Geosciences at Virginia Tech

Faculty and Instructors

Scott King
Professor of Geophysics

Office:
3056 Derring
+1.540.231.7038 (Phone)
+1.540.231.3386 (FAX)

Mailing Address:
4044 Derring Hall (0420)
Blacksburg, VA 24061

Education:
Ph.D., Geophysics, California Institute of Technology, 1990
B.A., Geophysical Sciences, The University of Chicago, 1985

Homepage:

Research Interests

My research focuses on the dynamics and evolution of the interior of the terrestrial planets. While motions in the interior of the Earth are almost imperceptible on human time scales, the process by which the Earth cools is the driving force behind most tectonic and volcanic activity. Mantle convection and plate motions are part of a linked system. I use the computer as my laboratory and computer models as tools for hypothesis testing. The observations constraining the dynamics of the Earth's interior come from seismology, mineral physics. geochemistry, geodesy, and geology. I have projects working on subduction zones, hotspots, and plate reorganizations. Because many of these problems require large computer calculations, other aspects of my research interests include improving the efficiency of computations and visualization of the results.

I am also interested in the other terrestrial planets. Mars is particularly intriguing because the origin and evolution of two of the largest features (Tharsis rise and the crustal dichotomy) are poorly understood. Mercury is interesting because even though it is quite small, there is (apparently) an active core dynamo. Venus is similar in size to Earth but has no plate tectonics.

Publications (last three years)

  • King, S. D. and H. L. Redmond, The Structure of Thermal Plumes and Geophysical Observations, in Foulger, G.R. and Jurdy, D.,   Plates, Plumes & Planetary Processes, GSA Special Publication, 430, 103-120, 2007.

  • King, S. D. Mantle Downwellings and the Fate of Subducting Slabs: Constraints from Seismology, Geoid, Topography, Geochemistry, and Petrology,   Treatise on Geophysics, Volume 7, Mantle Dynamics, pp. 325-370, 2007.

  • Redmond, H. L and S.D. King, Does mantle convection currently exist on Mercury?,  Phys. Earth Planet. Int., 164, 221-231, 2007.

  • King,  S. D.,  Hotspots and edge-driven Convection, Geology,  35, 223-226, 2007.

  • King,  S. D.,  North Atlantic Topographic and Geoid Anomalies: The Result of a Narrow Ocean Basin and Cratonic Roots? in Foulger, G.R., Natland, J.H., Presnall, D.C., and Anderson, D.L., eds., Plates, Plumes, and Paradigms:  Geological Society of America Special Publication 388, 653-664, 2005.

  • Koglin Jr., D. E., S. Ghias, S. D. King, G. T. Jarvis, J. P. Lowman, Mantle Convection with Mobile Plates: A Benchmark Study, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 6, Q09003, doi:10.1029/2005GC000924, 2005.

  • King, S. D., Archean Cratons and Mantle Dynamics, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 234, 1-14, 2005.

  • van Keken, P. E., and S. D. King, Thermal Structure and Dynamics of Subduction Zones: Insights from Observations and Modeling, Phys. Earth Planet. Int., 149, 1-6, 2005.

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