Geology and Geophysics
Tectonics
EAPS faculty and students in tectonics study how the Earth has evolved over billions of years, integrating observations from the building and breaking of mountain ranges to the rise and filling of ocean basins, with an eye to their impact on the evolution of life.
Geophysics
Our geophysics faculty and students quantify the forces that currently shape the surface of our planet, from plate tectonics to mountain building, and the strength of the crust and mantle, from cold rocks that break as earthquakes to warm rocks that flow.
Geomorphology
Select EAPS faculty and students focus their research on the study of the origin and evolution of landscapes created by physical and chemical processes including tectonics, the flow of water and ice, and climate change.
Energy
Research in the traditional and unconventional energy thematic areas are conducted by our faculty and students, including the study of the exploration of reservoirs, the sedimentological and structural characterization of wells, and fluid/rock interactions.
Geology and Geophysics News
Purdue SuperCam helping with Mars research
03-31-2025
Inside Indiana Business—Purdue University is playing a key role in cracking the code on a planet 140 million miles away from Earth. Purdue professor Roger Wiens' state-of-the-art camera perched atop the Perseverance Rover is marking its fourth year on Mars. It's gathering half a million images to help scientists better understand how unique rocks make up this mysterious planet.
Preparing for Artemis: NASA's Geology Training for Lunar Exploration
03-27-2025
NASA — From the volcanic fields of Arizona to the lunar-like landscape of Iceland, NASA scientists are actively preparing astronauts and mission support teams for conducting science on the Moon. Kelsey Prissel, assistant professor of EAPS, was a member of the JETT5 Science Team and appears in this video by NASA.
Perseverance rover marks four years on Mars with 500,000th laser shot
03-13-2025
On the fourth anniversary of its landing on Mars, NASA's Perseverance rover marked a significant milestone. It has now fired its 500,000th laser shot using the SuperCam instrument. This accomplishment highlights its longevity and success, developed under the guidance of Purdue University professor Roger Wiens.
Bell powers notable studies of seismology, volcano dynamics
03-05-2025
EAPS professor Xiaotao Yang is using the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing (RCAC)’s powerful Bell supercomputer for seismic imaging and to better understand the lithosphere, the outermost layer of the Earth, and how earthquakes and volcanoes occur.
New research upends theory about why Mars is red, scientists say
02-25-2025
CNN — With its iconic rusty hue, Mars has long been called the red planet. Now, scientists may have discovered the potential source of that distinctive coloring, overturning a popular theory in the process. Scientists have wondered about the exact composition of the iron oxide in Martian dust, because understanding how it formed would enable them to essentially look back in time at what the environment and climate were like on ancient Mars. However, even though dust covers everything on Mars, it’s difficult to study and presents an enigma, said Briony Horgan, co-investigator on the Perseverance rover mission and professor of planetary science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.