We are located within the Department of Marine Geoscience at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, and led by Prof. Adam F. Holt. We constrain the factors that govern plate and mantle deformation, and the rates and scales over which this deformation occurs.

Research

We investigate the causes, rates, and scales of deformation at plate boundaries, within plates, and in the underlying mantle. We integrate geodynamic modeling techniques with geological and geophysical observations.

  1. Regional subduction dynamics. Analytical and numerical models linking mantle flow and pressure to near-surface deformation and tectonics (Holt et al., 2017, GJI; Kiraly et al., 2018, G-Cubed; Faccenna et al., 2017, Tectonophys.; Holt et al., 2018, EPSL).
  2. Subduction zone thermal structure, metamorphism, and dehydration. Numerical models of feedbacks between slab geometry, convergence, thermal structure, and phase transformations (Holt and Condit, 2021, G-Cubed).
  3. Plate tectonic analyses. Mechanical rules for present-day tectonic observations and tests of plate-reconstruction dynamic feasibility (Clennett et al., 2023, Sci. Rep.).
  4. Global subduction and mantle dynamics. Analytical and global numerical models of slab-induced mantle flow and slab-dip distributions (Holt and Royden, 2020, G-Cubed; Holt, 2022, GRL).

Teaching

  • Natural Disasters: Hollywood vs. Reality (GSC 107): Introductory science course on geologic hazards and societal response. Syllabus
  • Geodynamics (MGS 724): Graduate course on rheology, heat and mass transport, and numerical methods. Lecture notes and exercises
  • Subduction Zone Geodynamics (MGS 710): Literature-based overview of slab deformation, mantle flow, rheology, and subduction-induced topography. Syllabus, Schedule

Team

Current:

  • Adam F Holt, Assistant Professor. email: aholt@miami.edu Short CV Scholar, ResearchGate
  • Ryan Stoner, Postdoctoral Researcher. email: rstoner@miami.edu Projects: Subduction dynamics, metamorphic phase transitions
  • Gabe Epstein, NSF EAR Postdoctoral Fellow. email: gepstein@uw.edu Interests: Metamorphic petrology, geochemistry, chemical geodynamics
  • Valeria Turino, 4th year PhD student. email: valeria.turino@earth.miami.edu Projects: Subduction zone thermal structure, UHP exhumation
  • Tao Zhao, 1st year PhD student. email: tzhao@miami.edu Project: Western Pacific mantle and subduction dynamics
  • Zonglin Guo, 1st year PhD student. email: guo.zonglin@miami.edu Project: Slab bending, faulting, and hydration
  • Reid Jansen, Undergraduate researcher. email: rpj30@miami.edu Project: Styles of surface recycling on Europa

Former:

  • Sam Goldberg, NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, now UMiami faculty (website)
  • Yidan Wang, now in Guoqing Lin's seismology group (poster)
  • Jazmin Garza, Bachelor's Thesis (poster)
  • Chantal Newallo, Bachelor's Thesis (poster)

Selected Recent Publications

  1. Neuharth, D., Behr, W. M., and Holt, A. F., 2025. The role of along-strike variations in interface rheology on subduction dynamics. Geophys. J. Int., 244, doi:10.1093/gji/ggaf515. (PDF)
  2. Stoner, R. K., Holt, A. F., Epstein, G. S., Guevara, V. E., and Condit, C. B., 2025. Emergent feedbacks between progressive serpentinization, interface weakening, and subduction rates. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 26, doi:10.1029/2025GC012488. (PDF)
  3. Gianni, G. M., Guo, Z., Holt, A. F., and Faccenna, C., 2025. Non-collisional orogeny in northeast Japan driven by nearby same-dip double subduction. Nature Geosc., doi:10.1038/s41561-025-01704-5. (PDF)
  4. Conrad, E. M., Faccenna, C., Holt, A. F., and Becker, T. W., 2024. Tectonic reorganization of the Caribbean plate system in the Paleogene. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., doi:10.1029/2024GC011499. (PDF)
  5. Epstein, G. S., Condit, C. B., Stoner, R. K., Holt, A. F., and Guevara, V., 2024. Evolving subduction zone thermal structure drives extensive forearc mantle wedge hydration. AGU Advances, 5, doi:10.1029/2023AV001121. (PDF)
  6. Goldberg, S. L., and Holt, A. F., 2024. Complexity of subduction zone flow from multiscale global convection models. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 25, doi:10.1029/2023GC011134. (PDF)

Full publication list | Google Scholar