General description of research
The geodynamic processes have governed the evolution of the Earth to its present state. The plate tectonics theory from the 1960s gave us the framework to understand the deformation and volcanism at plate boundaries. It allowed understanding of surface plate motions, but did not include a mechanism that explains the underlying convective dynamics caused by heat escaping from the core and mantle, and origin of intra-plate volcanism such as hotspots and Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs).
CEED aims to explore the mechanisms that link volcanism and near-surface deformation with deep Earth processes. A main hypothesis to be tested is that mantle plumes are generated at the core-mantle boundary, probably from the edges of huge domains called "Large Low Shear wave Velocity Provinces" (LLSVP).
We also hypothesize that mantle plumes can explain the surface distribution of most hotspots, and kimberlites and that the LIPs have caused most of the mass extinctions and rapid climate changes during the Phanerozoic eon (the last 540 million years).
Aim and research activities
The research activities within CEED will be carried out within the following thematic research framework:
- Deep Earth: Large low shear wave velocity provinces and plumes
- Dynamic Earth: Plate motions and Earth history
- Earth Crises: LIPs, mass extinctions and environmental changes
- Earth and Beyond: Comparative planetology
- Earth Modelling: Numerical models of Earth dynamics
- Earth Laboratory: Paleomagnetism and Rock Magnetism
Host institution and financing
The Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED) is hosted by the Department of Geosciences at The University of Oslo, Norway.
CEED is financed by The Research Council of Norway as a Centre of Excellence over a period of 5 + 5 years after a mid-term evaluation from 2013 to 2023.
The Norwegian name is Senter for Jordens utvikling og dynamikk.
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On CEEDs webpages we inform about our research activities, new publications, academic conferences, in media articles, open seminars series, affiliated people and more.
- Follow CEED at webpages, URL: www.mn.uio.no/ceed
- See also: earthdynamics.org
- The CEED blog (young CEED researchers blog)
- Director's blogg CEED (Carmen Gaina)
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Send an e-mail to ceed-post (at) geo.uio.no, and we will put you on our e-mailbased newsletter.