Team
Geoffroy Mohn, PhD - Principal Investigator
Assistant professor, University of Cergy-Pontoise
Dr. Geoffroy Mohn is associate professor in Tectonics at CY Cergy-Paris University (France). He graduated from the University of Strasbourg, with a PhD in Geology in 2010, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Gianreto Manatschal. His dissertation focussed on the tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the remnants of the fossil Alpine Tethys margin preserved in the European Alps. After his PhD, he obtained a postdoctoral scholarship between the University of Strasbourg (France), University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and EXXONMOBIL-Upstream Research Company-Houston to study the structural, rheological and temporal evolution of hyper-extended deep-water rifted margins. His research focusses on the mechanisms of continental lithospheric thinning and breakup and the associated sedimentary record using offshore and onshore case studies. He also investigates the interaction between hyperextension and evaporite/salt deposition and the effect of mobile salt on the stratigraphic architecture of rift basins.
Since his recruitment in 2012 at CY Cergy-Paris University, he supervised five PhDs students, led and managed four post-doc projects funded by industry partners and was involved in two petroleum consortiums (MM4, M5). He recently led a project on the evolution of the remnants of the North African Mesozoic rifted margin exposed in the Rif belt (onshore Morocco).
Dr Geoffroy Mohn is currently actively involved in IODP, being the referent for his laboratory. He participated and sailed on the IODP expeditions 368, which occurred in spring 2017 entitled Testing hypotheses for lithosphere thinning during continental breakup: drilling at the South China Sea rifted margin, subsequently to which he obtained several post-cruise IODP projects.
Julie Tugend, PhD
None
Dr. Julie Tugend is an experienced research fellow. She graduated from the University of Strasbourg with a PhD in Geology and Geophysics in 2013 conducted under the joint supervision of Profs. Gianreto Manatschal and Nick Kusznir. Her dissertation focussed on the segmentation and partitioning of extensional deformation between rift basins formed along Iberia-European plate boundary. Resulting published works have been highlighted as Research Spotlight [1] and “Research Focus” [2] in recognition for their contribution to knowledge of rifted margin structure and formation processes.
Since her PhD and subsequent post-doctorate fellowships (2013-2020), she has been working on the structural, magmatic and stratigraphic analysis of rifted margins coupling seismic observations and interpretations to quantitative analyses. She notably developed an observation/driven quantitative approach to identify and map and crustal rift domains in present-day rifted margins and their onshore analogues integrated in mountain belts.
She works in close interaction with the hydrocarbon industry and was involved in two petroleum consortiums (MM4, M5), one of which she contributed to elaborate (M5). She recently co/organized and co-led the IMAGinING Rifting Workshop 19, which took place in October 2019 and included field excursions and seismic interpretation workshops.
Leïla Morzelle
PhD Candidate, University of Cergy-Pontoise
Leïla Morzelle has been a natural sciences teacher in France since 2018. After teaching in high school and at university, she obtained a prize for mediation and dissemination of scientific culture for her investment in the U-maker project about geology of Vexin. In 2024, she began a PhD in geosciences at CY Cergy Paris University and is interested in 3D geometry and the deformation of low-angle normal faults. She has a Drone Pilot Certificate which she intends to use in a new way of doing geological field work.
References
J Tugend, G Manatschal, NJ Kusznir, E Masini, G Mohn, and Isabelle Thinon. Formation and deformation of hyperextended rift systems: insights from rift domain mapping in the bay of biscay-pyrenees. Tectonics, 33(7):1239–1276, 2014.
Julie Tugend, Gianreto Manatschal, and NJ Kusznir. Spatial and temporal evolution of hyperextended rift systems: implication for the nature, kinematics, and timing of the iberian-european plate boundary. Geology, 43(1):15–18, 2015.