earthquake and tectonic studies
earthquake and tectonic studies is a research topic within Geophysics. Science Explorer counts 87k research works in it since 1950. 25.4% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers focuses on the study of seismic activity, tectonic plate interactions, and the geodetic measurements used to understand earthquake mechanisms, fault zones, subduction processes, and seismic hazard assessment. It covers topics such as slow slip events, fault frictional properties, seismic deformation, and the impact of geodetic measurements on understanding tectonic motion.
- Earthquakes
- Subduction
- Plate Boundaries
- Fault Zones
- Seismic Deformation
- Tectonic Motion
- Geodetic Measurements
- Seismic Hazard
- Slow Slip Events
- Frictional Properties
- Research works
- 87k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 22k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 25.4% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +19% the tick is no change
Which countries lead earthquake and tectonic studies research?
By volume, China and the United States publish the most (2.9k and 1.5k works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 China 2.9k works
- 2 United States 1.5k works
- 3 Japan 704 works
- 4 India 681 works
- 5 Russia 633 works
- 6 Italy 595 works
- 7 France 579 works
- 8 Germany 394 works
- 9 United Kingdom 350 works
- 10 Türkiye 323 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead earthquake and tectonic studies research?
By volume in 2022–2025, China Earthquake Administration publishes the most earthquake and tectonic studies research, followed by Chinese Academy of Sciences and China University of Geosciences (Beijing).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 China Earthquake AdministrationChina 227 works
- 2 Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 175 works
- 3 China University of Geosciences (Beijing)China 151 works
- 4 Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e VulcanologiaItaly 144 works
- 5 China University of GeosciencesChina 127 works
- 6 University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 107 works
- 7 Chinese Academy of Geological SciencesChina 107 works
- 8 Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueFrance 98 works
- 9 United States Geological SurveyUnited States 92 works
- 10 Schmidt Institute of Physics of the EarthRussia 81 works
Who are the leading researchers in earthquake and tectonic studies?
The most-cited researchers publishing on earthquake and tectonic studies include Brian F. Windley, M. Santosh and Julian A. Pearce.
- 1 Brian F. Windley United Kingdom 3.9k citations
- 2 M. Santosh China 3.8k citations
- 3 Julian A. Pearce United Kingdom 3.3k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is earthquake and tectonic studies research done?
The largest centres of earthquake and tectonic studies research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Moscow (Russia), Rome (Italy) and Paris (France). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Lower Hutt, Obninsk and Helwan.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- Lower HuttNZ · 39.1 works125×
- ObninskRU · 54.3 works97×
- HelwanEG · 24.2 works93×
- YokosukaJP · 49.9 works41×
- RestonUS · 92.6 works34×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in earthquake and tectonic studies than the world average.
Where is the best place to study earthquake and tectonic studies?
Among universities, judged by research, China University of Geosciences, California Institute of Technology and ETH Zurich score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China University of GeosciencesChina | 67.2 | 27.3% | 23.7× | 127 | +57.4% |
| 2 | California Institute of TechnologyUnited States | 66.7 | 43.7% | 12.8× | 36 | -14.9% |
| 3 | ETH ZurichSwitzerland | 65.5 | 44.8% | 7.1× | 56 | +0.2% |
| 4 | China University of Geosciences (Beijing)China | 62.4 | 19.4% | 44.2× | 151 | +54.7% |
| 5 | Southern University of Science and TechnologyChina | 60.5 | 35.8% | 7.4× | 46 | — |
| 6 | East China University of TechnologyChina | 59.7 | 18.9% | 25.0× | 26 | +993.5% |
| 7 | University of Nevada, RenoUnited States | 58.3 | 38.5% | 9.2× | 20 | +7.8% |
| 8 | Université Gustave EiffelFrance | 58.2 | 31.7% | 9.4× | 15 | +83.0% |
| 9 | University of PotsdamGermany | 57.2 | 34.4% | 9.3× | 24 | -6.4% |
| 10 | Université Savoie Mont BlancFrance | 56.6 | 32.4% | 15.7× | 12 | +39.9% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is earthquake and tectonic studies research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 19% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2020. The fastest-growing topics are earthquake and tectonic studies.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.