“Now more than ever, we are growing our lab and building our program for exciting new experiments on both rock and ice.”
Research in the Rock and Ice Mechanics Lab encompasses many aspects of ice and rock deformation, with applications on Earth and throughout the solar system. Using lab experiments, we work to understand the physics of faulting, exploring the properties of rocks and ice from the micro scale of defects and asperities up to the macro scale of fault heating and rupture. This research informs our understanding of earthquake dynamics, and sheds light on anomalous heat production found in icy faults on earth and in the outer solar system. Follow us on Twitter.
Tools of the Trade: Machines that Squeeze and Tickle Rock and Ice
In the Rock & Ice Mechanics Lab, we use various laboratory instruments to study the physical properties of materials that are important to Earth and planetary science. We study natural rocks and ice, with facilities for coring, sawing, and grinding of experimental samples. We have an adjacent machine shop, a central facility for more detailed jobs, and a cold room for ice sample preparation and storage. Learn more about the custom machines that we use for our research.
Rock & Ice Mechanics Lab Principal Investigators
Rock & Ice Mechanics Lab Research Staff

Hatsuki is an expert on the properties that control seismic attenuation, including grain size, temperature, and partial melt (including pre-melt). Her work at Lamont is to additionally look at the effect of strain-induced dislocation structure and density on attenuation, using ice as an analog to upper mantle rock.

Kristin (Kris) is studying the physics of firn compaction and its rheology through experiments and numerical models to answer how firn compaction depends on physical parameters (density, temperature, stress). They are broadly interested in geophysical behavior and how material properties/microstructure, and vice versa, influence large scale processes.

Xinyang is interested in geochemistry, mineralogy, and carbon capture, storage, and utilization, especially in carbon mineralization. He worked on reconstructing East African paleoclimate using stromatolites collected from Lake Abhe and Lake Turkana at Syracuse and is now working on the carbon mineralization project.

Clare is a CU Engineering student helping us with design and fabrication of instruments for ice research. In particular she is working on a study of ice friction at enhanced g with colleagues in Carleton Labs.

Sofya will be working on characterization of ice samples in the lab, in particular helping Dr. Yamauchi to identify strain-induced dislocations using a sample-mold technique and SEM imaging.

Tyler is conducting simulations of shallow earthquakes in subduction zones to help understand how different and complex types of fault zone behaviors, such as tsunami earthquakes and slow slip events occur.