I am a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bergen (Norway) in the Geodynamics and Basin Studies group. I’m generally excited by any geoscientific problem that is governed by interesting, unpredictable, and dynamic relationships. The tectonic-climate coupling on Earth is such a problem, that combines different fields of geosciences and different processes acting in different domains and on different timescales. My main research interest is to understand and specifically quantify this exciting coupling that exists between tectonics, surface processes, and climate, and how it shapes our Earth. To achieve this goal, I use and develop computational tools that combine the physics of tectonics and climate-driven surface processes.

My background is in geodynamics, specifically the dynamics of ocean-continent subduction and continent-continent collision. From these “deep” processes I gradually moved spatially upwards to include fluvial surface processes, to investigate the exciting interaction between tectonics and fluvial erosion. Most recently, I also started working with the dynamics of glaciers and glacial erosion, which provides one of the missing links to quantify the tectonic-climate coupling on Earth.

Invited presentations and keynotes at major international conferences

1. TSK 2024, Freiburg, Keynote Presentation: “Quantifying the interaction between surface processes and tectonics during mountain building: the Beaumont number”
2. GEOMOD 2023, Paris, Keynote Presentation: “Tectonics or Surface Processes: The Beaumont number of mountain belts on Earth”
3. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Invited Presentation: “How high do mountains grow - quantifying growth and decay of topography in collisional orogens”
4. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2022, Chicago, Invited Presentation: “How high do mountains grow - quantifying growth and decay of topography in collisional orogens”

Lecturer at the University of Bergen

• Geodynamics and Basin Modeling (GEOV254), 2022

Teaching assistant/smaller teaching roles at LMU & TU Munich, Germany, and the University of Bergen in the following courses: 

• Pyrenean Field course
• Geodynamics and Basin modelling
• Introduction to Structural Geology
• Introduction to Endogenous Geology and Plate Tectonics
• Introduction to Technical mechanics for Geologists

Articles in preparation

• Wolf, S.G., Braun, J., Huismans, R. S. “Periodic climatic variations during collisional orogenesis – insights from coupled tectonic-surface-process models”, in prep. for JGR Solid Earth, presented at EGU 2024
• Wolf, S.G.,  Huismans, R. S., May, D. A. "Subduction polarity and inherited weaknesses determine three-dimensional mountain belt architecture", in prep. for Nature Communications, anticipated presentation at EGU 2025
• Theunissen, T., Huismans, R. S., Rouby, D., Wolf, S. G., May, D. A. "Inheritance controls highly oblique segmented rifted passive margin formation", in prep. for Science Advances, presented at EGU 2024 and AGU 2023

Articles under review

• Wolf, S. G., Huismans, R. S., Braun, J. “Tectonics and Surface Processes during orogenesis – the Beaumont number: I. Exploring the parameter space”, JGR Solid Earth, under review
• Wolf, S. G., Huismans, R. S., Braun, J. “Tectonics and Surface Processes during orogenesis – the Beaumont number: II. Application to orogens on Earth”, JGR Solid Earth, under review
• Erdős, Z., Huismans, R. S., Wolf, S. G., Faccenna, C. “Terrane accretion explains thin and hot ocean-continent back-arcs”, Science Advances, under review

Peer-reviewed research articles 

Continent-continent collision:

• Yuan, X. , Li, Y. Q., Brune, S., Li, L., Pons, M., Wolf, S. G. (2024) “Coordination between deformation, orographic precipitation, and erosion during orogenic growth”, Nature Communications, 15, 10362 
• Wolf, S. G. and Huismans, R. S. and Braun, J. and Yuan, X. (2022). “Topographic Evolution of Mountain Belts Controlled by Rheology and Surface Process Efficiency”, Nature, 606, 516-521
• Wolf, S. G. and Huismans, R. S. and Muñoz, J.-A. and Curry, M. E. and van der Beek, P. (2021). “Growth of Collisional Orogens From Small and Cold to Large and Hot — Inferences From Geodynamic Models”. JGR Solid Earth, 126

Ocean-continent subduction:

• Erdős, Z., Huismans, R. S., Faccenna, C., Wolf, S. G. (2021). “The role of subduction interface and upper plate strength on back-arc extension: application to Mediterranean back-arc basins”, Tectonics, 40
• Wolf, S. G. and Huismans, R. S. (2019). “Mountain Building or Backarc Extension in Ocean-Continent Subduction Systems: A Function of Backarc Lithospheric Strength and Absolute Plate Velocities”. JGR Solid Earth, 124, 7, p.7461-7482. 

Continental rifting:

• Wolf, L. and Huismans, R. S. and Wolf, S. G., and Rouby, D. and May, D. A. (2022). “Evolution of rift architecture and fault linkage during continental rifting: Investigating the effects of tectonics and surface processes using lithosphere-scale 3D coupled numerical models”. JGR Solid Earth, 127
• Wolf, L., Huismans, R. S., Rouby, D., Gawthorpe, R. L., Wolf, S. G. (2022) “Links Between Faulting, Topography, and Sediment Production During Continental Rifting: Insights From Coupled Surface Process, Thermomechanical Modeling”. JGR Solid Earth, 127, 3

Himalayan landscape evolution:

• Yuan, X.P., Jiao, R., Liu-Zeng, J., Dupont-Nivet, G., Wolf, S. G., Shen, X. (2023) "Downstream propagation of fluvial erosion in Eastern Tibet". Earth and Planetary Science Letters , 605, 118017
• Yuan, X., Huppert, K., Braun, J., Shen, X., Liu-Zeng, J., Guerit, L., Wolf, S. G., Zhang, J., Jolivet, M. (2022). “Propagating uplift controls on high-elevation, low-relief landscape formation in Southeast Tibetan Plateau”. Geology, v. 50

Dynamics of the Pyrenees:

• Curry, M. E., van der Beek, P., Huismans, R. S., Wolf, S. G., Fillon, C., Muñoz, J.-A. (2021). “Spatio-temporal patterns of Pyrenean exhumation revealed by inverse thermo-kinematic modeling of a large thermochronologic dataset”. Geology, v. 49
• Curry, M. E., van der Beek, P., Huismans, R. S., Wolf, S. G., Muñoz, J.-A. (2019). “Evolving paleotopography and lithospheric flexure of the Pyrenean Orogen from 3D flexural modeling and basin analysis”, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 515, p.26-37.