Anthony B. Watts

The 2008 Arthur Holmes Medal & Honorary Membership is awarded to Anthony B. Watts for his outstanding contributions to the understanding of the geological evolution of continental margins.

The main focus of Professor Watts’ research has been the use of geological and geophysical techniques to study the Earth’s crust and upper mantle beneath the world’s ocean basins and their margins. Predictions of simple thermal and mechanical models, have defined the response of the oceanic crust and upper mantle to geological processes associated with rifting of the continental crust. Professor Watts’ research has lead to fundamental new insights on the evolution of the rheology and strength of the Earth’s lithosphere.

Medal lecture video (Youtube) of the Arthur Holmes Medal given at the EGU General Assembly 2008.