Paul TAPPONNIER

Tectonics Group Leader

Professor, Asian School of the Environment

Phone:

(+65) 6592 1715

Fax:

(+65) 6790 1585

Email:

tappon@ntu.edu.sg

Office Location:

N2-01a-09b

Research Group:

Tectonics

Team:

Tectonics

Research:

Paul Tapponnier is one of the foremost scientists of his generation in neotectonics. His discovery of active faults in and around Tibet that are accommodating the collision of India into Asia revolutionized the scientific understanding of Asia’s tectonics. His research provided a consistent model of large-scale crustal deformation processes between the Himalayas and Baykal, all the way to the East China Sea. The model was subsequently extended to include most of Southeast Asia, based on innovative analog experiments. In combination with his studies in Mediterranean Sea, his work confirms that propagation of new faults over hundreds of kilometers is an essential element of continental tectonics.
Prof. Tapponnier pioneered the use of satellite imagery to study large-scale tectonics, which set the standard for modern methods of tectonic research.

Education:

PhD - Doctorat d'Etat, Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Montpellier, 1978 ("Intracontinental Tectonics in Alpine Europe and Asia", with honours)
M.S. Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (Major: Geology – Geophysics), 1970
Ingénieur Civil des Mines de Paris

Professional Experience:

2009 – Present : Full Professor and Head of Tectonics and Earthquake Research, Earth Observatory of Singapore (an institute of Nanyang Technological University)
1991 – 2009
- Director of the Tectonics Department, Institut de Physique du Globe, Paris
- Full Professor with tenure (Physicien, classe exceptionnelle), Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (since 1991)
- Director (1984-1996, 2001-2004) of Unité Mixte de Recherche 7578, "Tectonique, Mécanique de la Lithosphère" (one of the research Laboratory of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)
- Distinguished visiting scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- January - July 2000 : invited professor, Caltech, USA
- February 2008 - April 2009 : invited professor, Schlumberger/Saudi Aramco, KSA
1986 – 1990 Full Professor, (Physicien Titulaire, 2nd then 1st class), Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, tenured.
1980 – 1985 Associate Professor (Physicien Adjoint), Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, with tenure.
1978 – 1980 Assistant Professor, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris.
1976 – 1978 Research Fellow, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Montpellier.
1975 – 1976 Master Assistant, Laboratoire de Géologie Structurale, Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Montpellier.
1973 – 1975 Visiting Research Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences).
1971 – 1973 Assistant, Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Laboratoire de Géologie Structurale, Montpellier.
1970 – 1971 Assistant, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Ponts & Chaussées (Géologie appliquée, Génie civil).

Professional Activities:

Société Géologique de France
Académie des Sciences
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Geological Society of London
European Union of Geosciences

Courses Taught:

ES7006 - Active Tectonics

Past courses:

Universités de Paris VI, VII, and Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (1979 – present) :
- Plate tectonics and structural geology
- Physics of brittle and ductile deformations
- Continental seismicity and tectonics, mechanics of the Lithosphere.
- Remote sensing, analysis of morphology and climate change, and of active faulting and crustal structure
Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Montpellier(1971-73, 1975-78) :
- Field and Laboratory Methods in Structural Geology
- Elementary Mathematics for Geology
- Tectonophysics
- Rock Mechanics

Honours and Awards:

2012 Honorary Member of the Nepal Geological Society
2011 Einstein Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences
2008 Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of London
2005 Member of the French Academy of sciences (Corresponding member since 1994)
2005 Foreign associate Member of the National Academy of Science (USA)
2001 Lyell Medal, Geological Society, London
1999 Francis Birch Lecturer, American Geophysical Union
1998 Friendship Medal, People's Republic of China
1996 Honorary Fellow of Geological Society of America
1994 Fellow of American Geophysical Union
1994 Best Paper award, Geological Society of America
1991 Knight of National Order of Legion of Honour, France
1990 Grand Prix Scientifique de la ville de Paris
1985 "Alfred Wegener" Medal of European Union of Geosciences
1984 Silver Medal of Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France

Publications:

Bradley, K., Qin Y., Carton H., Hananto N., Villanueva‐Robles F., Leclerc F., et al. (2019). Stratigraphic Control of Frontal Décollement Level and Structural Vergence and Implications for Tsunamigenic Earthquake Hazard in Sumatra, Indonesia. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 20,
Rizza, M., Bollinger L., Sapkota S. N., Tapponnier P., Klinger Y., Karakaş Ç., et al. (2019). Post‐earthquake aggradation processes to hide surface ruptures in thrust systems: The M8.3, 1934, Bihar‐Nepal earthquake ruptures at Charnath Khola (Eastern Nepal). Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.
Jiao, L., Tapponnier P., Costa F., Donze F-V., Scholtes L., Taisne B., et al. (2018). Necking and fracking may explain stationary seismicity and full degassing in volcanic silicic spine extrusion. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 503, 47-57.
Hananto, N., Boudarine A., Carton H., Singh S. C., Avianto P., Dyment J., et al. (2018). Evidence of pervasive trans-tensional deformation in the northwestern Wharton Basin in the 2012 earthquakes rupture area. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 502, 174-186.
Le Beon, M., Tseng Y-C., Klinger Y., Elias A., Kunz A., Sursock A., et al. (2018). High-resolution stratigraphy and multiple luminescence dating techniques to reveal the paleoseismic history of the central Dead Sea fault (Yammouneh fault, Lebanon). Tectonophysics. 738–739, 1-15.
Hananto, N. D., Qin Y., Leclerc F., Avianto P., Tapponnier P., Carton H., et al. (2017). The discovery of a conjugate system of faults in the Wharton Basin intraplate deformation zone. Science Advances. 3,
Wang, Y., Wei S., Wang X., Lindsey E. O., Tongkul F., Tapponnier P., et al. (2017). The 2015 Mw 6.0 Mt. Kinabalu earthquake: an infrequent fault rupture within the Crocker fault system of East Malaysia. Geoscience Letters.
Gao, M., Xu X., Klinger Y., Van der Woerd J., & Tapponnier P. (2017). High-resolution mapping based on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to capture paleoseismic offsets along the Altyn-Tagh fault, China. Scientific Reports. 7,
Guilbaud, C., Simoes M., Barrier L., Laborde A., Van der Woerd J., Li H., et al. (2017). Kinematics of Active Deformation Across the Western Kunlun Mountain Range (Xinjiang, China) and Potential Seismic Hazards Within the Southern Tarim Basin. Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth. 122(12), 10398-10426.
Hubbard, J., Almeida R., Foster A., Sapkota S. N., Burgi P., & Tapponnier P. (2016). Structural segmentation controlled the 2015 M-w 7.8 Gorkha earthquake rupture in Nepal. Geology. 44(8), 639-642.
Weil-Accardo, J., Feuillet N., Jacques E., Deschamps P., Beauducel F., Cabioch G., et al. (2016). Two hundred thirty years of relative sea level changes due to climate andmegathrust tectonics recorded in coral microatolls of Martinique (FrenchWest Indies). Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 121(4), 2873-2903.
Daout, S., Jolivet R., Lasserre C., Doin M-P., Barbot S., Tapponnier P., et al. (2016). Along-strike variations of the partitioning of convergence across the Haiyuan fault system detected by InSAR. Geophysical Journal International. 205(1), 536-547.
Bollinger, L., Tapponnier P., Sapkota S. N., & Klinger Y. (2016). Slip deficit in central Nepal: omen for a repeat of the 1344 AD earthquake?. Earth, Planets and Space. 68(12),

Download PDF
Chevalier, M-L., Van der Woerd J., Tapponnier P., Li H., Ryson F. J., & Finkel R. C. (2016). Late Quaternary slip-rate along the central Bangong-Chaxikang segment of the Karakorum fault, western Tibet. Geological Society of America Bulletin. 128(1-2), 284-314.
Qiu, Q., Hill E. M., Barbot S., Hubbard J., Feng W., Lindsey E. O., et al. (2016). The Mechanism of Partial rupture of a Locked Megathrust: The Role of Fault Morphology. Geology.
Hubbard, J., Barbot S., Hill E. M., & Tapponnier P. (2015). Coseismic slip on shallow décollement megathrusts: implications for seismic and tsunami hazard. Earth-Science Reviews. 141(February), 45-55.
Hill, E. M., Yue H., Barbot S., Lay T., Tapponnier P., Hermawan I., et al. (2015). The 2012 Mw 8.6 Wharton Basin sequence: A cascade of great earthquakes generated by near‐orthogonal, young, oceanic‐mantle faults. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 120(5), 3723–3747.
Li, L., Switzer A. D., Wang Y., Weiss R., Qiu Q., Chan C-H., et al. (2015). What caused the mysterious eighteenth century tsunami that struck the southwest Taiwan coast?. Geophysical Research Letters. 42(20), 8498-8506.
Van der Woerd, J., Dorbath C., Ousadou F., Dorbath L., Delouis B., Jacques E., et al. (2014). The Al Hoceima Mw 6.4 earthquake of 24 February 2004 and its aftershocks sequence. Journal of Geodynamics. 77, 89-109.
Bollinger, L., Sapkota S. N., Tapponnier P., Klinger Y., Rizza M., Van der Woerd J., et al. (2014). Estimating the return times of great Himalayan earthquakes in eastern Nepal: Evidence from the Patu and Bardibas strands of the Main Frontal Thrust. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 119(9), 7123–7163.
Sapkota, S. N., Bollinger L., Klinger Y., Tapponnier P., Gaudemer Y., & Tiwari D R. (2013). Primary surface ruptures of the great Himalayan earthquakes in 1934 and 1255. Nature Geoscience. 6, 71-76.
Leloup, P H., Weinberg R. F., Mukherjee B. K., Tapponnier P., Lacassin R., Boutonnet E., et al. (2013). Comment on "Displacement along the Karakoram fault, NW Himalaya, estimated from LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of offset geologic markers" published by Shifeng Wang et al. in EPSL, 2012. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 363, 242-245.
Mériaux, A-S., Van der Woerd J., Tapponnier P., Ryerson F. J., Finkel R. C., Lasserre C., et al. (2012). The Pingding segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault (91°E): Holocene slip-rate determination from cosmogenic radionuclide dating of offset fluvial terraces. Journal of Geophysical Research. 117,
Leloup, P H., Arnaud N., Mahéo G., Paquette J-L., Guillot S., Valli F., et al. (2012). Successive deformation episodes along the Lungmu Co zone, west-central Tibet. Gondwana Research. 21, 37-52.
Li, H., Van der Woerd J., Sun Z., Si J., Tapponnier P., Pan J., et al. (2012). Co-seismic and cumulative offsets of the recent earthquakes along the Karakax left-lateral strike-slip fault in western Tibet. Gondwana Research. 21, 64-87.
Tapponnier, P. (2011). Frontier Hydrocarbon Exploration: The Importance of Tectonic Models. Oilfield Review. 24, 1.
Perrineau, A., Van der Woerd J., Gaudemer Y., Liu-Zeng J., Pik R., Tapponnier P., et al. (2011). Incision rate of the Yellow River in Northeastern Tibet constrained by 10Be and 26Al cosmogenic isotope dating of fluvial terraces: implications for catchment evolution and plateau building. Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 353, 189-219.
Feuillet, N., Beauducel F., Jacques E., Tapponnier P., Delouis B., Bazin S., et al. (2011). The Mw = 6.3, November 21, 2004, Les Saintes earthquake (Guadeloupe): Tectonic setting, slip model and static stress changes. Journal of Geophysical Research. 116,

Download PDF
Jacques, E., Kidane T., Tapponnier P., Manighetti I., Gaudemer Y., Meyer B., et al. (2011). Normal Faulting during the August 1989 Earthquakes in Central Afar: Sequential Triggering and Propagation of Rupture along the Dobi Graben. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 101, 994-1023.
Feuillet, N., Beauducel F., & Tapponnier P. (2011). Tectonic context of moderate to large historical earthquakes in the Lesser Antilles and mechanical coupling with volcanoes. Journal of Geophysical Research. 116,

Download PDF
Bryant, I., Herbst N., Dailly P., Dribus J. R., Fainstein R., Harvey N., et al. (2011). Basin to basin: Plate tectonics in exploration. Oilfield Review. 24, 38-57.
Richon, P., Klinger Y., Tapponnier P., Li C-X., Van der Woerd J., & Perrier F. (2010). Measuring radon flux across active faults: Relevance of excavating and possibility of satellite discharges. Radiation Measurements. 45, 211-218.
Feuillet, N., Leclerc F., Tapponnier P., Beauducel F., Boudon G., Le Friant A., et al. (2010). Active faulting induced by slip partitioning in Montserrat and link with volcanic activity: New insights from the 2009 GWADASEIS marine cruise data. Geophysical Research Letters. 37,

Download PDF
Van der Woerd, J., Leloup P H., Liu-Zeng J., Lacassin R., & Tapponnier P. (2009). A comment on “Orogen-parallel, active left-slip faults in the eastern Himalaya: Implications for the growth mechanism of the Himalayan arc” by Li and Yin (Earth Planet Sci. Lett. 274 (2008) 258–267). Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 285, 217-222.
Carton, H., Tapponnier P., Elias A., Briais A., Sursock A., Jomaa R., et al. (2009). Seismic evidence for Neogene and active shortening offshore of Lebanon (Shalimar cruise). Journal of Geophysical Research. 114,

Download PDF
Grandin, R., Socquet A., Binet R., Klinger Y., Jacques E., de Chabalier J-B., et al. (2009). September 2005 Manda Hararo-Dabbahu rifting event, Afar (Ethiopia): Constraints provided by geodetic data. Journal of Geophysical Research. 114,
Jing, L-Z., Zhang Z., Wen L., Tapponnier P., Sun J., Xing X., et al. (2009). Co-seismic ruptures of the 12 May 2008, Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan: East–west crustal shortening on oblique, parallel thrusts along the eastern edge of Tibet. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 286, 355-370.
Valli, F., Leloup P H., Paquette J-L., Arnaud N., Li H., Tapponnier P., et al. (2008). New U-Th/Pb constraints on timing of shearing and long-term slip-rate on the Karakorum fault. Tectonics. 27,

Download PDF
Liu-Zeng, J., Tapponnier P., Gaudemer Y., & Ding L. (2008). Quantifying landscape differences across the Tibetan plateau: Implications for topographic relief evolution. Journal of Geophysical Research. 113,

Download PDF
Xu, X., Yu G H., Ma W T., Klinger Y., & Tapponnier P. (2008). Rupture behavior and deformation localization of the Kunlunshan earthquake (M w 7.8) and their tectonic implications. Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences. 51, 1361-1374.
Carton, H., Tapponnier P., Hananto N. D., Chauhan A. P. S., Hartoyo D., Bayly M., et al. (2008). Seismic evidence for broken oceanic crust in the 2004 Sumatra earthquake epicentral region. Nature Geoscience. 1, 777-781.
Daeron, M., Klinger Y., Tapponnier P., Elias A., Jacques E., & Sursock A. (2007). 12,000-year-long record of 10 to 13 paleoearthquakes on the Yammouneh fault, Levant fault system, Lebanon. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 97, 749-771.
Elias, A., Tapponnier P., King G. C. P., Briais A., Daeron M., Carton H., et al. (2007). Active thrusting offshore Mount Lebanon: Source of the tsunamigenic A.D. 551 Beirut-Tripoli earthquake. Geology. 35, 755-758.
Li, H., Valli F., Liu D Y., Xu Z., Arnaud N., Tapponnier P., et al. (2007). Initial movement of the Karakorum Fault in western Tibet: constraints from SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons. Chinese Science Bulletin. 52, 1089-1100.
Liu-Zeng, J., Klinger Y., Xu X., Lasserre C., Chen G., Chen W., et al. (2007). Millennial Recurrence of Large Earthquakes on the Haiyuan Fault near Songshan, Gansu Province, China. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 97, 14-34.
Mahéo, G., Leloup P H., Valli F., Lacassin R., Arnaud N., Paquette J-L., et al. (2007). Post 4 Ma initiation of normal faulting in southern Tibet. Constraints from the Kung Co half graben. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 256, 233-243.
Valli, F., Arnaud N., Leloup P H., Sobel E. R., Mahéo G., Lacassin R., et al. (2007). Twenty million years of continuous deformation along the Karakorum fault, western Tibet: A thermochronological analysis. Tectonics. 26,
Van der Woerd, J., Klinger Y., Sieh K. E., Tapponnier P., Ryerson F. J., & Mériaux A-S. (2006). Long-term slip rate of the southern San Andreas Fault from (10)Be-(26)Al surface exposure dating of an offset alluvial fan. Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth. 111,

Download PDF
Xu, X., Yu G H., Klinger Y., Tapponnier P., & Van der Woerd J. (2006). Reevaluation of surface rupture parameters and faulting segmentation of the 2001 Kunlunshan earthquake (Mw7.8), northern Tibetan Plateau, China. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 111, B05316.
Ryerson, F. J., Tapponnier P., Finkel R. C., Mériaux A-S., Van der Woerd J., Lasserre C., et al. (2006). Applications of morphochronology to the active tectonics of Tibet. Geological Society of America Special Papers. 415, 61-86.

Earth Observatory of Singapore

You are here

Paul TAPPONNIER

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Office Location:

Research Group:

Team:

Publications:

Pages

Project List:

News List:

Blog Post List: