Dr. Nicolas Le Corvec

Postdoctoral Fellow
Lunar and Planetary Institute
3600 Bay Area Boulevard
Houston, TX 77058
E-mail: [email protected]

Research Interest

My research focuses on the investigation of volcano-tectonic relationships in different type of volcanism, such as monogenetic basaltic volcanic fields, stratovolcanoes and basaltic shield volcanoes. I’m particularly interested in analyzing the interaction between magmatic activity and structural deformation occurring at these volcanic systems. My research uses a multifaceted approach to study volcanic and tectonic processes. I develop numerical and analogue models, informed by fieldwork campaigns to remote sensing analyses, to constrain the physical and structural mechanisms driving both volcanic and tectonic systems.

At the Lunar and Planetary Institute

Under the supervision of Dr. Patrick McGovern and in collaboration with Dr. Eric Grosfils (Pomona College, US), I am currently conducting postdoctoral research on the mechanical interaction between volcanic edifice growth, lithospheric flexure and magma intrusion, through the use the finite element modeling (COMSOL Multiphysics software). By combining modeling outputs with satellite image analyses of fault populations on Venus and Mars, I have developed general models on magma chamber failure, dike propagation and fault formation which can be applied to different planetary bodies.