Skip to main content

Landscape development, hydrogeology and geohazards

Landscape development, hydrogeology and geohazards

Jonathan Paul

Linking mantle convection to geohazards and sustainable groundwater development

I am a geophysicist with particular interests in landscape development, hydrogeology, and geohazards. My current research focuses on (i) developing new ways of reducing risk and building resilience to landslides and flooding, by leveraging new technology and participatory monitoring (e.g. “citizen science”); (ii) understanding the ways in which sub-lithospheric mantle convection has an impact on the Earth’s surface (i.e. dynamic topography) and immediate sub-surface (such as the development and of naturally fractured aquifers).

I have focused on several field areas, including Nepal and Madagascar; current effort is devoted towards east Africa, at the intersection between spatiotemporal changes in mantle convection, groundwater resource management, and sustainable development.

Community-level water resources management in central Tanzania.
(a) Vulnerability and capacity assessment with local farmers.
(b) Surveying potential locations to install a weather station.
(c) Installation of an automatic tipping-bucket rain gauge to complement existing government network.
(d) Calculating river discharge by measuring river cross-section and flow.

 

Testing a low-cost, self-built lidar river level sensor (using the Arduino platform) on the River Thames

 

Dramatic incision of Ruvuma river catchment, east Africa, in response to surface uplift pulses that are governed by changes in sub-lithospheric mantle convection

 

References

 

Explore Royal Holloway

Get help paying for your studies at Royal Holloway through a range of scholarships and bursaries.

There are lots of exciting ways to get involved at Royal Holloway. Discover new interests and enjoy existing ones.

Heading to university is exciting. Finding the right place to live will get you off to a good start.

Whether you need support with your health or practical advice on budgeting or finding part-time work, we can help.

Discover more about our academic departments and schools.

Find out why Royal Holloway is in the top 25% of UK universities for research rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

Royal Holloway is a research intensive university and our academics collaborate across disciplines to achieve excellence.

Discover world-class research at Royal Holloway.

Discover more about who we are today, and our vision for the future.

Royal Holloway began as two pioneering colleges for the education of women in the 19th century, and their spirit lives on today.

We’ve played a role in thousands of careers, some of them particularly remarkable.

Find about our decision-making processes and the people who lead and manage Royal Holloway today.