Post-Doctoral Position in Morphotectonics / Structural Geology at CEREGE (Aix en Provence, France)

This is a wonderful PostDoc position with Lucilla Benedetti at CEREGE. 2 yrs duration, field work in Italy, open until filled:

CEREGE has an opening for a post-doctoral position in morphotectonics and structural geology. The project (EQ-TIME PI: Lucilla Benedetti) is funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) to constrain how successive earthquakes accrue on individual faults to produce kilometerscale displacements and tectonic landforms. For that purpose, we propose to constrain and compare datasets on specific fault systems of the various stage of a fault escarpment build-up from timescales ranging from 10 to 106 a and to identify from those comparisons key information linking long-term morphology and seismic rupturing pattern. Constraining the fault slip over the 100 – 106 time window and encompassing spatial scales from 10^2 to 10^5 meters has been rarely achieved. To fulfil this challenge we focus on the Apennines range in Italy (host of the 2016 seismic sequence, 5 shocks Mw5 to 6.5 over 9 months) as it provides one of the most appropriate places worldwide to study long-term morphological build-up from the addition of individual
earthquakes.

In this framework, the post-doctoral fellow will have an active role in the quantification of deformation across the Apennines over the long-term (100 ka to 2 Ma). The objective will be to assess how active structures accomodate the extension, their finite displacement, their extensionrate
and how those parameters have evolved through time and space. The study will start by a compilation of the published datasets (geological maps, seismic reflection profiles, tomographic data, geophysical data) on three targeted areas along the Apennines. The post-doctoral researcher
will complement those observations by field data acquisition and additional shallow geophysical surveys on specific fault systems. Those data will be analyzed and inverted to accurately characterize the shallow structures. These constraints will be combined with long-wavelength structural geology data and will contribute to restore well-constrained serial balanced cross sections at regional scale. This comprehensive dataset will allow estimating rates of deformation and finite amounts of extension accommodated over the last 1 Ma by each target fault system.

From an analysis of the topography and morphology using satellite images and DEMs (highresolution DEMs produced from satellite- (Pleiades), aerial- and UAV-derived photogrammetry), and field observations, the post-doctorate fellow will identify Quaternary passive markers of the deformation to quantify the displacement over shorter time scales (10-100 kyr). Those markers will be dated using 36Cl cosmogenic nuclide or others Quaternary chronological dating techniques to derive rates of deformation over this time-scale.

The position will be based at CEREGE (Aix-en-Provence, France) and the candidate will benefit from various interactions and collaborations with members of the Earth and Planetary group of CEREGE. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with research groups in France at
Geosciences Montpellier, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and EOST Strasbourg and, in Italy, at INGV, Universita di Chieti and OGS.
The postdoc is expected to provide regular progress updates and manage communication amongst the different groups. The post-doctoral fellow will present his/her scientific results in international meetings, and write scientific papers to be published in peer-reviewed international journals.

Duration / Salary
This Post-Doctoral position is proposed for a duration of 24 months, to be started as early as September 2020 and at latest by January 2021. Net salary will depend on previous experience, and will average ~40 k€/year.

Qualifications and Application procedure

The candidates should have completed a PhD degree in tectonics or structural geology, with experience in building and restoring geological cross-sections and/or active tectonics. The applicants are expected to send their curriculum and a brief summary of their past research experience and scientific results to Lucilla Benedetti benedetti@cerege.fr and Vincent Godard godard@cerege.fr
The names and contact information of two (or more) referees will also be provided. Applications are open and will be considered upon reception as long as the position is vacant.

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