Dr. Ben Belzer

Pronouns: He/him
Senior Staff Associate I, Seismology, Geology and Tectonophysics, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO), Columbia Climate School
Lab Manager, Rock and Ice Mechanics Lab
Instrument Lab Building Room 109J 61 Route 9W Palisades, NY 10964 United States

BIOGRAPHY:

I’m a laboratory manager and researcher in the LDEO Rock and Ice Mechanics Lab. My research focuses on using methods in experimental rock deformation, structural geology, and geochemistry to understand brittle deformation processes, earthquake mechanics and hazards, and chemical and physical interactions between rocks and fluids. Applications range from subduction zone fault slip and fluid transport to geologic carbon storage and geothermal energy extraction.

PUBLICATIONS

Belzer, B. D., M. E. French, N.J. Phillips (2025). K-metasomatic weakening of oceanic crust at shallow subduction depths: Evidence from the Rodeo Cove thrust zone, Marin Headlands, California, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.

Belzer, B. D. and M. E. French (2024) Path and slip dependent behavior of shallow subduction shear zones during fluid overpressure, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

Belzer, B. D. and M. E. French (2022) Frictional constitutive behavior of chlorite at low shearing rates and hydrothermal conditions, Tectonophysics.

Phillips, N.J., B. Belzer, M. E. French, C. Rowe, K. Ujiie (2020) Frictional strengths of subduction thrust rocks in the region of shallow slow earthquakes, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

Xing, T., W. Zhu, M. E. French, B. Belzer (2019) Stabilizing effect of high pore fluid pressure on slip behaviors of gouge-bearing faults, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

Staff and Affiliates Directory

Dr. Ben Belzer

PUBLICATIONS