About
Tim uses physics to study processes within the Earth. He uses seismic waves to image structures and measure their physical properties on scales from 10s of cm to 100s of km. He also uses numerical modelling to understand how physical processes lead to the geological features that we observe. He works with collaborators in mulitple disciplines within the Earth sciences and engineering. For example, he has worked to measusre the physical properties within the shallowest 10-20 m beneath the seabed which are critical for offshore engineering, and showed that the power capacity of electrical power cables buried in the seabed is strongly affected by the type of sediment. He uses similar methods to study active tectonics within the Earth, and to investigate the formation and evolution of the oceanic lithosphere that covers 70% of the Earth's surface. For the past 10 years he has been co-chair of the NERC-supported Ocean Bottom Instrument Facility.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- Applying Physics to understand processes within the Earth system
- Imaging Earth structure on scales of 0.1m to 1000km
- Active tectonic processes
- Formation and evolution of ocean crust and lithosphere
- Links between geophysical measurements of sediment and engineering properties
Research projects
Active projects
Completed projects
Publications
Teaching
Tim teaches broadly across the full range of students within SOES. He has led both of the first year field courses for Earth scientists, and the Geophysics field course. He has previously taught key skills for Geophysics, Geodynamics, and Global Tectonics. Currently he teaches the seismic processing component of Advanced Exploration Geophysics, and leads SOES3029 Seafloor Surveying and SOES6024 Seafloor Surveying 2 which are taken by students across the full range of SOES programmes and also Geography and Archaeology.
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
BA Natural Sciences (Physics and Theoretical Geophysics), University of Cambridge, 1987-1990
PhD Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, 1990-1993. Thesis title "The Structure of Oceanic Crust", advisers Bob White and Richard Hobbs
NERC research fellow, Oxford University, 1993-1994
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Rice University, Houston, 1994-1999. Adviser Alan Levander
Lecturer in Earth Science, Rice University, 1998-1999
Lecturer in Geophysics, University of Southampton, 1999-2004
Senior Lecturer in Geophysics, University of Southampton, 2004-2013
Reader in Geophysics, University of Southampton, 2013-2015
Professor of Geophysics, University of Southampton, 2015-