Thorsten Becker

Jackson School of Geosciences
The University of Texas at Austin

Publications
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publications: [journal articles] [other pubs] [Google Scholar]
Peer-reviewed contributions
169 Jolivet, L., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Davaille, A., Lasseur, E., Briais, J., Koptev, A., Sternai, P., and Le Pourhiet, L. (2025): Continental rifts and mantle convection. Earth Sci. Rev., EARTH-D-25-00168, 2025. PDF
168 Hua, J., Schulte-Pelkum, V., Becker, T. W., He, B., and Zhu, H.: Waveform effects on shear wave splitting near fault zones. J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Earth, 130, e2025JB031656, 2025. PDF
167 Jia, Z., Mao, W., Flores, M. C., Barra, S., Ruiz, S., Potin, B. J.-M., Becker, T. W., Moreno, M., Baez, J. C., Ceroni, D., and Cabrera, L.: Deep intra-slab rupture and mechanism transition of the 2024 Mw 7.4 Calama earthquake. Nature Comm., 16, 8140, 2025. PDF
166 Gupta, A., Tape, C., Brown, J. M., and Becker, T. W.: Navigating the space of seismic anisotropy for crystal and whole-Earth scales. Geophys. J. Int., 242, 1-18, 2025. PDF
165 Straume, E., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Steinberger, B., Licht, A., Sembroni, A., Gvirtzman, Z., and Ballato, P.: Collision, mantle convection, and Tethyan closure in the Eastern Mediterranean. Nature Rev. Earth & Environ., 6, 299-317, 2025. PDF
164 Hua, J., Grand, S. P., Becker, T. W., Janiszewski, H., Liu, C., Trugman, D., and Zhu, H: Seismic full-waveform tomography of active cratonic thinning beneath North America consistent with slab-induced dripping. Nature Geosc., 18, 358-364, 2025. PDF
163 Wolf, J., Becker, T.W., Garnero, E., Liu, K. H., and West, J. D.: Comprehensive global dataset of uniformly processed shear-wave splitting measurements. Geophys. J. Int., 241, 863–875, 2025. PDF
2024 162 Liu, C., Becker, T. W., Wu, M., Han, S., and Ritzwoller, M. H.: Seismic azimuthal anisotropy within the Juan de Fuca - Gorda plate system. Geophys. Res. Lett., doi:10.1029/2024GL111835, 2024. PDF
161 Liu, D., Puel, S., Becker, T. W., and Moresi, L. N.: Analytical and numerical models of viscous anisotropy: A toolset to constrain the role of mechanical anisotropy for regional tectonics and fault loading. Geophys. J. Int., 239, 950-963, 2024. PDF
160 Sembroni, A., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., and Molin, P.: The uplift of the East Africa - Arabia swell, Earth-Sci. Rev., 257, 104901, 2024. PDF
159 Conrad, E. M., Faccenna, F., Holt, A. F., and Becker, T. W.: Tectonic reorganization of the Caribbean plate system in the Paleogene driven by Farallon slab anchoring. G-Cubed, 25, doi:10.1029/2024GC011499, 2024. PDF
158 Heilman, E. and Becker, T. W.: Plume-driven subduction termination in 3-D mantle convection models. G-Cubed, 25, doi:10.1029/2024GC011523, 2024. PDF
157 Grima, A. G. and Becker, T. W.: The role of continental heterogeneity on the evolution of continental plate margin topography at subduction zones. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 642, 118856, 2024. PDF
156 Puel, S., Becker, T.W., Villa, U., Ghattas, O., and Liu, D.: Volcanic arc rigidity variations illuminated by coseismic deformation of the 2011 Tohoku-oki M9, Science Adv., 10, doi:10.1126/sciadv.adl4264, 2024. PDF
155 Straume, E. O., Steinberger, B., Becker, T. W., and Faccenna, C.: Impact of mantle convection and dynamic topography on the Cenozoic paleogeography of Central Eurasia and the West Siberian Seaway. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 630, 118615, 2024. PDF
2023 154 Becker, T. W. and Fuchs, L.: Generation of evolving plate boundaries and toroidal flow from visco-plastic damage-rheology mantle convection and continents. G-Cubed, 24, e2023GC011179, doi:10.1029/2023GC011179, 2023. PDF
153 Puel, S., Becker, T. W., Villa, U., Ghattas, O., and Liu, D.: An adjoint-based optimization method for jointly inverting heterogeneous material properties and fault slip from earthquake surface deformation data. Geophys. J. Int., doi:10.1093/gji/ggad442, 2023. PDF
152 Conrad, E. M., Reitano, R., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W.: Morpho-tectonics of transpressional systems: insights from analog modeling. Tectonics, 23, doi:10.1029/2023TC007865, 2023. PDF
151 Clennett, E. J., Holt, A. F., Tetley, M. G., Becker, T. W., and Faccenna, C.: Assessing plate reconstruction models using plate driving force consistency tests. Sci. Rep., 19, 10191, 2023. PDF
150 Lanari, R., Faccenna, C., Natali, C., Şengül Uluocak, E., Fellin, M. G., Becker, T.W., Göğüş, O., Youbi, N., Clementucci, R. and Conticelli, S.: The Atlas of Morocco: A Plume-Assisted Orogeny. G-Cubed, 24, doi:10.1029/2022GC010843, 2023. PDF
149 Paul, J., Conrad, C. P., Becker, T. W., and Ghosh, A.: Convective self-compression of cratons and the stabilization of old lithosphere. Geophys. Res. Lett., 50, doi:10.1029/2022GL101842, 2023. PDF
148 Hua, J., Fischer, K., Becker, T.W., Gazel, E. and Hirth, G.: Asthenospheric low-velocity zone consistent with globally prevalent partial melting. Nature Geosc., 16, 175-181, 2023. PDF
2022 147 Fuchs, L. and Becker, T. W.: On the role of rheological memory for convection-driven plate reorganizations. Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL099574, 2022. PDF
146 Heilman, E. and Becker, T. W.: Plume-slab interactions can shut off subduction. Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL099286, 2022. PDF
145 Behr, W. M., Holt, A. F., Becker, T. W., and Faccenna, C.: The effects of plate interface rheology on subduction kinematics and dynamics. Geophys. J. Int., 230, 796-812, 2022. PDF
144 Puel, S., Khattatov, E., Villa U., Liu, D., Ghattas, O. and Becker, T. W.: A Mixed, unified forward/inverse framework for earthquake problems: Fault implementation and coseismic slip estimate. Geophys. J. Int., 230, 733-758, 2022. PDF
2021 143 Gerya, T.V., Bercovici, D., and Becker, T.W.: Dynamic slab segmentation due to brittle-ductile damage in the outer rise. Nature, 599, 245-250, 2021. PDF
142 Schulte-Pelkum, V., Becker, T. W., Behr, W. M., and Miller, M. S.: Tectonic inheritance during plate boundary evolution in southern California constrained from seismic anisotropy. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 22, doi:10.1029/2021GC010099, 2021. PDF
141 Brizzi, S., Becker, T.W., Faccenna, C., Behr, W.M., van Zelst, I., Dal Zilio, L. and van Dinther, Y.: The role of sediment accretion and buoyancy on subduction dynamics and geometry. Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, doi:10.1029/2021GL096266, 2021. PDF
140 Porritt, R., Becker, T.W., Boschi, L., and Auer, L.: Multi-scale, radially anisotropic shear wave imaging of the mantle underneath the contiguous United States through joint inversion of USArray and global datasets. Geophys. J. Int., 265, 1730-1746, 2021. PDF
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139 Koppers, A., Becker, T.W., Jackson, M., Konrad, K., Müller, R.D., Romanowicz, B., Steinberger, B. and Whittaker, J.: Mantle plumes and their role in Earth processes. Nature Rev. Earth & Environ., 2, 382-401, 2021. PDF
138 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Holt, A. F., and Brun, J. P.: Mountain building, mantle convection, and supercontinents: Holmes (1931) revisited. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 564, Frontiers, 116905, 2021. PDF
137 Jackson, M. G., Becker, T. W., and Steinberger, B.: Spatial characteristics of recycled and primordial reservoirs in the deep mantle. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 22, doi:10.1029/2020GC009525, 2021. PDF
136 Miller, M. S., Zhang, P., Dahlquist, M. P., West, A. J., Becker, T. W., and Harris, C. W.: Inherited lithospheric structures control arc-continent collisional heterogeneity. Geology, 49, 652-656, 2021. PDF
2020 135 Fuchs, L. and Becker, T. W.: Deformation memory in the lithosphere: A comparison of damage-dependent weakening and grain-size sensitive rheologies J. Geophys. Res., 126, doi:10.1029/2020JB020335, 2020. PDF
134 Jackson, M. G., Blichert-Toft, J., Halldórsson, S. A., Mundl-Petermeier, A., Bizimis, M., Kurz, M. D., Price, A. A., Harðardóttir, S., Willhite, L. N., Breddam, K., Becker T. W., and Fischer, R. A.: Ancient helium and tungsten isotopic signatures preserved in mantle domains least modified by crustal recycling. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 117, 30,993-31,001, 2020. PDF
133 Lau, N., Borsa, A. A. and Becker, T. W.: Present-day crustal vertical velocity field for the Contiguous United States. J. Geophys. Res., 125, doi:10.1029/2020JB020066, 2020. PDF
132 Faccenna, C. and Becker, T. W.: Topographic expressions of mantle dynamics in the Mediterranean. Earth-Sci. Rev., 209, doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103327, 2020. PDF
131 Schulte-Pelkum, V., Cain, J. S, Jones II, J. V., and Becker, T. W: Imaging the tectonic grain of the Northern Cordillera orogen using Transportable Array receiver functions. Seismol. Res. Lett., 91, 3086-3105, 2020. PDF
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130 Pritchard, M. E., R. M., Allen, T. W. Becker, M. D. Behn, E. E. Brodsky, R. Bürgmann, C. Ebinger, J. T. Freymueller, M. Gerstenberger, B. Haines, Y. Kaneko, S. D. Jacobsen, N. Lindsey, J. J. McGuire, M. Page, S. Ruiz, M. Tolstoy, L. Wallace, W. R. Walter, W. Wilcock, and H. Vincent: New opportunities to study earthquake precursors. Seismol. Res. Lett., 91, 2444-2447, 2020. PDF
129 Becker, T. W. and Lebedev, S.: Dynamics of the upper mantle in light of seismic anisotropy. In Mantle Convection and Surface Expressions, Cottaar, S. et al., eds., AGU, Washington DC, doi:10.1002/9781119528609.ch10, 2020. PDF
2019 128 Ichimura, T., Fujita, K., Yamaguchi, T., Naruse, A., Wells, J. C., Zimmer, C. J., Straatsma, T.P., Hori, T., Puel, S., Becker, T.W., and Hori, M.: 416-PFLOPS fast scalable implicit solver on low-ordered unstructured finite elements accelerated by 1.10-ExaFLOPS kernel with reformulated AI-like algorithm: For equation-based earthquake modeling. In Research Poster for SC19: International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis, doi:10.5281/zenodo.3984156, Denver CO, 2019. PDF
127 Faccenna, C., Glisovic, P., Forte, A., Becker, T. W., Garzanti, E., Sembroni, A. and Gvirtzman, C.: Role of dynamic topography in sustaining the Nile River over 30 million years. Nature Geosc., 12, 1012-1017, 2019. PDF
126 Bernard, R., Behr, W. M., Becker, T. W., and Young, D.: Relationships between olivine CPO and deformation parameters in naturally deformed rocks and implications for mantle seismic anisotropy. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 20, 1-27, 2019. PDF
125 Fuchs, L. and Becker, T. W.: Role of strain-dependent weakening memory on the style of mantle convection and plate boundary stability. Geophys. J. Int., 218, 601-618, 2019. PDF
124 Lai, H., Garnero, E., Grand, S., Porritt, R. W., and Becker, T. W.: Global travel time dataset from adaptive empirical wavelet construction. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 20, doi:10.1029/2018GC007905, 2019. PDF
123 Wang, W. and Becker, T. W.: Upper mantle seismic anisotropy as a constraint for mantle flow and continental dynamics of the North American Plate. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 514, 143-155, 2019. PDF
122 Weller, M. B., Fuchs, L., Becker, T. W., and Soderlund, K. M.: Convection in thin shells of icy satellites: Effects of latitudinal surface temperature variations. J. Geophys. Res. - Planets, 124, 2029-2053, 2019. PDF
121 Siravo, G., Faccenna, C., Gerault, M., Becker, T. W., Fellin, M. G., Herman, F. and Molin, P.: Slab flattening and the rise of the Eastern Cordillera, Colombia. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 512, 100-110, 2019. PDF
120 Sternai, P., Sue, C., Husson, L., Serpelloni, E., Becker, T. W., Willett, S., Faccenna, C., Di Giulio, A., Spada, G., Jolivet, L., Valla, P., Petit, C., Nocquet, J.-M., Walpersdorf, A., and Castelltort, S.: Present-day uplift of the European Alps: evaluating mechanisms and models of their relative contributions. Earth-Sci. Rev., 190, 589-604, 2019. PDF
2018 119 Becker, T. W., Hashima, A., Freed, A. M., and Sato, H.: Stress change before and after the 2011 M9 Tohoku-oki earthquake. Earth Planet Sci. Lett., 504, 174-184, 2018. PDF
118 Behr, W. M. and Becker, T. W.: Sediment control on subduction plate speeds. Earth Planet Sci. Lett., 502, 166-173, 2018. PDF
117 Jackson, M.G., Becker, T. W., and Konter, J. G.: Geochemistry and distribution of recycled domains in the mantle inferred from Nd and Pb isotopes in oceanic hotspots: implications for storage in the large low shear wave velocity provinces (LLSVPs) G-Cubed, 19, 3496–3519, 2018. PDF
116 Jolivet, L., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Tesauro, M., Sternai, P., and Bouihol, P.: Mantle flow and deforming continents: From India-Asia convergence to Pacific subduction. Tectonics, 37, 2887-2914, 2018. PDF
115 Holt, A. H., Royden, L. H., Becker, T. W., and Faccenna, F.: Slab interactions in 3-D subduction settings: The Philippine Sea Plate region. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 489, 72-83, 2018. PDF
114 Jackson, M. G., Becker, T. W., and Konter, J. G.: Evidence for a deep mantle source for EM and HIMU domains from integrated geochemical and geophysical constraints. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 484, 154-167, 2018. PDF
113 Faccenna, C., Holt, A. F., Becker, T. W., Lallemand, S., and Royden, L. H.: Dynamics of the Ryukyu/Izu-Bonin-Marianas double subduction system. Tectonophys., 746, 229-238, 2018. PDF
2017 112 Wagner, L., Jaramillo, J. S., Ramírez-Hoyos, L. F., Monsalve, G., Cardona, A. and Becker, T. W.: Transient slab flattening beneath Colombia. Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 6616-6623, 2017. PDF
111 Goebel, T. H. W., Kwiatek, G., Becker, T. W., Brodsky, E. E. and Dresen, G.: What allows seismic events to grow big?: Insights from b-value and fault roughness analysis in laboratory stick-slip experiments. Geology, 44, 815-818, 2017. PDF
110 Becker, T. W.: Superweak asthenosphere in light of upper-mantle seismic anisotropy, Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 18, 1986-2003, 2017. PDF
109 Sembroni, A., Kiraly, A., Faccenna, C., Funiciello, F., Becker, T. W., Globig, J., and Fernandez, M.: Impact of the lithosphere on dynamic topography: Insights from analogue modeling. Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 2693-2702, 2017. PDF
108 Jackson, M. G., Konter, J. G., and Becker, T. W.: Primordial helium entrained by the hottest mantle plumes. Nature, 542, 340-343, 2017. PDF
107 Holt, A. F., Royden, L. H., and Becker, T. W.: The dynamics of double slab subduction. Geophys. J. Int., 209, 250-265, 2017. PDF supp. mov.
106 Faccenna, C., Oncken, O., Holt, A. F., and Becker, T. W.: Initiation of the Andean orogeny by lower mantle subduction. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 463, 189-201, 2017. PDF
105 Holt, A. F. and Becker, T. W.: The effect of a power-law mantle viscosity on trench retreat rate. Geophys. J. Int., 208, 491-507, 2017. PDF
104 Freed, A. M., Hashima, A., Becker, T. W., Okaya, D. A., Sato, H., and Hatanaka. Y.: Resolving depth-dependent subduction zone viscosity and afterslip from postseismic displacements following the 2011 Tohoku-oki, Japan earthquake. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 459, 279-290, 2017. PDF
2016 103 Hashima, A., Becker, T. W., Freed, A. M., Sato, H., and Okaya, D. A.: Coseismic deformation due to the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake: influence of 3-D elastic structure around Japan. Earth, Planet., Space, 68, 159, doi:10.1186/s40623-016-0535-9, 2016. PDF
102 Schaeffer, A., Lebedev, S., and Becker, T. W.: Azimuthal seismic anisotropy in the Earth's upper mantle and the thickness of tectonic plates. Geophys. J. Int., 207, 901-933, 2016. PDF
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101 Steinberger, B. and Becker, T. W.: A comparison of lithospheric thickness models. Tectonophys., doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2016.08.001, 2016. PDF
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100 Miller, M. S., O'Driscoll, L. J., Roosmawati, N., Harris, C. W., Porritt, R. W., Widiyantoro, S., de Costa, L. T., Soares, E., Becker, T. W., and West A. J.: Banda Arc Experiment - Transitions in the Banda Arc-Australian continental collision. Seismol. Res. Lett., 87, doi:10.1785/0220160124, 2016. PDF
99 Gvirtzman, Z., Faccenna, C., and Becker, T. W.: Isostasy, flexure, and dynamic topography. Tectonophys., 683, 255-271, 2016. PDF
98 Sternai, P., Avouac, J.-P., Jolivet, L., Faccenna, C., Gerya, T., Becker, T. W., and Menant, A.: On the influence of the asthenospheric flow on the tectonics and topography at a collision-subduction transition zones: Comparison with the eastern Tibetan margin. J. Geodyn., 100, 184-197, 2016. PDF
97 Sembroni, A., Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Molin, P., and Bekele, A.: Long-term, deep mantle support of the Ethiopia-Yemen plateau. Tectonics, 35, 469-488, doi:10.1002/2015TC004000, 2016. PDF
2015 96 Auer, L., Becker, T. W., Boschi, L., and Schmerr, N.: Thermal structure, radial anisotropy, and dynamics of oceanic boundary layers. Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 9740-9749, doi:10.1002/2015GL066246, 2015. PDF
95 Uhl, J. T., Pathak, S., Schorlemmer, D., Liu, X., Swindeman, R., Brinkman, B. A. W., LeBlanc, M., Tsekenis, G., Friedman, N., R. Behringer, Denisov, D., Schall, P., Gu, X., Wright, W. J., Hufnagel, T., Jennings, A., Greer, J. R., Liaw, P. K., Becker, T. W., Dresen, G., and Dahmen, K. A.: Universal quake statistics: From compressed nanocrystals to earthquakes. Sci. Rep., 5, 16493, 2015. PDF
94 Becker, T. W., Lowry, A. R., Faccenna, C., Schmandt, B., Borsa, A., and Yu, C.: Western U.S. intermountain seismicity caused by changes in upper mantle flow. Nature, 524, 458-461, 2015. PDF
93 Corsetti, F. A., K. A. Ritterbush, D. J. Bottjer, S. E. Greene, Y. Ibarra, J. A. Yager, A. J. West, W. M. Berelson, S. Rosas, T. W. Becker, N. M. Levine, S. J. Loyd, R. C. Martindale, V. A. Petryshyn, N. R. Carroll, E. Petsios, O. Piazza, C. Pietsch, J. L. Stellmann, J. R. Thompson, K. A. Washington, and D. T. Wilmeth: Investigating the paleoecological consequences of supercontinent breakup: Sponges clean up in the Early Jurassic. Sediment. Rec., 13, 4-10, doi:10.2110/sedred.2015.2, 2015. PDF
92 Holt, A. F., Buffett, B. A., and Becker, T. W.: Overriding plate thickness control on subducting plate curvature. Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 3802-3810, doi:10.1002/2015GL063834, 2015. PDF
91 Becker, T. W., Schaeffer, A. J., Lebedev, S., and Conrad, C. P.: Toward a generalized plate motion reference frame. Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 3188-3196, doi:10.1002/2015GL063695, 2015. PDF
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90 Jagoutz, O., Royden, L., Holt, A. F., and Becker, T. W.: Anomalously fast convergence between India and Eurasia caused by double subduction. Nature Geosc., 8, 475-478, doi:10.1038/ngeo2418, 2015. PDF
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89 Holt, A. F., Becker, T. W., and Buffett, B. A.: Trench migration and overriding plate stress in dynamic subduction models. Geophys. J. Int., 201, 172-192, 2015. PDF
2014 88 Porritt, R. W., Becker, T. W., and Monsalve, G.: Seismic anisotropy and slab dynamics from SKS splitting recorded in Colombia. Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 8775-8783, doi:10.1002/2014GL061958, 2014. PDF
87 Sun, D., Miller, M. S., Holt, A. F., and Becker, T. W.: Hot upwelling conduit beneath the Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 8037-8044, doi:10.1002/2014GL061884, 2014. PDF
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86 Yarce, Y., Monsalve, G., Becker, T. W., Cardona, A., Poveda, E., Alvira, D., Ordoñez-Carmona, O.: Seismological observations in Northwestern South America: Evidence for two subduction segments, contrasting crustal thicknesses and upper mantle flow. Tectonophys., 637, 57-67, 2014. PDF
85 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Miller, M. S., Serpelloni, E., and Willett, S. D.: Isostasy, dynamic topography, and the elevation of the Apennines of Italy. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 407, 163-174, 2014. PDF
84 Becker, T. W., Conrad, C. P., Schaeffer, A. J., and Lebedev, S.: Origin of azimuthal seismic anisotropy in oceanic plates and mantle. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 401, 236-250, 2014. PDF
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83 Schmandt, B., Jacobsen, S. D., Becker, T. W., Liu, Z., and Dueker, K. G.: Dehydration melting at the top of the lower mantle. Science, 334, 1265-1268, 2014. PDF
82 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Auer, L., Billi, A., Boschi, L., Brun, J.-P., Capitanio, F. A., Funiciello, F., Horvath, F., Jolivet, L., Piromallo, C., Royden, L., Rossetti, F., and Serpelloni, E.: Mantle dynamics in the Mediterranean. Rev. Geophys., 52, 283-332, 2014. PDF
81 Miller, M. S. and Becker, T. W.: Reactivated lithospheric-scale discontinuities localize dynamic uplift of the Moroccan Atlas Mountains: Comment - Reply. Geology, 42, 338, 2014. PDF
80 Goebel, T. H. W., Becker, T. W., Sammis, C. G., Dresen. G., and Schorlemmer, D.: Off-fault damage and acoustic emission distributions during the evolution of structurally-complex faults over series of stick-slip events. Geophys. J. Int., 197, 1705-1718, 2014. PDF
79 Auer, L., Boschi , L., Becker, T. W., Nissen-Meyer, T. and Giardini, D.: Savani: a variable-resolution whole-mantle model of anisotropic shear-velocity variations based on multiple datasets. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 119, 3006-3034, doi:10.1002/2013JB010773, 2014. PDF
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78 Becker, T. W., Faccenna, C., Humphreys, E. D., Lowry, A. R., and Miller, M. S.: Static and dynamic support of western U.S. topography. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 402, 234-246, 2014. PDF
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77 Goebel, T. H. W., Candela, T., Sammis, C. G., Becker, T. W., Dresen, G., and Schorlemmer, D.: Seismic event distributions and off-fault damage during frictional sliding of saw-cut surfaces with predefined roughness. Geophys. J. Int., 196, 612-625, 2014. PDF
76 Miller, M. S. and Becker, T. W.: Reactivated lithospheric-scale discontinuities localize dynamic uplift of the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. Geology, 42, 35-38, 2014. PDF
2013 75 Goebel, T. H. W., Sammis, C. G., Becker, T. W., Dresen, G., and Schorlemmer, D.: A comparison of seismicity characteristics and fault structure between stick-slip experiments and nature. Pure Appl. Geophys., doi:10.1007/s00024-013-0713-7, 2013. PDF
74 Yamato, P., Husson, L., Becker, T. W., and Pedoja, K.: Passive margins getting squeezed in the mantle convection vice. Tectonics, 32, 1599-1570, doi:10.1002/2013TC003375, 2013. PDF
73 Alpert, L. A., Miller, M. S., Becker, T. W., and Allam, A. A.: Structure beneath the Alboran from geodynamic flow models and seismic anisotropy. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 118, 4265-4277, doi:10.1002/jgrb.50309, 2013. PDF
72 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Jolivet, L., and Keskin, M.: Mantle convection in the Middle East: Reconciling Afar upwelling, Arabia indentation and Aegean trench rollback. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 375, 254-269, 2013. PDF
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71 Miller, M. S., Allam, A. A., Becker, T. W., Di Leo, J., and Wookey, J.: Constraints on the geodynamic evolution of the westernmost Mediterranean and northwestern Africa from shear wave splitting analysis. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 375, 234-243, 2013. PDF
70 Platt, J. P. and Becker, T. W.: Kinematics of rotating panels of E-W faults in the San Andreas system: what can we tell from geodesy? Geophys. J. Int., 194, 1295-1301, 2013. PDF
69 Goebel, T. H. W., Schorlemmer, D., Becker, T. W., Dresen, G., and Sammis, C. G.: Acoustic emissions document stress changes over many seismic cycles in stick-slip experiments. Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 2049-2054, 2013. PDF
68 Ghosh, A., Becker, T. W., and Humphreys, E. D.: Dynamics of the North American continent. Geophys. J. Int., 194, 651-669, 2013. PDF
67 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Conrad, C. P., and Husson, L.: Mountain building and mantle dynamics. Tectonics, 32, 80-93, doi:10.1029/2012TC003176, 2013. PDF
2012 66 Steinberger, B., Torsvik, T. H., and Becker, T. W.: Subduction to the lower mantle - a comparison between geodynamic and tomographic models. Solid Earth, 3, 415-432, 2012. PDF
65 Miller, M. S. and Becker, T. W.: Mantle flow deflected by interactions between subducted slabs and cratonic keels. Nature Geosc., 5, 726-730, 2012. PDF
64 Buffett, B. and Becker, T. W.: Bending stress and dissipation in subducted lithosphere. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 117, B05413, doi:10.1029/2012JB009205, 2012. PDF
63 Bailey, I. W., Alpert, L. A., Becker, T. W., and Miller, M. S.: Co-seismic deformation of deep slabs based on summed CMT data. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 117, B04404, doi:10.1029/2011JB008943, 2012. PDF
62 Gérault, M., Becker, T. W., Kaus, B. J. K., Faccenna, L., Moresi, L. N., and Husson, L.: The role of slabs and oceanic plate geometry for the net rotation of the lithosphere, trench motions, and slab return flow. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 13, Q04001, doi:10.1029/2011GC003934, 2012. PDF
61 Goebel, T. H. W., Becker, T. W., Schorlemmer, D., Stanchits, S., Sammis, C., Rybacki, E., and Dresen, G.: Identifying fault heterogeneity through mapping spatial anomalies in acoustic emission statistics. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 117, B03310, doi:10.1029/2011JB008763, 2012. PDF
60 Becker, T. W.: On recent seismic tomography for the western United States. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 13, Q01W10, doi:10.1029/2011GC003977, 2012. PDF
59 Konter, J. G. and Becker, T. W.: Shallow lithospheric contribution to mantle plumes revealed by integrating seismic and geochemical data. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 13, Q02004, doi:10.1029/2011GC003923, 2012. PDF
58 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Lallemand, S., and Steinberger, B.: On the role of slab pull in the Cenozoic motion of the Pacific. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L03305, doi:10.1029/2011GL050155, 2012. PDF
57 Becker, T. W., Lebedev, S., and Long, M. D.: On the relationship between azimuthal anisotropy from shear wave splitting and surface wave tomography. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 117, B01306, doi:10.1029/2011JB008705, 2012. PDF
2011 56 Schaefer, J. F., Boschi, L., Becker, T. W. and Kissling, E.: Radial anisotropy in the European mantle: Tomographic studies explored in terms of mantle flow. Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L23304, doi:10.1029/2011GL049687, 2011. PDF
55 Boschi, L. and Becker, T. W.: Vertical coherence in mantle heterogeneity from global seismic data. Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L20306, doi:10.1029/2011GL049281, 2011. PDF
54 Becker, T. W. and Faccenna, C.: Mantle conveyor beneath the Tethyan collisional belt. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 310, 453-461, 2011. PDF
supp. mat.
53 Becker, T. W. and Kawakatsu, H.: On the role of anisotropic viscosity for plate-scale flow. Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L17307, doi:10.1029/2011GL048584, 2011. PDF
52 Becker, T. W.: Seismic anisotropy. In Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics, Gupta, H. (Ed.), doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-8702-7_51, p. 1070-1081, Springer, 2011. PDF
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2010 51 Alpert, L. A., Becker, T. W., and Bailey, I. W.: Global slab deformation and centroid moment tensor constraints on viscosity. Geochem., Geophys. Geosys., 11, Q12006, doi:10.1029/2010GC003301, 2010. PDF
50 Boschi, L., Faccenna, C., and Becker, T. W.: Mantle structure and dynamic topography in the Mediterranean Basin. Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L20303, doi:10.1029/2010GL045001, 2010. PDF
49 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Lallemand, S., Lagabrielle, Y., Funiciello, F., and Piromallo, C.: Subduction-triggered magmatic pulses. A new class of plumes?. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 209, 54-68, 2010. PDF
48 Bull, A. L., McNamara, A. K., Becker, T. W., and Ritsema, J.: Global scale models of the mantle flow field predicted by synthetic tomography models. Phys. Earth Planet. Int., 182, 129-138, 2010. PDF
47 Bailey, I. W., Ben-Zion, Y., Becker, T. W., and Holschneider, M.: Quantifying focal mechanism heterogeneity for fault zones in central and southern California. Geophys. J. Int., 183, 433-450, 2010. PDF
46 Becker, T. W.: Fine-scale modeling of global plate tectonics. Science, 329, 1020-1021, 2010. PDF
45 Long, M. D. and Becker, T. W.: Mantle dynamics and seismic anisotropy. Earth Planet Sci. Lett., 297, Frontiers, 341-354, 2010. PDF
44 Platt, J. P. and Becker, T. W.: Where is the real transform boundary in California? Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 11, Q06013, doi:10.1029/2010GC003060, 2010. PDF
43 Faccenna, C. and Becker, T. W.: Shaping mobile belts by small-scale convection. Nature, 465, 602-605, 2010. PDF
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42 Ghosh, A., Becker, T. W., and Zhong, S.: Effects of lateral viscosity variations on the geoid. Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L01301, doi:10.1029/2009GL040426, 2010. PDF
2009 41 Foley, B. and Becker, T. W.: Generation of plate-like behavior and mantle heterogeneity from a spherical, visco-plastic convection model. Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 10, Q08001, doi:10.1029/2009GC002378, 2009. PDF
40 Kaus, B. J. P., Liu, Y., Becker, T. W., Yuen, D., and Shi, Y.: Lithospheric stress-states predicted from long-term tectonic models: influence of rheology and possible application to Taiwan. J. Asian Earth Sci., 36, 119-134, 2009. PDF
39 Castelnau, O., Blackman, D. K. and Becker, T. W.: Numerical simulations of texture development and associated rheological anisotropy in regions of complex mantle flow. Geophys. Res. Lett, 36, L12304, doi:10.1029/2009GL038027, 2009. PDF
38 Bailey, I. W., Becker, T. W., and Ben-Zion, Y.: Patterns of co-seismic strain computed from southern California focal mechanisms. Geophys. J. Int., 177, 1015-1036, 2009. PDF
37 Becker, T. W. and Faccenna, C.: A review of the role of subduction dynamics for regional and global plate motions. In: Subduction Zone Geodynamics, Lallemand, S. and Funiciello, F. (eds), Springer, p. 3-34, 2009. PDF
36 Qin, Y., Capdeville, Y., Montagner, J.-P., Boschi, L., and Becker, T. W.: Reliability of mantle tomography models assessed by spectral-element simulation. Geophys. J. Int., 177, 125-144, 2009. PDF
35 Milner, K., Becker, T. W., Boschi, L., Sain, J., Schorlemmer, D. and H. Waterhouse: The Solid Earth Research and Teaching Environment: a new software framework to share research tools in the classroom and across disciplines. EOS Trans. AGU, 90, 12, 2009. PDF
34 Becker, T. W., Conrad, C. P., Buffett, B. and Müller, R. D.: Past and present seafloor age distributions and the temporal evolution of plate tectonic heat transport. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 278, 233-242, 2009. PDF
200833 Kaus, B. J. P. and Becker, T. W.: A numerical study on the effects of surface boundary conditions and rheology on slab dynamics. Bolletino di Geofisica, 49, 177-182, 2008. PDF
32 Kaus, B. J. P., Steedman, C., and Becker, T. W.: From passive continental margin to mountain belt: insights from analytical and numerical models and application to Taiwan. Physics Earth Planet. Int., 171, 235-251, 2008. PDF
31 Platt, J. P., Kaus, B. J. P. and Becker, T. W.: The San Andreas Transform system and the tectonics of California: An alternative approach. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 274, 380-391, 2008. PDF
30 Faccenna, C., Rossetti, F., Becker, T. W., Danesi, S., and Morelli, A: Recent extension driven by mantle upwelling at craton edge beneath the Admirality Mountains (Ross Sea, East Antarctica). Tectonics, 27, TC4015, doi:10.1029/2007TC002197, 2008. PDF
29 Funiciello, F., Faccenna, C., Heuret, A., Di Giuseppe, E., Lallemand, S., and Becker, T. W.: Trench migration, net rotation and slab-mantle coupling. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 271, 233-240, 2008. PDF
28 Boschi, L., Becker, T. W., and Steinberger, B.: On the statistical significance of correlations between synthetic mantle plumes and tomographic models. Physics Earth Planet. Int., 167, 230-238, 2008. PDF
27 Becker, T. W.: Azimuthal seismic anisotropy constrains net rotation of the lithosphere. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L05303, doi:10.1029/2007GL032928, 2008. (Correction: 2008GL033946) PDF
26 Becker, T. W., Kustowski, B., Ekström, G.: Radial seismic anisotropy as a constraint for upper mantle rheology. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 267, 213-237, 2008. PDF model
2007 25 Boschi, L., Becker, T. W., and Steinberger, B.: Mantle plumes: Dynamic models and seismic images, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 8, Q10006, doi:10.1029/2007GC001733, 2007. PDF
24 Becker, T. W., Ekström, G., Boschi, L., and Woodhouse, J.: Length scales, patterns, and origin of azimuthal seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle as mapped by Rayleigh waves. Geophys. J. Int., 171, 451-462, 2007. PDF
23 Loyd, S. J., Becker, T. W., Conrad, C. P., Lithgow-Bertelloni, C., and Corsetti, F. A.: Time-variability in Cenozoic reconstructions of mantle heat flow: plate tectonic cycles and implications for Earth's thermal evolution. Proceed. Nat. Acad. Sci., 104, 14266-14271, 2007. PDF
22 Becker, T. W., Browaeys, J. T., and Jordan, T. H.: Stochastic analysis of shear wave splitting length scales. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 259, 526-540, 2007. PDF
21 Faccenna, C., Heuret, A., Funiciello, F., Lallemand, S., and Becker, T. W.: Predicting trench and plate motion from the dynamics of a strong slab. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 257, 29-36, 2007. PDF
20 Kaus, B. J. P. and Becker, T. W.: Effects of elasticity on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability: implications for large-scale geodynamics. Geophys. J. Int., 168, 843-862, 2007. PDF
2006 19 Becker, T. W.: On the effect of temperature and strain-rate dependent viscosity on global mantle flow, net rotation, and driving forces. Geophys. J. Int., 167, 943-957, 2006. PDF
18 Becker, T. W., Chevrot, S., Schulte-Pelkum, V., and Blackman, D. K.: Statistical properties of seismic anisotropy predicted by upper mantle geodynamic models. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 111, B08309, doi:10.1029/2005JB004095, 2006. PDF
17 Becker, T. W., Schulte-Pelkum, V., Blackman, D. K., Kellogg, J. B., and O'Connell, R. J.: Mantle flow under the western United States from shear wave splitting, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 247, 235-251, 2006. PDF
16 Piromallo, C., Becker, T. W., Funiciello, F., and Faccenna, C.: Three-dimensional instantaneous mantle flow induced by subduction, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L08304, doi:10.1029/2005GL025390, 2006. PDF
15 Boschi, L., T. W. Becker, G. Soldati, and A M. Dziewonski, On the relevance of Born theory in global seismic tomography, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L06302, doi:10.1029/2005GL025063, 2006. PDF
2005 14 Enns, A., Becker, T. W., and Schmeling, H.: The dynamics of subduction and trench migration for viscosity stratification. Geophys. J. Int., 160, 761-775, 2005. PDF
13 Becker, T. W., Hardebeck, J. L., and Anderson, G.: Constraints on fault slip rates of the southern California plate boundary from GPS velocity and stress inversions. Geophys. J. Int., 160, 634-650, 2005. PDF
2004 12 Simons, F. J., Becker, T. W., Kellogg, J. B., Billen, M., Hardebeck, J., Lee, C.-T., Montési, L. G. J., Panero, W. and Zhong, S.: Young Solid Earth Researchers of the World Unite! EOS Trans. AGU, 85(16), 160, 2004. PDF
2003 11 Becker, T. W., Kellogg, J. B., Ekström, G., and O'Connell, R. J.: Comparison of azimuthal seismic anisotropy from surface waves and finite-strain from global mantle-circulation models, Geophys. J. Int., 155, 696-714, 2003. PDF
2002 10 Felzer, K. R., Becker, T. W., Abercrombie, R. E., Ekström, G., and Rice, J. R.: Triggering of 1999 Mw 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake by aftershocks of the 1992 Landers earthquake, J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 107, 2190, 2002. PDF
9 Becker, T. W. and Boschi, L.: A comparison of tomographic and geodynamic mantle models, Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 3(1), 1003, doi:10.1029/2001GC000168, 2002. PDF
2001 8 Becker, T. W. and O'Connell, R. J.: Predicting plate velocities with mantle circulation models, Geochem., Geophys., Geosys., 2(12), 1060, doi:10.1029/2001GC000171, 2001. PDF
7 Faccenna, C., Becker, T. W., Lucente, F. P., Jolivet, L. and Rossetti, F.: History of Subduction and Back-arc Extension in the Central Mediterranean, Geophys. J. Int., 145, 809, 2001. PDF
2000 6 Becker, T. W.: Deterministic Chaos in two State-variable Friction Sliders and the Effect of Elastic Interactions. In GeoComplexity and the Physics of Earthquakes, J. B. Rundle, D. L. Turcotte, and W. Klein, eds., doi:10.1029/GM120p0005, 5-26, AGU, Washington D. C., 2000. PDF
1999 5 Becker, T. W., Kellogg, J. B., and O'Connell, R. J.: Thermal constraints on the survival of primitive blobs in the lower mantle. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 171, 351-365, 1999. PDF
4 Becker, T. W., Faccenna, C., O'Connell, R. J., and Giardini, D.: The development of slabs in the upper mantle: insights from experimental and laboratory experiments. J. Geophys. Res. - Solid Earth, 104, 15,207-15,226, 1999. PDF
1998 3 Becker, T. W. and Braun, A.: New program maps geoscientific datasets interactively. EOS Transactions AGU, 79 (42), 505-506, 1998. PDF
2 Becker, T. W. and Schmeling, H.: Earthquake recurrence time variations with and without fault zone interactions. Geophys. J. Int., 135, 165-176, 1998. PDF
1 Dahm, T. and Becker, T.: On the elastic and viscous properties of media containing strongly interacting in-plane cracks. Pure Appl. Geophys., 151, 1-16, 1998. PDF

Our research has been funded by NSF, NASA, USGS, Chevron, DAAD, and the Humboldt Foundation. Their support is greatfully acknowledged.

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