Prof. Dr.
Sascha Brune

Function and Responsibilities:
- Head of Geodynamic Modelling Section
- Professor at the University of Potsdam
- PI of ERC Consolidator Project EMERGE
- Coordinator of MSCA Doctoral Network TALENTS
- Member of the Expert Panel of the NFDI
- GFZ Representative and Strategy Team Member of Geo.X
- Initiator and co-organiser of the Rift and Rifted Margin Seminar Series
Research Interests:
My general scientific interests comprise lithosphere dynamics, natural hazards, plate tectonics, climate and their intricate links. In particular, I focus on the interactions between rift tectonics, mantle dynamics, and surface processes to understand CO2 degassing, magma pathways, and the formation of georesources like natural hydrogen or sediment-hosted ore deposits. In terms of methodology, I use a diverse set of modelling tools and integrate observations from structural geology, geophysical imaging, geochemistry, rheology, and plate reconstructions.
A list of more detailed research topics and representative papers is shown below.
Continental rifts
- Brune, S., Kolawole, F., Olive, J.-A., Stamps, D. S., Buck, W. R., Buiter, S. J. H., et al. (2023). Geodynamics of continental rift initiation and evolution. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00391-3
- Glerum, A., Brune, S., Stamps, D. S., & Strecker, M. R. (2020). Victoria continental microplate dynamics controlled by the lithospheric strength distribution of the East African Rift. Nature Communications, 11(1), 2881. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16176-x
Global plate tectonics
- Brune, S., Williams, S. E., Butterworth, N. P., & Müller, R. D. (2016). Abrupt plate accelerations shape rifted continental margins. Nature, 536(7615), 201–204. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature18319
- Brune, S., Williams, S. E., & Müller, R. D. (2018). Oblique rifting: the rule, not the exception. Solid Earth, 9(5), 1187–1206. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1187-2018
Geodynamics of georesource formation
- Zwaan, F., Brune, S., Glerum, A. C., Vasey, D. A., Naliboff, J. B., Manatschal, G., & Gaucher, E. C. (2025). Rift-inversion orogens are potential hot spots for natural H2 generation. Science Advances, 11(8), eadr3418. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr3418
- Glerum, A. C., Brune, S., Magnall, J. M., Weis, P., & Gleeson, S. A. (2024). Geodynamic controls on clastic-dominated base metal deposits. Solid Earth, 15(8), 921–944. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-921-2024
CO2 degassing and long-term climate change
- Brune, S., Williams, S. E., & Müller, R. D. (2017). Potential links between continental rifting, CO2 degassing and climate change through time. Nature Geoscience, 10(12), 941–946. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-017-0003-6
- Wong, K., Mason, E., Brune, S., East, M., Edmonds, M., & Zahirovic, S. (2019). Deep Carbon Cycling Over the Past 200 Million Years: A Review of Fluxes in Different Tectonic Settings. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00263
Interaction of tectonics and surface processes
- Yuan, X., Li, Y., Brune, S., Li, K., Pons, M., & Wolf, S. G. (2024). Coordination between deformation, precipitation, and erosion during orogenic growth. Nature Communications, 15(1), 10362. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54690-4 (Link to Paper)
- Neuharth, D., Brune, S., Wrona, T., Glerum, A., Braun, J., & Yuan, X. (2022). Evolution of Rift Systems and Their Fault Networks in Response to Surface Processes. Tectonics, 41(3), e2021TC007166. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021TC007166
Surface expressions of mantle dynamics
- Gernon, T. M., Jones, S. M., Brune, S., Hincks, T. K., Palmer, M. R., Schumacher, J. C., et al. (2023). Rift-induced disruption of cratonic keels drives kimberlite volcanism. Nature, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06193-3
- Ulvrova, M. M., Brune, S., & Williams, S. (2019). Breakup Without Borders: How Continents Speed Up and Slow Down During Rifting. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(3), 1338–1347. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080387
Career:
Since 2023: Professor at University of Potsdam
Since 2019: Head of Geodynamic Modelling Section (GFZ Potsdam)
2019: Privatdozent (University of Potsdam)
2019: Habilitation in Geosciences (University of Potsdam)
2016 - 2021: Helmholtz Young Investigators Group Leader (GFZ Potsdam)
2013 - 2016: Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow (2013-2015: EarthByte Group, Sydney, Australia; 2015-2016: Geodynamic Modelling Section, GFZ Potsdam)
2009 - 2013: PostDoc, Geodynamic Modelling Section (GFZ Potsdam)
2007 - 2007: Visiting scientist, Hydrodynamic Modelling Group (Texas A&M University, USA)
2006 - 2009: PhD candidate, Geodynamic Modelling Section (GFZ Potsdam)
1999 - 2006: Student of Physics, Diploma thesis in Biophysics, Humboldt University, Berlin (2002-2003: Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, France)
Projects:
2024-2028: The Doctoral Rift Science Network for the Energy Transition [TALENTS]. (with Susanne Buiter, Judith Bott, and many European partners) Funding: Horizon Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks
2023-2028: Measuring & Modelling Tectonic CO2 Emissions Through Time [EMERGE]. Funding: ERC Consolidator Grant
2022-2026: The ascent of Eifel plume and its interaction with European lithosphere and asthenosphere. (with Yingying Li, Bernhard Steinberger, Eline Le Breton) Funding institution: Chinese Scientific Council
2022-2025: Modelling mantle exhumation during rifting and basin inversion: links to natural hydrogen as an eco-friendly fuel. (with Frank Zwaan) Funding institution: GFZ
2021-2025: Deep structure and geodynamic evolution of the South China Sea. (with Kai Li) Funding institution: Chinese Scientific Council
2021-2025: Strain evolution in continental rifts: Machine learning of seismic reflection data and numerical models. (with Thilo Wrona and Pauline Gayrin) Funding institution: DFG
2021-2024: Modeling of rift propagation and linkage in the central Afar, East Africa. (with Ameha Muluneh) Funding institution: Humboldt Foundation
2021-2022: Tectonic controls on salt deformation at rifted continental margins in the Central South Atlantic. (with ZhiChen Wang) Funding institution: Chinese Scientific Council
since 2020: Geodynamic modelling of the crust, lithosphere and mantle. (with Anne Glerum) Funding institution: HLRN (Annual computing time allocations)
2019-2022: The seismic cycle of great earthquakes: Numerical multi-scale modelling of transients and tipping points. (with Esther Heckenbach) Funding institution: Geo.X
2019-2021: Machine learning of geological structures in 3-D seismic reflection data and numerical models. (with Thilo Wrona) Funding institution: Geo.X
2019-2021: Regional-scale CO2 degassing in the Eger rift, Czech Republic. (with many GFZ partners) Funding institution: GFZ
2019-2020: Structures and Dynamics of Continental Rift Systems. (with Anne Glerum) Funding institution: HLRN
2019: Rheology of Continental Rifting. (with Ameha Muluneh) Funding institution: TWAS-DFG
2018-2020: Plume-induced subduction initiation: Insights from the south-western margin of the Caribbean. (with Marzieh Baes) Funding institution: DFG
2018-2021: How the complexity of continental breakup controls ocean circulation. (with Jo Whittaker) Funding institution: ARC
2017-2018: Linking continental breakup dynamics to climate changes. (with Simon Williams) Funding institution: DAAD
2016-2021: CRYSTALS (Continental Rift Dynamics Across the Scales), Funding institution: Helmholtz Association
2013-2016: GLORY (Global Tectonics with Realistic Rheology), Funding institution: European Union
2009-2013: SAMPLE (South Atlantic Margin Processes and Links with onshore Evolution)
2006-2009: GITEWS (German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System)