Fenglin Niu

Associate Professor of Earth Science
Dr. Niu's website

Dr. Fenglin Niu, Associate Professor in Earth Science, works on a variety of solid earth seismology subjects. "He has made contributions ranging from measurements of the thickness and properties of the Earth's crust and lithosphere, which forms the plates of plate tectonics, to the structure of the outer and inner cores,” asserts Dr. Alan Levander, Earth Science department chair.

Fenglin is currently is researching five different areas of solid earth seismology:

1. Inner-core anisotropy and hemisphericity;
2. Developing a methodology for imaging stress transients at seismogenic depth;
3. NorthEast China Extended SeiSmic Array (NECESSArray): Deep subduction, mantle dynamics, and lithospheric evolution beneath Northeast China;
4. Mapping the lithosphere-asthenosphere transition and upper mantle processes; and
5. Seismic imaging of the mid-mantle and core-mantle boundary and deep mantle processes. 

Niu’s first published paper was on “Seismic evidence for a 920-km discontinuity in the mantle.” He describes his initial work: “Mapping the distribution of seismic reflectors in the mantle  is important to understanding mixing within and between the upper and lower mantle. Using converted waves from deep earthquakes, we found evidence of a mid-mantle discontinuity and several deep reflectors at ~1000 km depth associated with subduction zones in the western Pacific. Although the nature of these seismic structures remains unknown, they have led to many geodynamical and mineralogical studies to understand their causes and consequences.”

When not studying the Earth, Fenglin enjoys mountain climbing. He chose to come to Rice due to the prestige of the university and the cohesive culture of the Earth Science department. He cites other favorite aspects of Rice and Houston, including the small student population, extremely beautiful campus, comfortable winter, diversity, easy-to-find Asian foods, and low cost of living.

Dr. Niu is from the Jiangsui province in Wujiang City in the People’s Republic of China, and holds his Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Tokyo. Fenglin’s brother Shuilin is also in the United States and works at the National Institutes of Health. 

Dr. Niu’s favorite websites: