Prof Tony Watts

Professor of Marine Geology and Geophysics


Research Theme
Tectonics, volcanoes and hazards

Research Area
Marine geology and geophysics

TelephoneSearch the directory
Email:tony@earth.ox.ac.uk
Homepage:
http://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/~tony/watts/INDEX.HTM

Research Profile

The main focus of my research has been to use geological and geophysical techniques to study the Earth\'s crust and upper mantle beneath the world\'s ocean basins and their margins. Seismic reflection and refraction profile, gravity and magnetic, and swath bathymetry data acquired on research vessels have been used to determine information on the structure, tectonic evolution and sea-floor processes at oceanic islands and seamounts, aseismic ridges, deep-sea trench island-arc systems, and passive continental margins. By comparing observations of the structure of oceanic islands and passive margins to predictions of simple thermal and mechanical models, constraints have been placed on the response of the oceanic crust and upper mantle to long-term (i.e. > 106 years) geological loads. Results show that the oceanic crust and upper mantle is capable of supporting volcanic and sedment loads for long periods of geological time by flexing over broad regions of the ocean floor. A major part of my research has been to quantitatively understand the phenomena of flexure, how it depends on load and plate age, and how it contributes to the gravity and geoid, the crustal structure and, the stratigraphic patterns that develop in sedimentary basins. Current research is focused on better understanding the role of flexure in the geological development of continental margin basins, the growth and decay of oceanic islands, the structural styles that develop in mountain belts, and landscape evolution.

Teaching Profile

1st year - Geological History of the British Isles.
2nd year - Geophysical Methods in Geology. Mendips field trip. Geological Maps.
3rd year - Sedimentary Basin Formation.
4th year - Anatomy of a Mountain Belt

Selected Publications (Extended Publications)

  • Lane, NF, Watts, AB, Farrant, AR, (2009) 'Reply to discussion on 'An analysis of Cotswold topography: insights into the landscape response to denudational isostasy'', J GEOL SOC LONDON. pp. 584-584 doi: 10.1144/0016-76492009-001
  • Pim, J, Peirce, C, Watts, AB, Grevemeyer, I, Krabbenhoeft, A, (2008) 'Crustal structure and origin of the Cape Verde Rise', EARTH PLANET SC LETT. pp. 422-428 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2008.05.012
  • Hillier, JK, Watts, AB, (2007) 'Global distribution of seamounts from ship-track bathymetry data', GEOPHYS RES LETT. pp. doi: 10.1029/2007GL029874
  • Greenroyd, CJ, Peirce, C, Rodger, M, Watts, AB, Hobbs, RW, (2007) 'Crustal structure of the French Guiana margin, west equatorial Atlantic', GEOPHYS J INT. pp. 964-987 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2007.03372.x
  • Rodger, M, Watts, AB, Greenroyd, CJ, Peirce, C, Hobbs, RW, (2006) 'Evidence for unusually thin oceanic crust and strong mantle beneath the Amazon Fan', GEOLOGY. pp. 1081-1084 doi: 10.1130/G22966A.1
  • Wyer, P, Watts, AB, (2006) 'Gravity anomalies and segmentation at the East Coast, USA continental margin', GEOPHYS J INT. pp. 1015-1038 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03066.x
  • Watts, AB, Sandwell, DT, Smith, WHF, Wessel, P, (2006) 'Global gravity, bathymetry, and the distribution of submarine volcanism through space and time', J GEOPHYS RES-SOL EA. pp. doi: 10.1029/2005JB004083
  • Robinson, DP, Das, S, Watts, AB, (2006) 'Earthquake rupture stalled by a subducting fracture zone.', Science. pp. 1203-1205 doi: 10.1126/science.1125771
  • Burov, EB, Watts, AB, (2006) 'The long-term strength of continental lithosphere: "Jelly sandwich" or "crème brûlée"?', GSA Today. pp. 4-10
  • Pérez-Gussinyé, M, Watts, AB, (2005) 'The long-term strength of Europe and its implications for plate-forming processes.', Nature. pp. 381-384 doi: 10.1038/nature03854
  • Hillier, JK, Watts, AB, (2005) 'Relationship between depth and age in the North Pacific Ocean', J GEOPHYS RES-SOL EA. pp. 1-22 doi: 10.1029/2004JB003406
  • Corfield, RI, Watts, AB, Searle, MP, (2005) 'Subsidence history of the north Indian continental margin, Zanskar-Ladakh Himalaya, NW India', J GEOL SOC LONDON. pp. 135-146 doi: 10.1144/0016-764903-162
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