral Physics Laboratory

The Rock and Mineral Physics Laboratory at the University of Minnesota uses laboratory-based experiments to investigate the physical properties of geological materials. We primarily focus on the mechanics and deformation of rocks at high temperatures and pressures. Our research interests address a wide range of problems that relate the mechanisms of deformation at the atomic scale to the dynamics of the solid Earth at the scale of lithospheric plates. Much of our research focuses on the interactions among crystal defects, microstructure, and the rheological properties of mantle and crustal rocks.