Nibir Mandal

Professor

Fellow, Indian National Science Academy

Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences

Fellow, West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology

Prof. Mandal’s research primarily aims at theorizing deformational and flow processes in the Earth's interior. A direction of his research deals with the kinematic analysis of ductile shear zones, and theoretically predicts the amount of transpression in orogenic systems. He proposed new hydrodynamic models for characterizing the flow perturbations around mechanically interacting rigid as well as deformable bodies. He has shown the process of flaw-controlled shear localization in heterogeneous rocks, emphasizing the role of different physical factors that control plastic strain localization around a pre-existing flaw. His study describes the mechanics of failure at the fault tips, resulting in the formation of damage zones. The current research interest of Professor Mandal involves the large scale flow systems in governing major geodynamic processes in the framework of geophysical fluid mechanics. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations his work provides explanation to the dynamics of magmatic segmentation along mid-oceanic ridges (MORs), Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in the Earth's interior, subduction zone settings. His theoretical and experimental studies show the mode of sequential thrusting in the upper crustal regime. His work demonstrates the nature of Himalayan dynamic topography as a function of the flow conditions induced by the underthrusting plate. Professor Mandal has been actively engaged on the research on computational mineral physics, in particular calculation of pressure-dependent physical properties, like elastic, seismic and electrical properties of silicates and oxides. Using density functional theory his studies evaluates phase stability of various mineral phases, for example wurtzite, zircon and its high pressure polymorphs, spinels and casseterite.