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Earth Science

D-Index
33
Citations
12532
World Ranking
8162
National Ranking
2703

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2011 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2002 - US President's National Medal of Science "For his development of the theories of plate tectonics and of deep mantle plumes, which revolutionized our understanding of the geological forces that control the earth’s crust and deep interior and consequently influence the evolution of the earth’s life and climate.", Presented by President George W. Bush at a White House East Room ceremony on November 6, 2003.
  • 1990 - Japan Prize for the initiation of the theory of plate tectonics and contributions to its development.
  • 1982 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 1972 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Overview

W. Jason Morgan was affiliated with Princeton University in the United States during their academic career. Their research contributions focused on geological and geophysical processes, with work published in notable scientific journals such as Science Advances.

One of their recent publications includes the paper titled Revisiting the scale of mantle plume-induced hot spot swells, published in 2025 in Science Advances.

Throughout their career, Morgan collaborated frequently with several coauthors, including:

  • Liang Liu
  • Jason Phipps Morgan
  • Yi-Gang Xu

Morgan's work appeared predominantly in Science Advances, among other venues.

The scientist received multiple recognitions for their contributions over the years. Notable awards and honors include:

  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011)
  • US President's National Medal of Science (2002), awarded for development of theories of plate tectonics and deep mantle plumes, presented by President George W. Bush
  • Japan Prize (1990), awarded for initiating the theory of plate tectonics and related contributions
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences (1982)
  • Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU) (1972)

Morgan's research addressed fundamental geological forces controlling Earth's crust and deep mantle dynamics, influencing our understanding of both geological evolution and its impact on life and climate systems.

Best Publications

  • Convection Plumes in the Lower Mantle

    Unknown

  • Rises, Trenches, Great Faults and Crustal Blocks

    W.Jason Morgan

  • Deep Mantle Convection Plumes and Plate Motions

    W. Jason Morgan

  • Plate Motions and Deep Mantle Convection

    W. Jason Morgan

  • Hotspot Tracks and the Early Rifting of the Atlantic

    W. Jason Morgan

  • Rodriguez, Darwin, Amsterdam, ..., A second type of Hotspot Island

    W. Jason Morgan

  • Propagating rifts on midocean ridges

    Richard Hey;Frederick K. Duennebier;W. Jason Morgan

  • Injection of Indian crust into Tibetan lower crust: A two-dimensional finite element model study

    Wu-Ling Zhao;W. Jason Morgan

  • A nonlinear rheology model for mid-ocean ridge axis topography

    Yongshun Chen;W. Jason Morgan

  • Hotspot melting generates both hotspot volcanism and a hotspot swell

    Jason Phipps Morgan;W. Jason Morgan;Evelyn Price

  • Preferential rifting of continents: A source of displaced terranes

    Gregory E. Vink;W. Jason Morgan;Wu-Ling Zhao

  • Rift valley/no rift valley transition at mid‐ocean ridges

    Yongshun Chen;W. Jason Morgan

  • Uplift of Tibetan Plateau

    Wu-Ling Zhao;W. Jason Morgan

  • Two-stage melting and the geochemical evolution of the mantle: a recipe for mantle plum-pudding

    Jason Phipps Morgan;W.Jason Morgan

  • Observational hints for a plume-fed, suboceanic asthenosphere and its role in mantle convection

    Jason Phipps Morgan;W. Jason Morgan;Yu-Shen Zhang;Walter H. F. Smith

  • Imaging the mantle beneath Iceland using integrated seismological techniques

    Richard M. Allen;Richard M. Allen;Guust Nolet;W. Jason Morgan;Kristín Vogfjörd

  • Kimberlites: Their relation to mantle hotspots

    S. Thomas Crough;W. Jason Morgan;Robert B. Hargraves

  • Plume-driven plumbing and crustal formation in Iceland

    Richard M. Allen;Richard M. Allen;Guust Nolet;W. Jason Morgan;Kristín Vogfjörd

  • Seismic tomography shows that upwelling beneath Iceland is confined to the upper mantle

    G. R. Foulger;M. J. Pritchard;B. R. Julian;J. R. Evans

  • The seismic anomaly beneath Iceland extends down to the mantle transition zone and no deeper

    G. R. Foulger;M. J. Pritchard;B. R. Julian;J. R. Evans

  • Gravity anomalies and convection currents: 1. A sphere and cylinder sinking beneath the surface of a viscous fluid

    W. Jason Morgan

Frequent Co-Authors

Jason Phipps Morgan
Jason Phipps Morgan Royal Holloway University of London
Gillian R. Foulger
Gillian R. Foulger Durham University
Richard M. Allen
Richard M. Allen University of California, Berkeley
Bruce R. Julian
Bruce R. Julian United States Geological Survey
Guust Nolet
Guust Nolet Université Côte d'Azur
Roger Bilham
Roger Bilham University of Colorado Boulder
Páll Einarsson
Páll Einarsson University of Iceland
Thomas S. James
Thomas S. James Geological Survey of Canada
Urs Hugentobler
Urs Hugentobler Technical University of Munich

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