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Welcome to the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, informally known as EAPS. From the inaccessible depths of the terrestrial interior to the vast reaches of our galaxy, our planet and the natural systems surrounding it provide important clues to the course of our future. At EAPS, we examine the history and interactions of these systems in order to predict future events and states with greater accuracy.
EAPS is vigorous and dynamic, uniting faculty and students in the quest to solve real world problems through the application of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics. Our work encompasses elements of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, geobiology, atmospheric science, climate, oceanography, astronomy, and planetary science. EAPS operates world- class research programs in all of these disciplines. Strong student involvement in each area is sought through UROP. The Department is eager to involve as many undergraduates as possible in its research programs, either for credit or pay.
Our annual award of the Christopher Goetze Prize exemplifies our commitment to Undergraduate research. All EAPS UROP students are eligible and are encouraged to submit their research for consideration. Contact Vicki McKenna in the EAPS Education Office, vsm@mit.edu, for more information.
-
Prof.
Richard
Binzel,
54-418,
x3-6486, rpb@mit.edu
- Planetary
astronomy;
collisional
evolution
of asteroids;
physical parameters
and surface
features o
the Pluto-Charon
system.
- Prof. Tanya Bosak, E25-649, x4-3959, tbosak@mit.edu
- Microbial sediments throughout geologic time as indicators of biological processes and environmental conditions. Morphological and chemical biosignatures, early Earth, astrobiology.
- Prof.
Samuel Bowring,
54-1124,
x3-3775, sbowring@mit.edu
- Origin
and evolution
of continental
lithosphere
using radiogenic
isotopes. U-Pb
geochronology
of orogenic
bels. Early
history of the
Earth. Rift
magmatism with
emphasis on
the Baikal and
Rio Grande rifts.
- Prof.
Edward Boyle,
E25-619,
x3-3388, eaboyle@mit.edu
- Paleoceanography and paleoclimatology; variability of the chemical composition of seawater; trace element chemistry of seawater, rivers, and estuaries.
- Prof. Linda Elkins-Tanton, 54-824, x3-1902, ltelkins@mit.edu
- Theory of planet and exoplanet formation and early evolution. Continental magmatism in the absence of subduction, flood basalts, and coincidences with extinctions. Interactions between magma and crustal rocks.
- Prof.
James Elliot,
54-422,
x3-6308, jle@mit.edu
- Small-body
atmospheres
and their changes
over time; Kuiper
belt; stellar
occultation
observations;
astronomical
instrumentation.
- Prof.
Kerry Emanuel,
E54-1620,
x3-2462, emanuel@texmex.mit.edu
- Relationship
between cumulus
convection and
larger-scale
circulations;
parametric representation
of convection
in large-scale
weather forecast
and climate
models, the
Hadley circulation,
mesoscale dynamics
of fronts and
cyclones, tropical
cyclone dynamics.
- Prof.
Brian Evans,
54-718,
x3-2856, brievans@mit.edu
- Strength
of rocks; the
effect of fluids
and impurities
on strength;
recrystallization
and grain growth;
microstructures
of naturally
deformed rocks;
applications
of rock mechanics
of tectonic
problems; interrelationships
of porosity,
permeability,
and plastic
flow.
- Prof.
Raffaele
Ferrari,
54-1420,
x3-1291, raffaele@mit.edu
- Turbulence
in the ocean
and atmosphere
using a combination
of theory, models
and observations.
Dynamics of
the ocean surface
mixed layer.
Internal waves.
Mixing processes.
The role of
the ocean in
climate.
- Prof.
Glen Flierl,
54-1426,
x3-4692, glenn@pimms.mit.edu
- Investigations
of the physical
and biological
dynamics in
the ocean and
other more general
problems in
geophysical
fluid dynamics.
- Prof.
Frederick
A. Frey,
54-1226,
x3-2818, fafrey@mit.edu
- Origin
and evolution
of igneous rocks,
upper mantle
composition
and processes.
- Dr. Michael Follows, 54-1514, x3-5939, mick@ocean.mit.edu
- Biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients in the ocean; use of numerical models to understand the combination of physical transport, chemical and biological processes that determine the distributions and fluxes of these elements in the ocean.
- Prof.
Timothy
Grove,
54-1220,
x3-2878, tlgrove@mit.edu
- Igneous
petrology; magma
generation processes
in island arc-continental
setting and
mi-ocean ridges;
crystal growth
and nucleation;
phase transition
in mineral;
diffusion in
crystalline
solids and silicate
melts; thermal
histories of
geologic materials.
- Prof.
Bradford
Hager,
54-622,
x3-0216,bhhager@mit.edu
- The
physics of geologic
processes, numerical
modeling of
mantle convection
in terrestrial
planets; numerical
modeling of
crustal deformation;
GPS geodesy.
- Prof.
Thomas Herring,
54-820A,
x3-5941, tah@mit.edu
- Techniques
of space geodesy,
including Very
Lon Baseline
interferometry
and the sue
of the Global
Positioning
System; surface
deformations
related to plate
tectonics and
plate boundary
zones; effects
of whole-Earth
dynamics on
the nutation
series.
- Dr. Lodovica Illari, 54-1612, x3-2286, illari@mit.edu
- Large-scale atmospheric dynamics and synoptic meteorology; responsible for the synoptic laboratory.
- Prof. Oliver Jagoutz, 54-1018, x4-5514, jagoutz@mit.edu
- Field related studies of igneous processes; crust mantle interaction; formation and evolution of the oceanic and continental lithosphere.
- Prof.
Richard
S. Lindzen,
54-1720,
x3-2432, rlindzen@mit.edu
- Atmospheric
waves and instabilities,
general circulation
of the atmosphere,
climate dynamics,
planetary atmospheres.
- Prof. Alison Malcom, 54-522, x4-1974, amalcolm@mit.edu
- Wave propagation in complicated media; seismic imaging in the shallow Earth; locating buried resources (primarily oil and gas); applications of microlocal analysis in imaging; nonlinear wave propagation; exploiting information in multiply scattered waves to infer Earth properties.
- Prof.
John Marshall,
54-1526,
x3-9615, marshall@gulf.mit.edu
- Dynamics
and causes of
the general
circulation
of the atmosphere
and ocean; thermocline
theory; geostrophic
eddies; global-scale
ocean modeling.
- Prof.
F. Dale
Morgan,
54-1824
,
x3-7857, morgan@erl.mit.edu
- Rock
physics; geoelectromagnetism;
inverse methods;
applied seismology;
environmental
geophysics.
- Prof. Dianne Newman, 68-380, x4-2770, dkn@mit.edu
- The Newman Lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying the molecular mechanisms that underlie putatively ancient forms of metabolism. By understanding the way extant organisms function at the molecular level, we hope to eventually gain insights into the evolution of ancient metabolic and biomineralization pathways, interpret the chemical signatures of early life found in the geologic record, and understand how multicellular bacterial communities survive in the context of anaerobic infections. Opportunities exist for undergraduates seeking to gain experience in culturing diverse bacteria that catalyze reactions involving metal(loid)s as part of respiration/photosynthesis and/or possess complex internal membrane structures. For every organism that we study, we use the tools of genetics, biochemistry and cell biology to probe the mechanisms underlying these processes. Currently, we are focusing on two broad themes: the evolution of photosynthesis and the physiological functions of redox-active "secondary" metabolites. For more information on our research, please see the lab website: http://mit.edu/dknlab/
- Prof. Paul O'Gorman, 54-1616, x2-3382, pog@mit.edu
- Large-scale circulation of the atmosphere; interactions of moisture and baroclinic eddies; effect of climate changes on the hydrological cycle; turbulence closure theories.
- Prof. Shuhei Ono, E25-641, x3-0474, sono@mit.edu
- Isotope biogeochemistry of sulfur and oxygen, water-rock-microbe interactions, seafloor hydrothermal deposits, deep biosphere, global sulfur cycles.
- Prof. Taylor Perron, 54-1022, x3-5735, perron@mit.edu
- Measurement and modeling of physical processes that shape the surfaces of planets; river networks; biotic effects on landscape evolution; volatile cycling on Mars and Titan.
- Prof.
Alan Plumb,
54-1726,
x3-6281, rap@rossby.mit.edu
- Eddy
transport processes
in the atmosphere
and ocean; dynamics
of the stratosphere
and mesosphere
and their interaction
with the lower
atmosphere;
large-scale
tropospheric
dynamics.
- Prof.
Ronald G.
Prinn,
54-1312,
x3-2452, rprinn@mit.edu
- Chemical-dynamical models of the atmosphere; measurement and modeling of the long-lived gases involved in the greenhouse effect and ozone depletion; atmospheric chemistry of carbon and sulfur compounds; integrated global system modeling that couples atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial physics, chemistry and biology.
- Dr. Srinivas (Sai) Ravela, 54-1624, x3-5938, ravela@mit.edu
- Applied topics: Computational Intelligence for Understanding Earth Systems, Quantifying Risk from Natural Hazards, Prediction and Predictability, Ecological Informatics, Environmental Robotics, Environmental Sensor Networks and Experimental Fluid Dynamics. Core areas: Signal & Image Processing, Nonlinear Dynamics, Pattern Recognition, Estimation, Control and Inference.
- Dr.
Robert Reilinger, 54-326 ,
x3-7860, reilinge@erl.mit.edu
- Active research
projects involve
using space
geodetic observations,
particularly
the Global Positioning
Systems, to
monitor present-day
motions and
deformations
in tectonically
active regions.
Ongoing projects
include the
Mediterranean,
Caucasus Mountains,
Middle East,
and southern
California/northern
Baja, Mexico.
- Prof.
Paola M.
Rizzoli,
54-1416,
x3-2451, rizzoli@ocean.mit.edu
- Numerical
modeling of
the ocean general
circulation
with data assimilation
with applications
to the tropical
Atlantic ocean,
tropical/subtropical
interactions,
tropical instability
waves and the
coupled ocean-atmosphere
modes; assimilation
of oceanographic
data into ocean
numerical models
through ensemble
approaches and
optimal design
of fixed and
adaptive observations
arrays; physical-biochemical
modeling of
the Black Sea
ecosystem.
- Dr.
William
Rodi,
54-514,
x3-7855, rodi@erl.mit.edu
- Development
of geophysical
inversion methods.
Prototyping
software for
testing new
approaches to
seismic tomography,
source location
and other geophysical
inverse problems.
Applying data
processing and
inversion algorithms
to seismic and
electromagnetic
data.
- Prof.
Stéphane Rondenay, 54-618,
x3-6299, rondenay@mit.edu
- High resolution,
teleseismic
imaging of the
Earth’s subsurface;
assembly and
tectonic evolution
of the continental
lithospher;
core-mantle
boundary processes.
- Prof.
Daniel H.
Rothman,
54-626,
x3-7861, dhr@mit.edu, http://segovia.mit.edu/
- Theoretical
geophyscis.
Models of complex
natural systems,
tied as closely
as possible
to experimental
and observational
data. Problems
of interest
range from geobiological
evolution to
the dynamics
of fluids, rocks,
and sand.
- Prof.
Leigh Royden,
54-826
,
x3-1292, lhroyden@mit.edu
- Regional
geology and
geophysics,
plate tectonics,
thermal effects
and consequences
of continental
deformation,
mechanics of
large-scale
continental
deformation;
continental
extensions and
sedimentary
basin formation;
uplift and erosion
in mountain
belts.
- Prof. Sara Seager, 54-1626, x3-6775, seager@mit.edu
- Finding and characterizing Earth-like exoplanets. Theoretical models of atmospheres, interiors, and biosignatures of all kinds of exoplanets. Astrobiology.
- Prof.
Sang-Heon
(Dan) Shim, 54-514, x4-0249, sangshim@mit.edu
- The
physical properties
and crystal
structures of
material at
high pressures
and temperatures;
their application
to global-scale
structures;
and dynamics
of the Earth
and planetary
interiors.
- Prof.
Roger Summons,
E25-633,
x2-2791,
rsummons@mit.edu
- Lipid
chemistry
of
microbes,
early
biotic
and
environmental
evolution,
extinction
and
radiation
events
in
Earth
history,
biogeochemical
fossils,
petroleum,
astrobiology.
- Prof.
M. Nafi
Toksoz,
54-1814,
x3-7852, nafi@erl.mit.edu
- Location
analysis
and
prediction
of
earthquakes,
plate
tectonics,
geophysical
techniques
for
petroleum exploration.
- Prof.
Robert D.
Van der
Hilst,
54-526,
x3-6977, hilst@mit.edu
- Seismic
tomograpy,
studies of
the Earth’s
structure
with emphasis
on the
mantle beneath
convergent
plate boundaries;
tectonic
evolution
of
subduction
systems;
mantle
dynamics;
structure
and evolution
of
continental
lithosphere;
field
studies
with
portable
seismometers.
- Prof.
Ben Weiss, 54-814, x4-0224, bpweiss@mit.edu
- Paleomagnetic
studies
of
rocks
from
Mars,
the
Moon,
and
Earth;
dynamo
evolution,
planetary
histories
and
geobiology;
use
and
development
of
SQUID
microscopy
for
paleomagnetism.
- Prof.
Jack Wisdom,
54-414,
x3-7730, wisdom@mit.edu
- Planetary
dynamics,
long-term
evolution
of
the
solar
system,
stability
of
planetary
systems,
dynamics
of
planetary
rings.
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Prof. Carl Wunsch, 54-1520, x3-5937, cwunsch@mit.edu
- Physical Oceanography, estimating the time varying ocean circulation by combining global general circulation models and the recently available global data sets. The group is also applying modern dynamical and statistical understanding to the study of paleoclimate on all time scales.
Prof.
Maria T.
Zuber,
54-518,
x3-6397, mtz@mit.edu - Theoretical modeling of geophysical processes; analysis of altimetry, gravity and tectonics to determine the structure and dynamics of the Earth and solid planets; development and implementation of spacecraft laser and radio tracking experiments.
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