The PI proposes two areas of research continuation and initiation. These areas are (1) mantle heterogeneity as the driving force of Mesozoic and Cenozoic plate motions, and (2) theory and experimentation on mantle plumes and hotspots. The PI intends to model recent earth evolution as a dynamical process in understanding plate motions, as well as using the Galapagos Islands as a natural experiment to study mixing between MORB (ridge) and OIB (hotspot) geochemical sources. In addition, a laboratory for geodynamics will be established at the University of California, Berkeley.
