Professor of Geophysics, UCL (since 2001)
Deputy Head of Department, Earth Sciences, UCL

 

PhD Geophysics, University of London (UCL),1988
BSc Chemical Physics, University of Bristol, 1981

 

Visiting Professor, Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 1999
Royal Society University Research Fellow, UCL, 1992-2001
JSPS Research Fellow, Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 1991-92

 

Member, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Editorial Board, since 2003
Chair, JSPS UK Alumni Association, 2003-6

 

My research aims are to investigate the mechanics of the Earth's crust and ice sheets by studying the fundamental physics and mechanics of geological materials. The Earth's crust and ice sheets are the parts of the solid Earth with which humankind interact directly, and therefore of the greatest interest to me. I particularly do research directed towards studying the impacts of climate change and natural hazards.

The scientific methodology and approach I employ is that of experimental rock physics. This is a novel approach, which integrates the disciplines of rock mechanics with rock physical properties measurement. Laboratory experiments are important in the Earth Sciences, because it is only in the laboratory that environmental conditions can be independently, systematically varied and monitored. The measurement of physical parameters in the lab is not only important in the material science sense, but also because they are routinely monitored by geophysical techniques on a crustal scale. I work closely with colleagues modelling large-scale earth processes and am a member of the UCL Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling - CPOM and an associate member of the Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre

 

MSc (GEOLGH7) module Earthquake Seismology and Earthquake Hazard
BSc 3rd year (GEOL3030) module: Field Methods in Active Tectonics

Evidence for seismogenic fracture of silicic magma, Nature, 453, 511-515 (7194), doi: 10.1038/nature06989, 2008  (H. Tuffen, R. Smith and P.R. Sammonds.)

 

Rock fracture as a precursor to lava dome eruptions at Mount St Helens from June 1980 to October 1986, Bulletin Volcanology, 69, 681-693, doi: 10.1007/s00445-006-0102-5, 2007. (R. Smith, C.R.J. Kilburn and P.R. Sammonds.)

 

Continuum sea ice rheology determined from sub-continuum mechanics,  J. Geophys. Res. – Oceans, 111, C11015, doi:10.1029/2005JC002996, 2006. (P.D. Taylor, D.L. Feltham, P.R Sammonds and D. Hatton.)

 

Creep and flow on the icy moons of the outer planets, Science, 311, 1250–1251, doi: 10.1126/science.1123985, 2006. (P.R. Sammonds.)

 

Maximum warning times for imminent volcanic eruptions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L24313, doi:10.1029/2005GL024184, 2005. (C.R.J. Kilburn  and P.R. Sammonds.)

 

Laboratory studies of electrical potential during rock failure, Int. J. Rock Mech. & Mining Sci., 42, 933-949, 2005. (D. Eccles, P.R. Sammonds and O.C. Clint.)

 

Deformation dynamics: Plasticity goes supercritical, Nature materials, 6, 425-426, doi:10.1038/nmat1405, 2005. (P.R. Sammonds.)

 

The effect of grain texture on the occurrence of microstructural properties in subglacial till, Quaternary Sci. Rev. 23, 2501-2512, 2004. (J.K. Hart, A. Khatwa and P.R. Sammonds.)

 

Experimental and theoretical fracture mechanics applied to fracture of the crust of Venus, J. Geophys. Res. – Planets, 109, E3, doi: 10.1029/2002JE001992, 2004. (M.R. Balme, P.R. Sammonds, C. Vita-Finzi and J.P. Couchman.)

 

Fracture toughness measurements on igneous rocks using a high-pressure, high-temperature rock fracture mechanics cell, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 132, 159-172, 2004. (M.R. Balme, V. Rocchi, C. Jones, P.R. Sammonds, P.G. Meredith and S. Boon.)

 

Fracturing of Etnean and Vesuvian rocks at high temperatures and low pressures, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 132, 137-157, 2004. (V. Rocchi, P.R. Sammonds and C.R.J. Kilburn.)