Mark P. Fischer

Research Interests

Rock and ice fracture mechanics, clastic injectites, fluid-rock systems, fault-related folding and glacier mechanics. Integration of field studies with laboratory, numerical, analytical and physical modeling.

Research Activities

My students and I are currently working on a variety of integrative research projects. Some of the recent highlights include:

• deformation patterns and paleohydrological systems in the vicinity of salt structures in South Australia
• paleohydrology of salt structures in the La Popa Basin of northeastern Mexico
• compartmentalizing behavior of minor faults around salt domes and walls, Paradox Basin, Utah
• regional hydrogeological structure of the Sierra Madre fold belt near Monterrey, Mexico

Recent Publications

Vidal-Royo, O., Rowan, M.G., Ferrer, O., Fischer, M.P., Fiduk, J.C., Canova, D.P., Hearon, T.E., IV, and Giles, K.A., 2021, The transition from salt diapir to weld and thrust: examples from the Northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia: Basin Research, v. 00, p. 1-31, doi: 10.1111/bre.12579.

Rowan, M.G., Muñoz, J.A., Giles, K.A., Roca, E., Hearon IV, T.E., Fiduk, J.C., Ferrer, O. and Fischer, M.P., 2020, Folding and fracturing of rocks adjacent to salt diapirs: Journal of Structural Geology, v. 141, paper 104187.

Rowan, M.G., Hearon IV, T.E., Kernen, R.A., Giles, K.A., Gannaway, C.E., Williams, N.J., Fiduk, J.C., Lawton, T.F., Hannah, P.T. and Fischer, M.P., 2019, A review of allochthonous salt tectonics in the Flinders and Willouran ranges, South Australia: Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, Special Edition on the Flinders Ranges, doi: 10.1080/08120099.2018.1553063.

Williams, N.J., Fischer, M.P. and Canova, D.P., 2019, Structural evolution and deformation near a tertiary salt weld, Willouran Ranges, South Australia: Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 102, p. 305-320, doi: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.12.035.

Canova, D.P., Fischer, M.P., Jayne, R.S. and Pollyea, R.M., 2018, Advective heat transport and the salt chimney effect: a numerical analysis: Geofluids, article 2378710, doi: 10.1155/2018/2378710.

Hanke, J.R., Fischer, M.P. and Pollyea, R.M., 2018, Directional semivariogram analysis to identify and rank controls on the spatial variability of fracture networks: Journal of Structural Geology, v. 108, p. 34-51, doi: 10.1016/j.jsg.2017.11.012.

Pollyea, R.M., Van Dusen, E.W., and Fischer, M.P., 2015, Topographically driven fluid flow within orogenic wedges: Effects of taper angle and depth-dependent permeability: Geosphere, v. 11, no. 5, doi: 10.1130/GES01120.1.