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Thorsten Wolfgang Becker

Associate Professor of Earth Sciences

Contact Information
E-mail: twb@usc.edu
Phone: (213) 740-8365
Office: ZHS 269

LINKS
Curriculum Vitae
Faculty Profile on Departmental Website
Personal Website
 

Education
M.S. Physics, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, 1997
Ph.D. Geophysics, Harvard University, 2002
 

Postdoctoral Training
Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Post-doctoral scholar, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, 2002-2004  
 

Academic Appointment, Affiliation, and Employment History

Tenure Track Appointments
Associate Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 2009-  
Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, 2004-2009  
 

Visiting and Temporary Appointments
Visiting Associate Professor, University of Tokyo, Fall 2010   
Visiting fellow, Princeton University, Spring 2008   
 

Description of Research

Summary Statement of Research Interests
As a geophysicist, my main research interests are in geodynamics and seismology with focus on the interactions between mantle convection, surface geology, and Earth evolution. My group integrates a broad range of geological, geophysical, and geochemical data into quantitative models of plate tectonics, from grain-scale deformation to plate-scale flow. Recent research projects include work on seismic anisotropy, mantle heat transport and the mechanics of plate tectonics, subduction dynamics, and fault system mechanics.
 

Publications

Encyclopedia Article
Becker, T. W. (2011). Seismic anisotropy. (Gupta, H., Ed.). 11 pages. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-8702-7_51. Vol. Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics. Springer.
 

Journal Article
Becker, T. W., Lebedev, S., Long, M. D. (2012). On the the relationship between azimuthal anisotropy from shear wave splitting and tomographic models. J. Geophys. Res.. Vol. 117 (doi:10.1029/2011JB008705), pp. 17 pages.
Goebel, T., Becker, T. W., Schorlemmer, D., Stanchits, S., Sammis, C., Rybacki, E., Dresen, G. (2012). Identifying fault heterogeneity through mapping spatial anomalies in acoustic emission statistics. J. Geophys. Res.. Vol. 117 (B03310, doi:10.1029/2011JB008763), pp. 18.
Buffett, B., Becker, T. W. (2012). Bending stress and dissipation in subducted lithosphere. J. Geophys. Res..
Bailey, I. W., Alpert, L. A., Becker, T. W., Miller, M. S. (2012). Co-seismic deformation of deep slabs based on summed CMT data. J. Geophs. Res.. Vol. 117, B04404, doi:10.1029/2011JB008943, pp. 19.
Konter, J., Becker, T. W. (2012). Shallow lithospheric contribution to mantle plumes revealed by integrating seismic and geochemical data. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys.. Vol. 13, Q02004, doi:10.1029/2011GC003923, pp. 14.
Gerault, M., Becker, T. W., Kaus, B., Faccenna, C., Moresi, L., Husson, L. (2012). The role of slabs and oceanic plate geometry for the net rotation of the lithosphere, trench motions, and slab return flow. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys.. Vol. 13, Q04001, doi:10.1029/2011GC003934, pp. 23.
Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Lallemand, S., Steinberger, B. (2012). On the role of slab pull in the Cenozoic motion of the Pacific. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 39, L03305, doi:10.1029/2011GL050155, pp. 6.
Becker, T. W. (2012). On recent seismic tomography for the western United States. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys.. Vol. 13 (Q01W10, doi:10.1029/2011GC003977), pp. 11.
Becker, T. W., Kawakatsu, H. (2011). On the role of anisotropic viscosity for plate-scale flow. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 38 (L17307, doi:10.1029/2011GL048584), pp. 5.
Schaefer, J., Boschi, L., Becker, T. W., Kissling, E. (2011). Radial anisotropy in the European mantle: Tomographic studies explored in terms of mantle flow. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 38 (10.1029/2011GL049687), pp. 5.
Becker, T. W., Faccenna, C. (2011). A mantle conveyor beneath the Tethyan collisional belt. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.. Vol. 310, pp. 453-461.
Boschi, L., Becker, T. W. (2011). Vertical coherence in mantle heterogeneity from global seismic data. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 38 (L20306), pp. 5.
Bull, A. L., McNamara, A., Becker, T. W., Ritsema, J. (2010). Global scale models of the mantle flow field predicted by synthetic tomography models. Phys. Earth Planet. Int.. Vol. 182, pp. 129-138.
Bailey, I., Ben-Zion, Y., Becker, T. W., Holschneider, M. (2010). Quantifying focal mechanism heterogeneity for fault zones in central and southern California. Geophys. J. Int.. Vol. 183, pp. 267-276.
Ghosh, A., Becker, T. W., Zhong, S. (2010). Effects of lateral viscosity variations on the geoid. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 37 (L01301, doi:10.1029/2009GL040426), pp. 6.
Platt, J. P., Becker, T. W. (2010). Where is the real transform boundary in California?. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys.. Vol. 11 (Q06013), pp. 19.
Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W. (2010). Shaping mobile belts by small-scale convection. Nature. Vol. 465, pp. 602-605.
Long, M. D., Becker, T. W. (2010). Mantle dynamics and seismic anisotropy. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.. Vol. 297 (Frontiers), pp. 341-354.
Alpert, L. A., Becker, T. W., Bailey, I. W. (2010). Global slab deformation and centroid moment tensor constraints on viscosity. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys.. Vol. 11 (Q12006, doi:10.1029/2010GC003301), pp. 22 pages.
Boschi, L., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W. (2010). Mantle structure and dynamic topography in the Mediterranean Basin. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 37 (doi:10.1029/2010GL045001), pp. 6.
Becker, T. W. (2010). Fine-Scale Modeling of Global Plate Tectonics. Science. Vol. 29, pp. 1020 - 1021.
Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Lallemand, S., Lagabrielle, Y., Funiciello, F., Piromallo, C. (2010). Subduction triggered magmatic pulses. A new class of plumes?. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Vol. 209, pp. 54-68.
Becker, T. W., Faccenna, C. (2009). A review of the role of subduction dynamics for regional and global plate motions. Springer. Vol. Subduction Zone Geodynamics, pp. 3-34.
Bailey, I., Becker, T. W., Ben-Zion, Y. (2009). Patterns of co-seismic strain computed from southern California focal mechanisms. Geophysical Journal International. Vol. 177, pp. 1015-1036.
Qin, Y., Capdeville, Y., Montagner, J., Boschi, L., Becker, T. W. (2009). Reliability of mantle tomography models assessed by spectral-element simulation. Geophys. J. Int.. Vol. 177, pp. 125-144.
Kaus, B., Liu, Y., Becker, T. W., Yuen, D., Shi, Y. (2009). Lithospheric stress-states predicted from long-term tectonic models: influence of rheology and possible application to Taiwan. J. Asian Earth Sci.. Vol. 36, pp. 119-134.
Becker, T. W., Conrad, C. P., Buffett, B., Muller, R. D. (2009). Past and present seafloor age distributions and the temporal evolution of plate tectonic heat transport. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Vol. 278, pp. 233-242.
Milner, K., Becker, T. W., Boschi, L., Sain, J., Schorlemmer, D., Waterhouse, H. (2009). The Solid Earth Research and Teaching Environment: a new software framework to share research tools in the classroom and across disciplines. EOS Trans. AGU. Vol. 90 (12)
Foley, B., Becker, T. W. (2009). Generation of plate-like behavior and mantle heterogeneity from a spherical, visco-plastic convection model. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. Vol. 10, Q08001 (doi:10.1029/2009GC002378), pp. 20.
Castelnau, O., Blackman, D., Becker, T. W. (2009). Numerical simulations of texture development and associated rheological anisotropy in regions of complex mantle flow. Geophys. Res. Lett.. Vol. 36 (L12304, doi:10.1029/2009GL038027), pp. 6.
Funiciello, F., Faccenna, C., Heuret, A., di Giuseppe, E., Lallemand, S., Becker, T. W. (2008). Trench migration, net rotation and slab-mantle coupling. Earth and Planetary Science letters/Elsevier. Vol. 271, pp. 233-240.
Kaus, B. J., Steedman, C., Becker, T. W. (2008). From passsive continental margin to mountain belt: insights from analytical and numerical models and application to Taiwan. Physics of Earth and Planetary Interiors. Vol. 171, pp. 235-251.
Faccenna, C., Rossetti, F., Becker, T. W., Danesi, S., Morelli, A. (2008). Recent extension driven by mantle upwelling at craton edge beneath the Admirality mountains (Ross Sea, East Antarctica). Tectonics. Vol. Tectonics, 27, TC4015, 27 (TC4015, doi:10.1029/2007TC002197), pp. 13.
Becker, T. W., Kustowski, B., Ekstrom, G. (2008). Radial seismic anisotropy as a constraint for upper mantle rheology. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Vol. 267, pp. 213-237.
Boschi, L., Becker, T. W., Steinberger, B. (2008). On the statistical significance of correlations between synthetic mantle plumes and tomographic models. Physics of Earth and Planetary Interiors. Vol. 167, pp. 230-238.
Becker, T. W. (2008). Azimuthal seismic anisotropy constrains net rotation of the lithosphere. Geophysical Research Letters. Vol. 35 (LO5335), pp. 5p..
Platt, J., Kaus, B., Becker, T. W. (2008). The San Andreas transform system and the tectonics of California: an alternative approach. Earth Planet Sci Lett. Vol. 274, pp. 380-391.
Loyd, S., Becker, T. W., Conrad, C., Lithgow-Bertelloni, C., Corsetti, F. A. (2007). Time-variability in Cenozoic reconstructions of mantle heat flow: plate tectonic cycles and implications for Earth's thermal evolution. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. Vol. 104, pp. 14266-14271..
Kaus, B. J., Becker, T. W. (2007). Effects of elasticity on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability: implications for large-scale geodynamics. Geophys. J. Int.. Vol. 168, pp. 843-862, 2007..
Becker, T. W., Ekstrom, G., Boschi, L., Woodhouse, J. (2007). Length-scales, patterns, and origin of azimuthal seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle as mapped by Rayleigh waves. Geophys. J. Int.. Vol. 171, pp. 451-462.
Becker, T. W., Browaeys, J., Jordan, T. H. (2007). Stochastic analysis of shear-wave splitting heterogeneity length scales and the origin of seismic anisotropy. Earth and Planetary Science letters/Elsevier. Vol. 259, pp. 526-540, 2007..
Faccenna, C., Heuret, A., Funiciello, F., Lallemand, S., Becker, T. W. (2007). Predicting trench and plate motion from the dynamics of a strong slab. Earth and Planetary Science letters/Elsevier. Vol. 257, pp. 29-36.
Boschi, L., Becker, T. W., Steinberger, B. (2007). Mantle plumes: dynamic models and seismic images. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. Vol. 8 (Q10006, doi:10.1029/2007GC001733), pp. 20.
Becker, T. W., Schulte-Pelkum, V., Chevrot, S., Blackman, D. K. (2006). Statistical properties of seismic anisotropy predicted by upper mantle geodynamic models. Journal of Geophysical Research/American Geophysical Union. Vol. 111, pp. B08309, doi.
Boschi, L., Becker, T. W., Soldati, G., Dziewonski, A. (2006). On the relevance of Born theory in global seismic tomography. Geophysical Research Letters/American Geophysical Union. Vol. 33 L06302
Piromallo, C., Becker, T. W., Funiciello, F., Faccenna, C. (2006). Three-dimensional instantaneous mantle flow induced by subduction. Geophysical Research Letters/American Geophysical Union. Vol. 33, pp. L08304, doi.
Becker, T. W., Schulte-Pelkum, V., Blackman, D. K., O'Connell, R. J., Kellogg, J. B. (2006). Mantle flow under the western United States from shear wave splitting. Earth and Planetary Science letters/Elsevier. Vol. 247, pp. 235-251, 2006.
Becker, T. W. (2006). On the effect of temperature and strain-rate viscosity on global mantle flow, net rotation, and driving forces. Geophys. J. Int.. Vol. 167, pp. 943, 2006.
 

Multimedia Scholarship and Creative Works
Software suite and web resource, Solid Earth Research and Teaching Environment (SEATREE). http://geosys.usc.edu/projects/seatree/wiki/, 2008-  
Online lecture notes, Becker, T. W. and Kaus, B. J. P.: Numerical Geodynamics. An introduction to computational methods with focus on solid Earth applications of continuum mechanics. Lecture notes. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 2010 (155 pages). http://geodynamics.usc.edu/~becker/preprints/Geodynamics540.pdf , 2008-2010  
Web site, Created western US seismic tomography visualization web site., 2010-2011  
 

Honors and Awards
NIH/NSF Career Development Award, NSF Geophysics, 2007-  
Kavli Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, 2007-2009  
Editors' Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for Tectonics, 2007-2008   
C. F. Gauss lecturer, German Geophysical Society, European Geosciences Meeting, 2007-2008   
Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Scholarship, 2002-2004  
Certificate of Excellence in Teaching, Derek Bok Center, Harvard University, 2001  
Haereus prize for Physics students in the state of Hesse, 1997-1998   
Siedler Award, Best M.Sc. Thesis in Physics, Frankfurt University, 1997  
 

Service to the Profession

Editorships and Editorial Boards
Senior editor, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2009-  
Editor, Geophysical Journal International, 2004-2009  
 
 
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