Dr. Lawver currently focuses his research on paleogeographic reconstructions of Gondwana, the Polar Regions, East Asia, and the Western Pacific, the development of paleo-seaways and their impact on climate, and the aerogeophysics of the Arctic region. He is particularly interested in two of the remaining problems in the study of plate tectonics: understanding the timing and process of the opening of the Canada Basin of the Arctic region, and the impact of plate tectonics on long-term climate change. Lawver uses marine magnetic anomaly, heat flow, and aerogeophysical data, as well as computer graphics, to aid in understanding the break-up and evolution of the Polar Regions. He has acquired heat flow, marine magnetic, and seismic data during cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. Recent work with his colleague Marta Ghidella of the Instituto Antartico Argentino has led to a new understanding of the early break-up history of the Weddell Sea region of Antarctica. As one of the principal investigators of UTIG's PLATES project, Lawver uses the PLATES global databases as an investigative tool in carrying out his research.
Austin, TX
United States