Skip to main content
Plunge (Credit: Ian Watkinson, distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

GD Geodynamics Division on Geodynamics

EGU logo

European Geosciences Union

Division on Geodynamics
gd.egu.eu

Division on Geodynamics

President: Jeroen van Hunen (gd@egu.eu)
Deputy President: Paul Tackley (ptackley@gmail.com)

Studies related to the Geodynamics Division include all aspects of geodynamic processes in the lithosphere, mantle, and core. They encompass different approaches, including observations, imaging, theory, modelling (numerical simulations and laboratory experiments), and interpretation. Examples include the dynamics of subduction, mid-ocean-ridge processes, vertical and horizontal plate movements driving mountain building and basin formation, lithosphere dynamics, mantle convection, and core dynamics.

Recent awardees

Thorsten W. Becker

Thorsten W. Becker

  • 2023
  • Augustus Love Medal

The 2023 Augustus Love Medal is awarded to Thorsten W. Becker for outstanding research contributions in regional and global geodynamics, seismology, tectonics, and earthquake source processes, and for scientific leadership and selfless service.


Ágnes Király

Ágnes Király

  • 2023
  • Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award

The 2023 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Ágnes Király for her significant contributions in geodynamics, including contributions on viscous anisotropy in the mantle and new interactions between subduction and geological deformation and volcanism.


David Bercovici

David Bercovici

  • 2022
  • Augustus Love Medal

The 2022 Augustus Love Medal is awarded to David Bercovici for fundamental and long-lasting contributions that advance our understanding of the dynamics and evolution of mantle convection, lithospheric rheology and plate tectonics.


Timothy J. Craig

Timothy J. Craig

  • 2022
  • Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award

The 2022 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Timothy J. Craig for fundamental and multi-disciplinary contributions to geodynamics, such as developing a new paradigm for intraplate earthquakes, and uniting disparate datasets in a single geodynamic framework.


Kira Musiyachenko

Kira Musiyachenko

  • 2022
  • Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award

The 2022 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Kira Musiyachenko Secular change in the age of TTG sources during the Archean from in-situ Sr and Hf isotope analysis by LA-MC-ICPMS


Michaël Pons

Michaël Pons

  • 2022
  • Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award

The 2022 Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (OSPP) Award is awarded to Michaël Pons Variability of the shortening rate in Central Andes controlled by subduction dynamics and interaction between slab and overriding plate

Latest posts from the GD blog

How does slab tearing evolve?

Slab tearing refers to the gradual propagation of the break-off of a subducting plate. As observed in numerous modern and ancient convergent tectonic settings, the growth of the tear “window” in the downgoing plate has strongly influenced various geologic and geodynamic processes, such as depocenter migration of foreland basins, uplift rates in mountain ranges, earthquakes, volcanism, and flow patterns in the upper mantle. However, our understanding of the dynamics of slab break-off and tearing, especially in non-collisional environments, is still …


The first observational evidence for a volcanically active Venus

Our neighbouring planet Venus is gaining popularity in the terrestrial planetary sciences, especially since the selection of three new Venus missions by NASA and ESA in 2021. Now, for the first time ever, scientists have directly observed surface changes that indicate active volcanism on Venus. This discovery was made with data from NASA’s 30-year-old Magellan mission and is only a small preview for the incredible discoveries the future fleet of Venus missions will make. In today’s Peculiar Planets post, Anna …


Geodynamics 101 – Viscous anisotropy

We are living in an anisotropic world. From rock-building crystals, ice, and trees growing in your garden to your favourite slice of cake many materials or objects has some anisotropic behaviour. What does this mean? Anisotropy (non-isotropy) implies that a material property depends on the direction of the measurement. In geodynamics we often talk about seismic anisotropy, originating from microscopic or macroscopic layering, or crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). Now here is the surprise: the same sources can create viscous anisotropy …


Study of the Lithospheric deformations, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanic eruptions and their imprints in Atmosphere using Space Geodetic Observations

The fundamental of Space Geodesy is the observation of the dynamics of the Earth, such as its rotation on its axis, changes in shape, and the external gravitational field etc., which allow for the monitoring of the Earth system in general. Space Geodetic techniques, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) / Global Positioning System (GPS), as well as Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), can be used to measure the displacement of the Earth’s lithosphere and its interaction/energy exchange with …

Current issue of the EGU newsletter

In the March newsletter, we count down the days to Europe’s largest geoscience conference: EGU23! Thousands of scientists, academics, researchers, students, artists and journalists will come together for an exciting week of science with a myriad of talks, sessions and events, across different areas of interest.

First time attendees can check our quick ABCDE guide on how to plan for your conference week and if you’re presenting at EGU23, find out how to make your EGU23 presentation accessible to all.

General Assembly decision makers Maria-Helena Ramos and Athanasios Nenes, tell us the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into planning a conference of such scale. As a reminder, registrations remain open for EGU23. Members of the media are eligible for free registration, see more here.

Find GD on

Subscribe to

Tweets by @EGU_GD