Sommerschule 2024

Beneath Our Feet: From rock microstructures to advanced modelling of solid Earth processes

Lucie Tajcmanova

Investigating processes in the Earth’s interior - the inverse problem First, I will give an overview of the main processes and the main challenges which we face in studying the solid Earth, emphasizing the inverse problem of studying a largely inaccessible Earth's interior. I will cover the main direct observational techniques and theoretical concepts. It sets the stage for understanding how we interpret and quantify subsurface processes from surface observations.

Microstructural Analysis and Material Behavior In the second part, I will focus on microscale processes because of their critical role in understanding the large-scale geodynamic phenomena, such as processes related to the movement of tectonic plates. I will explore how material science approaches are applied to geomaterials, providing insights into the mechanical properties and behavior of Earth materials under different conditions.

Advanced modelling of solid Earth processes - bridging scales Finally, I will address the complexity of numerical simulations of solid Earth’s processes. I will show examples of the integration of physics and geosciences in solving complex, multi-scale geodynamic problems.