Geodynamics, Rifts and Rifted Margins, Modelling, Plate-Mantle Interaction, Rheology
My main interests are the links between lithosphere dynamics, natural hazards, plate tectonics, and climate. My research focus lies especially on the dynamics of rifting and continental breakup across the scales, from the localisation of faults and shear zones to lithospheric necking and the interaction with mantle convection and large-scale plate tectonics. To study these processes, I use a diverse set of modelling tools and integrate observations from structural geology, geophysical imaging, rheology, and plate reconstructions.
For more info on my most recent work see the CRYSTALS project homepage.
Since 06/2016: Helmholtz Young Investigators Group Leader (GFZ Potsdam)
06/2013 - 05/2016: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow (2013-2015: EarthByte Group, Sydney, Australia; 2015-2016: Geodynamic Modelling Section, GFZ Potsdam)
10/2009 - 05/2013: PostDoc, Geodynamic Modelling Section, GFZ Potsdam
04/2007 - 06/2007: Visiting scientist, Hydrodynamic Modelling Group, Texas A&M University, USA.
02/2006 - 09/2009: PhD candidate, Geodynamic Modelling Section, GFZ Potsdam
10/1999 - 01/2006: Diploma student of Physics, Humboldt University, Berlin (2002-2003: Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, France)
2019: Rheology of Continental Rifting, Funding institution: TWAS-DFG, Role: Co-PI
2018-2020: Plume-induced subduction initiation: Insights from the south-western margin of the Caribbean, Funding institution: DFG, Role: PI
2018-2021: How the complexity of continental breakup controls ocean circulation, Funding institution: ARC, Role: Co-PI
2017-2018: Linking continental breakup dynamics to climate changes, Funding institution: DAAD, Role: PI
2016-2021: CRYSTALS (Continental Rift Dynamics Across the Scales), Funding institution: Helmholtz Association, Role: PI
2013-2016: GLORY (Global Tectonics with Realistic Rheology), Funding institution: European Union, Role: PI
2009-2013: SAMPLE (South Atlantic Margin Processes and Links with onshore Evolution)
2006-2009: GITEWS (German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System)
2018: Research Grant - Basic Module of German Research Foundation (DFG)
2016: Australia-Germany Joint Research Cooperation Grant (German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD)
2015: Helmholtz Young Investigators Grant (Helmholtz Association)
2013: Marie Curie Grant (European Research Executive Agency)
2013: GFZ PostDoc Award (Annual PostDoc Price at GFZ Potsdam).
2010: DGG Young Scientist Poster Award (Poster Price of the Annual Meeting of the German Geophysical Society)
Nardini, L., Rybacki, E., Döhmann, M.J.E.A., Morales, L.F.G., Brune, S., and Dresen, G., (2018): High-temperature shear zone formation in Carrara marble: The effect of loading conditions: Tectonophysics, doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2018.10.022 (Link to Paper).
Brune, S., (2018): Forces within continental and oceanic rifts: Numerical modeling elucidates the impact of asthenospheric flow on surface stress, Geology, v. 46, p. 191–192, doi: 10.1130/focus022018.1 (Link to Paper).
Brune, S., Williams, S.E., and Müller, R.D. (2017): Potential links between continental rifting, CO2 degassing and climate change through time, Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/s41561-017-0003-6 (Link to Paper).
Micallef, A., S. F. L. Watt, C. Berndt, M. Urlaub, S. Brune, I. Klaucke, C. Böttner, J. Karstens, and J. Elger (2017): An 1888 volcanic collapse becomes a benchmark for tsunami models, Eos, 98 (Link to Paper).
Brune, S., Corti, G., and Ranalli, G. (2017): Controls of inherited lithospheric heterogeneity on rift linkage: Numerical and analogue models of interaction between the Kenyan and Ethiopian rifts across the Turkana depression: Tectonics, p. 2017TC004739, doi: 10.1002/2017TC004739. (More Info, Animations, and Downloads)
Yuan, X., Heit, B., Brune, S., Steinberger, B., Geissler W.H., Jokat, W., Weber, M. (2017): Seismic structure of the lithosphere beneath NW Namibia: Impact of the Tristan da Cunha mantle plume. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 18(1), 125-141, doi: 10.1002/2016GC006645. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S., Heine, C., Clift, P.D., Pérez-Gussinyé, M. (2017) Rifted margin architecture and crustal rheology: Reviewing Iberia-Newfoundland, central South Atlantic, and South China Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 79, 257-281, doi: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2016.10.018. (More Info, Animations, and Downloads)
Brune, S., Williams, S.E., Butterworth, N.P., Müller, R.D. (2016): Abrupt plate accelerations shape rifted continental margins. Nature, 536 (7615), 201–204, doi:10.1038/nature18319. (More Info, Animations, and Downloads)
Cyprych, D., Brune, S., Piazolo, S., Quinteros, J. (2016): Strain localization in polycrystalline material with second phase particles: Numerical modeling with application to ice mixtures. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, doi:10.1002/2016GC006471. (Link to Paper)
Díaz-Azpiroz, M., Brune, S., Leever, K.A., Fernández, C., and Czeck, D.M. (2016): Tectonics of oblique plate boundary systems. Tectonophysics, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2016.07.028. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S.(2016): Rifts and rifted margins: A review of geodynamic processes and natural hazards. AGU Monograph "Plate Boundaries and Natural Hazards", Eds. Duarte, J & Schellart, W. (Link to Paper)
Clift, P., Brune, S., Quinteros, J. (2015): Climate changes control offshore crustal structure at South China Sea continental margin.Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 420, 66-72, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2015.03.032. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S.(2014): Evolution of stress and fault patterns in oblique rift systems: 3D numerical lithospheric-scale experiments from rift to breakup. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 15:8, 3392–3415, doi:10.1002/2014GC005446. (Link to Paper)
Koopmann, H.; Brune, S.; Franke, D.; Breuer, S.(2014): Linking rift propagation barriers to excess magmatism at volcanic rifted margins. Geology, 42, 1071-1074, doi:10.1130/G36085. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S.; Heine, C.; Perez-Gussinye, M.; Sobolev, S. V.(2014): Rift migration explains continental margin asymmetry and crustal hyper-extension. Nature Communications. 5:4014. doi:10.1038/ncomms5014. (Link to Paper)
Heine, C.; Brune, S.: Oblique rifting of the Equatorial Atlantic(2014): Why there is no Saharan Atlantic Ocean. Geology, 42, 211-214, doi:10.1130/G35082.1. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S.; Autin, J.: The rift to break-up evolution of the Gulf of Aden(2013): Insights from 3D numerical lithospheric-scale modelling. Tectonophysics 607, 65–79. doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2013.06.029. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S.;Popov, A. A.; Sobolev, S. V.(2013): Quantifying the thermo-mechanical impact of plume arrival on continental break-up. Tectonophysics 604, 51–59. doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2013.02.009. (Link to Paper)
Brune, S.; Popov, A. A.; Sobolev, S. V.(2012): Modeling suggests that oblique extension facilitates rifting and continental break-up. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117, B08402, doi:10.1029/2011JB008860. (Link to Paper)
12/2017: Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) - Degassing from Continental Rifts Controls Earth’s Thermostat
11/2017: Newsweek.com - When Earth's supercontinent Pangaea was torn apart 130 million years ago, the planet warmed up
11/2017: Bild der Wissenschaft - Wenn Kontinente brechen, wird`s warm
11/2017: Cosmos - Continent break-up fuelled early climate change
12/2016: EARTH Magazine - Why tectonic plates lurch forward when they break
07/2016: Spektrum der Wissenschaft - Kontinente zerreißen wie Brotteig
07/2016: Der Standard - Wie Kontinente auseinanderbrechen
08/2015: Bild der Wissenschaft - Die Geburt eines Ozeans
06/2015: Der Standard - Der Monsun beeinflusst sogar die Tektonik
03/2014: Yahoo.com - Tectonic Puzzle: Why West Africa Didn't Follow South America
03/2014: Spiegel Online - Die unmögliche Nase Südamerikas
03/2014: International Science Times - How Africa's Shape Was Determined By Competing Tectonic-Plate Movements
03/2014: Süddeutsche Zeitung - Die Welt, die niemals war
03/2014: Nature World News - Sahara Desert Could Have Been an Ocean.
12/2017: Brune, S. "Thermomechanical Controls on the Success and Failure of Continental Rift Systems" AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco
08/2017: Brune, S., S. Williams, G. Corti, R.D. Müller, G. Ranalli "Continental Rifting: From Plate Boundary Processes to Global Geodynamics" Invited Keynote, NetherMod - the XV International Workshop on Numerical Modelling of Mantle and Lithosphere Dynamics, Putten, Netherlands
04/2017: Brune, S., S. Williams, N. Butterworth, R.D. Müller "Abrupt plate acceleration during rifted margin formation: Cause and effect" EGU General Assembly, Vienna
12/2016: Brune, S. "Abrupt plate acceleration through oblique rifting: Geodynamic aspects of Gulf of California evolution." AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco
05/2016: Brune, S.: "Dynamics of Active Rifts and Rifted Margins: Insights from Numerical Experiments." 78th EAGE Conference, Vienna, Austria
03/2016: Brune, S. "Numerical Modelling of Rift Dynamics: Linking Observations on Fault, Basin and Global Scale." Invited Keynote. RIFTS III Conference at the Geological Society of London
04/2015: Brune, S. "Crustal Rheology and Rifted Margin Architecture: Comparing Iberia-Newfoundland, Central South Atlantic, and South China Sea." EGU General Assembly, Vienna
06/2010: Brune, S. "Landslide generated tsunamis and methods for early warning." CBC Workshop on Tsunami Modelling, Oslo
since 2018: Associate Editor, Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth
2017: Convener, "Continental Rifts and Passive Margins: Geology, Geophysics, Geodynamics", AGU Fall Meeting
2016: Co-Convener, "Origin, architecture, and dynamics of extensional basins", AGU Fall Meeting
2016: Co-Convener, “Rifted basins and margins: architecture and evolution“, 35th IGC, Capetown
2016: Guest Editor for Tectonophysics Special Volume “Tectonics of Oblique Plate Boundary Systems”
2015: Convener, “Rifts and Passive Margins: Tectonics, Dynamics, Processes“, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco
2015: Co-Convener, “Plate tectonics and plate boundary deformation: Observations and models on global, regional and basin scales”, GeoBerlin
2014: Convener, “Oblique Deformation: The 3D Challenge“, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco
2012: Co-Convener, “ Plate kinematics, mantle convection, paleogeography and sea level“, EGU General Assembly, Vienna
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