Dr Wouter Schellart - Researcher Profile

Wouter Schellart

Address

School of Geosciences
Building 28, Clayton

Biography

 

Earth-shaking impact of subduction zones

The Earth put on a lively start to the current millennium: devastating earthquakes in Sumatra, Chile and Japan; the Indian Ocean tsunami; volcanoes that have thrown up enough ash to shut down the aviation industry. It has drawn attention to the field of Earth and Planetary Sciences in which A/Prof. Wouter Schellart works. As a geophysicist, he is particularly interested in the plate boundary zones where these activities take place, so-called subduction zones, and why they appear to happen only in specific places and not others.  

 

 

Wouter’s main research focus is the large-scale dynamics of the Earth. The tectonic plates that make up the planet’s surface, underlying continents and oceans, are constantly on the move. Sometimes their boundaries draw apart, sometimes they converge and sometimes one plate slides under another.

“One of my main interests is trying to figure out why they move in the direction they move and why some plates move faster than others,” Wouter says. “For example, why is the Australian plate moving at about six centimetres a year towards the north and the African plate moving at about two centimetres a year towards the north-east?”

 

In tackling such questions, the areas called subduction zones are of particular interest. In these dynamic zones, one plate slides under another, and sinks into the Earth’s mantle. As this happens, the plates deform, slip, bend, break up, heat up and are generally likely to create dramatic upheavals. 

“These are the places where we find the largest and most violent earthquakes and volcanoes,” Wouter says.

Global monitoring of earthquakes began only about 60 years ago. Eight out of the ten largest earthquakes recorded since then have occurred at subduction zones. But although these zones measure about 50,000 kilometres in total, only some parts are known to experience very large earthquakes.

“Part of my research tries to understand the risk associated with certain subduction zones,” Wouter says. “The question is, do these large earthquakes occur only in specific regions of these subduction zones or would they be able to occur anywhere along any subduction zone?” 

That these zones are also the major drivers behind tectonic plate movement is generally accepted, he says. But explaining how, or why, remains a challenge. 

“Where does the energy come from, and what happens at these subduction zones?” he says. “How do they actually force the plates to move?” 

Laboratory and computer modelling contribute to his search for answers to these and related questions, including why the overriding plate at some subduction zones is stretched to such an extent that an ocean basin forms (e.g. Tasman Sea), while at other subduction zones massive mountain ranges might form (e.g. Andes).

Wouter also draws on geophysical and geological data showing plate movement over millions of years. Sophisticated techniques using satellites and geodetic stations mean that more recent movement can now be tracked from year to year.

His work is supported by an impressive array of awards and grants. Wouter, currently an ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor, also has two Discovery grants from the Australian Research Council and a grant under the Monash Research Accelerator program. He received a J G Russell Award from the Australian Academy of Science in 2007, the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research by and Early Career Researcher in 2010, and has previously received a APD Fellowship and QE II Fellowship from the Australian Research Council, as well as a Monash Fellowship from Monash University.

 

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  • Google Scholar Citations - W.P. Schellart

Research & Supervision Interests

    Subduction kinematics and dynamics
    Mantle flow
    Arc-backarc system evolution and dynamics
    Geodynamic modelling (physical and numerical)
    Rheology of modelling materials
    Plate tectonic reconstructions
    Mountain building and destruction
    Geophysical fluid dynamics
    Solid mechanics
    Structural geology
    Subduction zone earthquakes

Keywords

Geodynamics, Tectonics, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Rheology, Structural Geology, Subduction Zone Earthquakes, Subduction, Plate Tectonics, Mantle Flow

Qualifications

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Institution: Monash University
Year awarded: 2003
COMBINED BSC AND MSC (MSC: 50% COURSES 50% RES)
Institution: Free University ( Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Year awarded: 1999
1 YEAR UNIVERSITY DEGREE (PHYSICS)
Institution: University of Amsterdam ( Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Year awarded: 1994

Publications

Book Chapters

Stephenson, R., Schellart, W., 2010, The Black Sea back-arc basin: Insights to its origin from geodynamic models of modern analogues, in Sedimentary Basin Tectonics from the Black Sea and Caucasus to the Arabian Platform, eds M. Sosson, N. Kaymakci, R.A. Stephenson, V. Starostenko and F. Bergerat, GSL Publishing, London UK, pp. 11-21.

Schellart, W.P., Nieuwland, D., 2003, 3D evolution of a pop-up structure above a double basement strike-slip fault: Some insights from analogue modelling, in New Insights into Structural Interpretation and Modelling, eds D.A. Nieuwland, Geological Society Special Publication, Bath, UK, pp. 169-179.

Journal Articles

Schellart, W.P., 2012, Comment on "Geochemistry of the Early Miocene volcanic succession of Northland, New Zealand, and implications for the evolution of subduction in the Southwest Pacific" by MA Booden, IEM Smith, PM Black and JL Mauk, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research [P], vol 211, Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 112-117.

Irvine, D.N., Schellart, W.P., 2012, Effect of plate thickness on bending radius and energy dissipation at the subduction zone hinge, Journal of Geophysical Research [P], vol 117, American Geophysical Union, Washington DC USA, pp. 1-14.

Keep, M., Schellart, W.P., 2012, Introduction to the thematic issue on the evolution and dynamics of the Indo-Australian plate, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences [P], vol 59, issue 6, Taylor and Francis Ltd, Oxon UK, pp. 807-808.

Schellart, W.P., Sparkman, W., 2012, Mantle constraints on the plate tectonic evolution of the Tonga-Kermadec-Hikurangi subduction zone and the South Fiji Basin region, Australian Journal of Earth Sciences [P], vol 59, issue 6, Taylor and Francis, Oxon UK, pp. 933-952.

Schellart, W., 2011, A subduction zone reference frame based on slab geometry and subduction partitioning of plate motion and trench migration, Geophysical Research Letters [P], vol 38, American Geophysical Union, USA, pp. 1-6.

Schellart, W., Stegman, D., Farrington, R., Moresi, L., 2011, Influence of lateral slab edge distance on plate velocity, trench velocity, and subduction partitioning, Journal of Geophysical Research [P], vol 116, issue 10, American Geophysical Union, USA, pp. 1-15.

Schellart, W., 2011, Rheology and density of glucose syrup and honey: Determining their suitability for usage in analogue and fluid dynamic models of geological processes, Journal of Structural Geology [P], vol 33, issue 6, Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, England, pp. 1079-1088.

Stegman, D.R., Farrington, R., Capitanio, F.A., Schellart, W.P., 2010, A regime diagram for subduction styles from 3-D numerical models of free subduction, Tectonophysics [P], vol 483, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 29-45.

Schellart, W., Stegman, D., Farrington, R., Freeman, J., Moresi, L., 2010, Cenozoic tectonics of western North America controlled by evolving width of farallon slab, Science [P], vol 329, issue 5989, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington DC USA, pp. 316-319.

Stegman, D., Schellart, W., Freeman, J., 2010, Competing influences of plate width and far-field boundary conditions on trench migration and morphology of subducted slabs in the upper mantle, Tectonophysics [P], vol 483, issue 1-2, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 46-57.

Schellart, W., Rawlinson, N., 2010, Convergent plate margin dynamics: new perspectives from structural geology, geophysics and geodynamic modelling, Tectonophysics [P], vol 483, issue 1-2, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 4-19.

Schellart, W., 2010, Evolution of subduction zone curvature and its dependence on the trench velocity and the slab to upper mantle viscosity ratio, Journal of Geophysical Research [P], vol 115, American Geophysical Union, Washington DC USA, pp. 1-18.

Schellart, W., Rawlinson, N., 2010, Introduction to the special issue on convergent plate margin dynamics, Tectonophysics [P], vol 483, issue 1-2, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 1-3.

Schellart, W., 2010, Mount Etna-Iblean volcanism caused by rollback-induced upper mantle upwelling around the Ionian slab edge: an alternative to the plume model, Geology [P], vol 38, issue 8, Geological Society of America, Boulder USA, pp. 691-694.

Schellart, W., 2010, Reply to comment from Bruce Buffett on "Evolution of the slab bending radius and the bending dissipation in three-dimensional subduction models with a variable slab to upper mantle viscosity ratio", Earth And Planetary Science Letters [P], vol 297, issue 3-4, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 702-705.

Schellart, W.P., 2009, Evolution of the slab bending radius and the bending dissipation in three-dimensional subduction models with a variable slab to upper mantle viscosity ratio, Earth And Planetary Science Letters [P], vol 288, issue 1-2, Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 309-319.

Schellart, W.P., Kennett, B., Sparkman, W., Amaru, M., 2009, Plate reconstructions and tomography reveal a fossil lower mantle slab below the Tasman Sea, Earth And Planetary Science Letters [P], vol 278, issue 3-4, Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 143-151.

Schellart, W.P., 2009, Reply to comment on "The potential influence of subduction zone polarity on overriding plate deformation, trench migration and slab dip angle", Tectonophysics [P], vol 463, issue 1-4, Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 214-217.

Schellart, W.P., Stegman, D.R., Freeman, J., 2008, Global trench migration velocities and slab migration induced upper mantle volume fluxes: Constraints to find an Earth reference frame based on minimizing viscous dissipation, Earth-Science Reviews, vol 88, issue 1-2, Elsevier BV, Netherlands, pp. 118-144.

Schellart, W.P., 2008, Kinematics and flow patterns in deep mantle and upper mantle subduction models: Influence of the mantle depth and slab to mantle viscosity ratio, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems [P], vol 9, issue 3, American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, USA, pp. 1-29.

Schellart, W.P., 2008, Overriding plate shortening and extension above subduction zones: A parametric study to explain formation of the Andes Mountains, Geological Society of America Bulletin [P], vol 120, issue 11-12, Geological Society of America, Boulder USA, pp. 1441-1454.

Schellart, W.P., 2008, Subduction zone trench migration: Slab driven or overriding-plate-driven?, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, vol 170, issue 1-Feb, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 73-88.

Schellart, W.P., 2007, Comment on "The thermal structure of subduction zone back arcs" by Claire A. Currie and Roy D. Hyndman, Journal of Geophysical Research [P], vol 112, issue 11, American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, USA, pp. 1-4.

Schellart, W.P., Freeman, J., Stegman, D.R., Moresi, L., May, D.A., 2007, Evolution and diversity of subduction zones controlled by slab width, Nature, vol 446, issue 7133, Nature Publishing Group, London UK, pp. 308-311.

Schellart, W.P., 2007, North-eastward subduction followed by slab detachment to explain ophiolite obduction and Early Miocene volcanism in Northland, New Zealand, Terra Nova [E], vol 19, issue 3, Blackwell Publishing, Oxon, UK, pp. 211-218.

Schellart, W.P., 2007, The potential influence of subduction zone polarity on overriding plate deformation, trench migration and slab dip angle, Tectonophysics [P], vol 445, issue 3-4, Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 363-372.

Schellart, W., Lister, G., Toy, V., 2006, A Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic reconstruction of the Southwest Pacific region: Tectonics controlled by subduction and slab rollback processes, Earth-Science Reviews, vol 76, issue 3-4, Elsevier B.V., Netherlands, pp. 191-233.

Stegman, D.R., Freeman, J.C., Schellart, W.P., Moresi, L., May, D.A., 2006, Influence of trench width on subduction hinge retreat rates in 3-D models of slab rollback, Geochemistry, vol 7, issue 3, American Geophysical Union, Washington USA, pp. 1-22.

Sandiford, M., Coblentz, D., Schellart, W.P., 2005, Evaluating slab-plate coupling in the Indo-Australian plate, Geology [P], vol 33, issue 2, Geological Society of America, Boulder, USA, pp. 113-116.

Schellart, W.P., 2005, Influence of the subducting plate velocity on the geometry of the slab and migration of the subduction hinge, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol 231, issue 3-Apr, Elsevier BV, Netherlands, pp. 197-219.

Schellart, W.P., Lister, G., 2005, The role of the East Asian active margin in widespread extensional and strike-slip deformation in East Asia, Journal of Geological Society, vol 162, Geological Society Publishing House, UK, pp. 959-972.

Schellart, W., 2004, Kinematics of subduction and subduction-induced flow in the upper mantle, Journal of Geophysical Research, vol 109, issue B7, American Geophysical Union, Washington USA, pp. 1-19.

Schellart, W., 2004, Quantifying the net slab pull force as a driving mechanism for plate tectonics, Geophysical Research Letters, vol 31, issue 7, American Geophysical Union (AGU), Boulder Colorado USA, pp. 1-5.

Schellart, W., Lister, G., 2004, Tectonic models for the formation of arc-shaped convergent zones and backarc basins, Geological Society of America. Special Paper 383, vol 383, Geological Society of America, Washington USA, pp. 237-258.

Schellart, W.P., Jessell, M., Lister, G., 2003, Asymmetric deformation in the backarc region of the Kuril arc, northwest Pacific: New insights from analogue modeling, Tectonics [P], vol 22, issue 5, American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, USA, pp. 1-17.

Schellart, W., Lister, G., Jessell, M.W., 2002, Analogue modeling of arc and backarc deformation in the New Hebrides arc and North Fiji Basin, Geology, vol 30, issue 4, Geological Society of America, Colorado USA, pp. 311-314.

Schellart, W., Lister, G., Jessell, M.W., 2002, Analogue modelling of asymmetrical back-arc extension, Journal of the Virtual Explorer, vol 7, Virtual Explorer Pty Ltd, Melbourne Vic Australia, pp. 25-42.

Schellart, W., 2000, Shear test results for cohesion and friction coefficients for different granular materials: scaling implications for their usage in analogue modelling, Tectonophysics, vol 324/1, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam Netherlands, pp. 1-16.

Conference Proceedings

Schellart, W.P., 2008, Estimate of the slab to upper mantle effective viscosity ratio from fluid dynamic models of subduction, Bollettino di Geofisica teorica ed applicata, 22 September 2008 to 24 September 2008, Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale, Trieste, pp. 194-198.

Postgraduate Research Supervisions

Current Supervision

Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
Role of the overriding plate in the subduction process.
Supervisors:
Schellart, W (Main), Moresi, L (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
The generation of sheath folds in viscously stratified materials: An analogue and numerical modelling approach..
Supervisors:
Schellart, W (Main), Moresi, L (Associate).
Program of Study:
(DOCTORATE BY RESEARCH).
Thesis Title:
The influence of basement structure on the formation and deformation of Jurassic-cretaceous rift basins along the southern margin of Australia.
Supervisors:
Hall, W (Main), Schellart, W (Associate).