A descriptive photo from my research and work

Geological Settings

Erosion is one of the most important processes in the evolution of Earth's surface. It sculpts the Earth's crust and shapes landscapes through its action on the Critical Zone, that thin layer where rock meets life—and in which we live.

The most visible effect of erosion is seen in the topography of mountain ranges, where rivers fed by rainfall cut into the very relief created by tectonic forces. This is one of the reasons why erosion has long been considered a key player in the relationship between climate and tectonics. For example, in the 1990s, models emerged suggesting that erosion in mountain ranges (i.e., the transfer of material from high-relief areas toward the outer regions), driven by orographic precipitation, helps accommodate (based on the principle of isostasy) some of the horizontal shortening caused by the collision of tectonic plates, and may even sustain tectonic activity.

Therefore, analyzing and understanding the processes and controls that govern landscape evolution—i.e., erosion–Critical Zone relationships—is not only a matter of fundamental geoscience but also of societal relevance, since our societies directly depend on these relationships for water resources, biological and mineral resources, agriculture, and the management of natural hazards (floods, landslides, famines, epidemics), etc.

To anticipate future challenges in managing our environment and to better answer questions about the consequences of erosion in the context of climate change, it is thus essential to understand erosional processes, to model them, and to characterize their controlling factors.

Research Interests

Tools