New team members

Welcome to new Graduate student Garrett Mitchell! Garrett was an undergraduate here a Maryland, who obtained a double major in Geography and Geology (with honors) and decided to stay a fifth year to obtain a combined BS/MS in Geology. Garrett and Marci Occhi are the first combined Geology BS/MS student!

Current Appointments

I have the honor of serving on the following committees

Ridge2000 Steering Committee

AGU Information Technology Committee

Recent publications

Delescluse, M., L.G.J. Montési, and N. Chamot-Rooke, 2008. Fault reactivation and selective abandonment in the oceanic lithosphere, Geophysical Research Letters, 35, L16312, doi:10.1029/2008GL035066 Link to article

Schouten, H., D.K. Smith, L.G.J. Montési, W. Zhu, and E. M. Klein, 2008. Cracking of lithosphere north of the Galapagos triple junction, Geology, 36(5), 339–342, doi:10.1130/G24431A.1. Link to article

Montési, L.G.J., and M.D. Behn, 2007. Mantle flow and melting underneath Mid-Ocean Ridges, Geophysical Research Letters, 34, L24307, doi:10.1029/2007GL031067. Link to article

Zhu W., L.G.J. Montési, and T.-f. Wong, 2007. A micromechanics model of stress-induced anisotropic permeability reduction during compactive cataclastic flow, J. Geophys. Res., 112, B10207, doi:10.1029/2006JB004456. Link to article

Gregg, P., J. Lin, M.D. Behn, and L.G.J. Montési, 2007. Spreading rate dependence of the gravity structure of oceanic transform faults. Nature, 448, 183-187, doi: 10.1038/nature05962. Link too article

Montési, L.G.J., 2007. A constitutive model for layer development in shear zones near the brittle-ductile transition. Geophysical Research Letters, 34, L08307, doi:10.1029/2007GL029250. Link to article

Laurent Montési: Geodynamics

Geodynamics Group
Tectonics Interest Group


Bathymetry of the Southwest Indian ridge

Understanding planet Earth requires a combination of observations and theoretical models to explain these observations. I am working on producing models of processes occuring in the strong outer layer of our planet: the lithosphere. I study the development of both deformation features (tectonics) and volcanic features. In particular, I am address how tectonic and volcanic features localized. forming narrow deformation zones and magmatic areas. My main tools are analytical and numerical models, although I strive to incorporate as many constraints from the field as possible, such as geodetic and seismicity data and the structure of actual rocks.





You will find here summaries of current research projects, classes that I am teaching, list of publication, and external links to various projects I am involved in or that are directly relevant to my research. Do not hesitate to drop me a line with any comment you may have or if you might be interested in working on one of these projects.


Pattern of grain size reduction underneath a strike-slip fault

The sponsors' corner

My research is possible thanks to the support of the National Science Fundation and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.