2026 Thorsten W. Becker: Earth Science Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Earth Science	68	1164	1030	531	455	305	14474

Overview

Thorsten W. Becker is affiliated with The University of Texas at Austin in the United States. Their research primarily falls under the field of Earth and Planetary Sciences, with a focus on several subfields including Geophysics, Geology, Ocean Engineering, Mechanics of Materials, and Oceanography.

The scientist's publishing record encompasses a range of topics related to earth sciences. Key areas of expertise include earthquake and tectonic studies, high-pressure geophysics and materials, geological and geochemical analysis, seismic imaging and inversion techniques, geological and geophysical studies worldwide, seismic waves and analysis, and earthquake detection and analysis.

Notable recent papers authored or coauthored by Becker cover a variety of subjects and have appeared in respected journals. These include:

"Mantle plumes and their role in Earth processes," 2021, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment
"Dynamic slab segmentation due to brittle-ductile damage in the outer rise," 2021, Nature
"Ancient helium and tungsten isotopic signatures preserved in mantle domains least modified by crustal recycling," 2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
"Topographic expressions of mantle dynamics in the Mediterranean," 2020, Earth-Science Reviews
"Spatial Characteristics of Recycled and Primordial Reservoirs in the Deep Mantle," 2021, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems

Frequent collaborators in Becker's work include Claudio Faccenna, Whitney Behr, Peter K. Zeitler, Ana P. Barros, and Eric A. Davidson. These coauthors have contributed to multiple publications alongside Becker, reflecting a collaborative research approach.

Publications are commonly found in several venues which host a significant number of Becker's works. These include Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, Geophysical Journal International, AGU Advances, and Geophysical Research Letters.

Best Publications

History of subduction and back‐arc extension in the Central Mediterranean

Claudio Faccenna;Thorsten W. Becker;Francesco Pio Lucente;Laurent Jolivet

762
Citations
A comparison of tomographic and geodynamic mantle models

Thorsten W. Becker;Lapo Boschi

655
Citations
Mantle dynamics in the Mediterranean

Claudio Faccenna;Thorsten W Becker;Ludwig Auer;Andrea Billi

562
Citations
Mantle dynamics and seismic anisotropy

Maureen D. Long;Thorsten W. Becker

519
Citations
Dehydration melting at the top of the lower mantle

Brandon Schmandt;Steven D. Jacobsen;Thorsten W. Becker;Zhenxian Liu

395
Citations
Triggering of the 1999 MW 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake by aftershocks of the 1992 MW 7.3 Landers earthquake

Karen R. Felzer;Thorsten W. Becker;Rachel E. Abercrombie;Göran Ekström

307
Citations
Acoustic emissions document stress changes over many seismic cycles in stick-slip experiments

T. H. W. Goebel;D. Schorlemmer;T. W. Becker;G. Dresen

300
Citations
Anomalously fast convergence of India and Eurasia caused by double subduction

Oliver Jagoutz;Leigh Royden;Adam F. Holt;Thorsten W. Becker

297
Citations
Subduction-triggered magmatic pulses: A new class of plumes?

Claudio Faccenna;Thorsten W. Becker;Serge Lallemand;Yves Lagabrielle

267
Citations
Savani: A variable resolution whole-mantle model of anisotropic shear velocity variations based on multiple data sets

Ludwig Auer;L. Boschi;L. Boschi;T.W. Becker;T. Nissen-Meyer

262
Citations
Shaping mobile belts by small-scale convection

Claudio Faccenna;Thorsten W. Becker

250
Citations
Mantle convection in the Middle East: Reconciling Afar upwelling, Arabia indentation and Aegean trench rollback

Claudio Faccenna;Thorsten W. Becker;Laurent Jolivet;Mehmet Keskin

229
Citations
Trench migration, net rotation and slab-mantle coupling

Francesca Funiciello;Claudio Faccenna;A. Heuret;A. Heuret;S. Lallemand

217
Citations
Mantle plumes and their role in Earth processes

Anthony A. P. Koppers;Thorsten W. Becker;Matthew G. Jackson;Kevin Konrad;Kevin Konrad

216
Citations
Mantle conveyor beneath the Tethyan collisional belt

Thorsten W. Becker;Claudio Faccenna

215
Citations
On the effect of temperature and strain-rate dependent viscosity on global mantle flow, net rotation, and plate-driving forces

Thorsten W. Becker

199
Citations
Three-dimensional instantaneous mantle flow induced by subduction

C. Piromallo;T. W. Becker;Francesca Funiciello;Claudio Faccenna

195
Citations
Constraints on fault slip rates of the southern California plate boundary from GPS velocity and stress inversions

Thorsten W. Becker;Jeanne L. Hardebeck;Greg Anderson

195
Citations
Identifying fault heterogeneity through mapping spatial anomalies in acoustic emission statistics

T. H. W. Goebel;T. W. Becker;D. Schorlemmer;S. Stanchits

192
Citations
What allows seismic events to grow big?: Insights from b-value and fault roughness analysis in laboratory stick-slip experiments

Thomas H.W. Goebel;Grzegorz Kwiatek;Thorsten W. Becker;Emily E. Brodsky

187
Citations
Statistical properties of seismic anisotropy predicted by upper mantle geodynamic models

Thorsten W. Becker;Sebastien Chevrot;Vera Schulte-Pelkum;Donna K. Blackman

181
Citations
THERMAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE SURVIVAL OF PRIMITIVE BLOBS IN THE LOWER MANTLE

Thorsten W. Becker;James B. Kellogg;Richard J. O'Connell

181
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Claudio Faccenna Dresdner Grundwasserforschungszentrum

Lapo Boschi University of Padua

Meghan S. Miller Australian National University

Boris J. P. Kaus Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

Clinton P. Conrad University of Oslo

Andrew M. Freed Purdue University West Lafayette

Laurent Husson Grenoble Alpes University

Leigh H. Royden MIT

Sergei Lebedev Dublin Institute For Advanced Studies

Georg Dresen University of Potsdam

External Links

Personal website of Thorsten W. Becker

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying Earth Science in the USA opens doors to diverse online degree opportunities that fit various lifestyles and career goals. For veterans interested in expanding their skills while balancing service commitments, exploring online Spanish degrees for veterans can complement Earth Science expertise with valuable language skills.

Creative professionals looking to link environmental topics with artistic expression might consider pursuing an MFA degree online. This path integrates science and art, enhancing communication about Earth systems through innovative media.

For those aiming at leadership roles in organizations related to environmental management or natural resource sectors, enrolling in online masters programs in human resource management can provide essential administrative skills to support career advancement.

Importantly, Earth Science education is accessible at all ages. Many seniors benefit from the flexibility of the best degrees for older adults, making continuing education a realistic option for lifelong learners passionate about the planet.