Sébastien MERKEL

Professor at Université de Lille

Bâtiment C6 - 116
Unité Matériaux et Transformations
Cité scientifique, Bât. C6
Université de Lille
59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq
France
Tel: +33 (0) 320 43 65 16
Fax: +33 (0) 320 43 65 91
Email : Send an email to Sébastien MERKEL
Homepage: http://merkel.texture.rocks
ORCID Identifier : 0000-0003-2767-581X

Research team: Earth and Planetary Materials

Research

Deep Earth geophysics - Plasticity and microstructures under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature - Seismic anisotropy

Teaching

Teaching for the college of science and technologies: Physics of the Earth - Introduction to planetology - Plastic deformation and microstructures - Advanced structural characterization of materials - Scientific Publishing

Other

PI of the ERC project HotCores « Revealing the unknown planet within the Earth », 2022-2027
Co-PI of the ANR project Min-Dixi « Mineralogical Diversity in Exoplanets Interiors », 2023-2027
PI of the joint ANR-DFG project TIMEleSS « Phase TransformatIons, MicrostructurEs, and their Seismic Signals from the Earth's mantle »
Honorary junior member of the Institut Universitaire de France (2014-2019)

 

Current PhD thesis

• Hélène GINESTET, Earth's core in the lab. Thesis started in 2023.
• Chloé MOLINES, Contraintes et déformation in et ex situ dans les roches de zones de subduction . Thesis started in 2022. Other co-advisor: Nadège HILAIRET.

Defended PhD thesis

• Jeffrey GAY, Microstructures and anisotropy of pyrolite in the Earth’s lower mantle: insights from high pressure/temperature deformation and phase transformation experiments. Thesis defended in 2022. Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Princeton University.
• Tommaso MANDOLINI, Microstructural evolution of polymineralic aggregates deformed under high pressure and temperature: an in- situ and post-mortem study on olivine+serpentine. Thesis defended in 2022. Other co-advisor: Nadège HILAIRET. Position: Post-doctorant à l'Université du Maryland, Etats-Unis.
• Estelle LEDOUX, Transformation and deformation microstructures in the Earth mantle: application to periclase and wadsleyite. Thesis defended in 2021. Other co-advisor: Damien JACOB. Position: En post-doctorat, Department of Geology & Geophysics - The University of Utah, Etats-Unis.
• Christopher Langrand, Experimental Study of Perovskite / Post-Perovskite Phase Transformation Mechanism and its Kinetics in the Earth Mantle . Thesis defended in 2017. Other co-advisor: Nadège HILAIRET. Position: Resp. R & D, Tacquet Industries, Carvin, France.
• Ainhoa Lincot, Direct models of seismic anisotropie in the Earth inner core and study of textures induced by the α-ε transition in iron. Thesis defended in 2013. Other co-advisor: Philippe Cardin. Position: Ingénieur Génie Logiciel chez IFP Energies nouvelles.
• Caroline Bollinger, Rheology of polycrystalline olivine under upper mantle conditions: an in-situ study in the D-DIA. Thesis defended in 2013. Position: Research Scientist au Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, USA.
• Carole Nisr, In-situ characterization of dislocations in minerals under high pressure. Thesis defended in 2011. Other co-advisor: Patrick CORDIER. Position: Astistant Research Scientist dans la School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Etats-Unis.

Latest scientific contributions in LillOA (Lille Open Archive)

Publications

21. G. Morard, J.-A. Hernandez, C. Pege, C. Nagy, L. Libon, A. Lacquement, D. Sokaras, H.J. Lee, E. Galtier, P. Heimann, E. Cunningham, S.H. Glenzer, T. Vinci, C. Prescher, S. Boccato, J. Chantel, S. Merkel, Y. Zhang, H. Yang, X. Wei, S. Pandolfi, W.L. Mao, A.E. Gleason, S.H. Shim, R. Alonso-Mori, A. Ravasio, Structural evolution of liquid silicates under conditions in Super-Earth interiors, Nature Communications 15;1, 8483 (2024), [doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51796-7, LillOA]
20. O.B. Ball, R.J. Husband, J.D. McHardy, M.I. McMahon, C. Strohm, Z. Konôpková, K. Appel, V. Cerantola, A.L. Coleman, H. Cynn, A. Dwivedi, A.F. Goncharov, H. Graafsma, L.Q. Huston, H. Hwang, J. Kaa, J.-Y. Kim, E. Koemets, T. Laurus, X. Li, H. Marquardt, A.S.J. Méndez, S. Merkel, A. Mondal, G. Morard, V.B. Prakapenka, C. Prescher, T.R. Preston, S. Speziale, S. Stern, B.T. Sturtevant, J. Sztuk-Dambietz, N. Velisavljevic, C.-S. Yoo, U. Zastrau, Z. Jenei, H.P. Liermann, R.S. McWilliams, Measurement bias in self-heating x-ray free electron laser experiments from diffraction studies of phase transformation in titanium, Journal of Applied Physics 136;11, 115902 (2024), [doi: 10.1063/5.0215908, LillOA]
19. J.-K. Magali, E. Ledoux, C. Thomas, Y. Capdeville, S. Merkel, Pressure-dependent large-scale seismic anisotropy induced by non-Newtonian mantle flow, Geophysical Journal International 238;1, 400-419 (2024), [doi: 10.1093/gji/ggae165, LillOA]
18. E. Edmund, I. Chuvashova, Z. Konôpková, R. Husband, C. Strohm, K. Appel, C. Bähtz, O. Ball, V. Bouffetier, K. Brugman, K. Buakor, J. Chantel, S. Chariton, M. Duff, A. Dwivedi, K. Glazyrin, S.M.A. Hosseini‐Saber, N. Jaisle, T. Laurus, X. Li, B. Masani, J. McHardy, M. McMahon, S. Merkel, K. Mohrbach, A. Mondal, G. Morard, V.B. Prakapenka, C. Prescher, Y. Ryu, J. Schwinkendorf, M. Tang, Z. Younes, C. Sanchez‐Valle, H. Liermann, J. Badro, J. Lin, R.S. McWilliams, A.F. Goncharov, The Thermal Conductivity of Bridgmanite at Lower Mantle Conditions Using a Multi‐Technique Approach, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 129;6, e2024JB028823 (2024), [doi: 10.1029/2024jb028823, LillOA]
17. S. Merkel, N. Hilairet, Y. Wang, J. Guignard, C.N. Tomé, Androgynous {10-12} twin in zinc, Physical Review Materials 8;6, 063603 (2024), [doi: 10.1103/physrevmaterials.8.063603, LillOA]
16. J.-P. Gay, E. Ledoux, M. Krug, J. Chantel, A. Pakhomova, C. Sanchez‐Valle, S. Speziale, S. Merkel, Depth Dependent Deformation and Anisotropy of Pyrolite in the Earth's Lower Mantle, Geophysical Research Letters 51;11, e2024GL109433 (2024), [doi: 10.1029/2024gl109433, LillOA]
15. M.G. Gorman, D. McGonegle, R.F. Smith, S. Singh, T. Jenkins, R.S. McWilliams, B. Albertazzi, S.J. Ali, L. Antonelli, M.R. Armstrong, C. Baehtz, O.B. Ball, S. Banerjee, A.B. Belonoshko, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, C.A. Bolme, V. Bouffetier, R. Briggs, K. Buakor, T. Butcher, S. Di Dio Cafiso, V. Cerantola, J. Chantel, A. Di Cicco, S. Clarke, A.L. Coleman, J. Collier, G.W. Collins, A.J. Comley, F. Coppari, T.E. Cowan, G. Cristoforetti, H. Cynn, A. Descamps, F. Dorchies, M.J. Duff, A. Dwivedi, C. Edwards, J.H. Eggert, D. Errandonea, G. Fiquet, E. Galtier, A. Laso Garcia, H. Ginestet, L. Gizzi, A. Gleason, S. Goede, J.M. Gonzalez, M. Harmand, N.J. Hartley, P.G. Heighway, C. Hernandez-Gomez, A. Higginbotham, H. Höppner, R.J. Husband, T.M. Hutchinson, H. Hwang, A.E. Lazicki, D.A. Keen, J. Kim, P. Koester, Z. Konopkova, D. Kraus, A. Krygier, L. Labate, Y. Lee, H.-P. Liermann, P. Mason, M. Masruri, B. Massani, E.E. McBride, C. McGuire, J.D. McHardy, S. Merkel, G. Morard, B. Nagler, M. Nakatsutsumi, K. Nguyen-Cong, A.-M. Norton, I.I. Oleynik, C. Otzen, N. Ozaki, S. Pandolfi, D.J. Peake, A. Pelka, K.A. Pereira, J.P. Phillips, C. Prescher, T.R. Preston, L. Randolph, D. Ranjan, A. Ravasio, R. Redmer, J. Rips, D. Santamaria-Perez, D.J. Savage, M. Schoelmerich, J.-P. Schwinkendorf, J. Smith, A. Sollier, J. Spear, C. Spindloe, M. Stevenson, C. Strohm, T.-A. Suer, M. Tang, M. Toncian, T. Toncian, S.J. Tracy, A. Trapananti, T. Tschentscher, M. Tyldesley, C.E. Vennari, T. Vinci, S.C. Vogel, T.J. Volz, J. Vorberger, J.P.S. Walsh, J.S. Wark, J.T. Willman, L. Wollenweber, U. Zastrau, E. Brambrink, K. Appel, M.I. McMahon, Shock compression experiments using the DiPOLE 100-X laser on the high energy density instrument at the European x-ray free electron laser: Quantitative structural analysis of liquid Sn, Journal of Applied Physics 135;16, 165902 (2024), [doi: 10.1063/5.0201702, LillOA]
14. N. Hilairet, J. Guignard, T.P. Ferrand, S. Merkel, P. Raterron, B. Ildefonse, A. Fadel, W. Crichton, Stress Balance in Synthetic Serpentinized Peridotites Deformed at Subduction Zone Pressures, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 129;3, e2023JB028073 (2024), [doi: 10.1029/2023jb028073, LillOA]
13. E. Ledoux, M. Krug, J.-P. Gay, J. Chantel, N. Hilairet, M. Bykov, E. Bykova, G. Aprilis, V. Svitlyk, G. Garbarino, N. Guignot, C. Sanchez-Valle, S. Speziale, S. Merkel, G. Aprilis, In-situ study of microstructures induced by the olivine to wadsleyite transformation at conditions of the 410 km depth discontinuity, American Mineralogist 108;12, 2283-2293 (2023), [doi: 10.2138/am-2022-8731, LillOA]
12. E. Ledoux, M. Saki, J.-P. Gay, M. Krug, O. Castelnau, W. Zhou, J.S. Zhang, J. Chantel, N. Hilairet, M. Bykov, E. Bykova, G. Aprilis, V. Svitlyk, G. Garbarino, C. Sanchez‐Valle, C. Thomas, S. Speziale, S. Merkel, Deformation Mechanisms, Microstructures, and Seismic Anisotropy of Wadsleyite in the Earth's Transition Zone, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 24;11, e2023GC011026 (2023), [doi: 10.1029/2023gc011026, LillOA]
11. N. Jaisle, D. Cébron, Z. Konôpková, R.J. Husband, C. Prescher, V. Cerantola, A. Dwivedi, J.M. Kaa, K. Appel, K. Buakor, O.B. Ball, R.S. McWilliams, C. Strohm, M. Nakatsutsumi, U. Zastrau, C. Baehtz, M. Baron, E. Edmund, J. Biswas, J.D. McHardy, B.T. Sturtevant, L. Ehm, A.F. Goncharov, M.I. McMahon, J. Buchen, H. Cynn, E.J. Pace, H.-P. Liermann, D.T. Sneed, S.C. Cooper, M. Anae, J. Kim, Z. Wu, Y. Lee, H.J. Hwang, T. Kim, J. Choi, J. Lee, S. Merkel, J. Chantel, E.G. Koemets, H. Marquardt, V.B. Prakapenka, S. Chariton, E. Shevchenko, G. Fiquet, A.D. Rosa, M. Mezouar, G. Garbarino, G. Morard, MHz free electron laser x-ray diffraction and modeling of pulsed laser heated diamond anvil cell, Journal of Applied Physics 134;9, 095904 (2023), [doi: 10.1063/5.0149836, LillOA]
10. O.B. Ball, C. Prescher, K. Appel, C. Baehtz, M. Baron, R. Briggs, V. Cerantola, J. Chantel, S. Chariton, A.L. Coleman, H. Cynn, H. Damker, D. Dattelbaum, L.E. Dresselhaus-Marais, J.H. Eggert, L. Ehm, W.J. Evans, G. Fiquet, M. Frost, K. Glazyrin, A.F. Goncharov, R.J. Husband, H. Hwang, N. Jaisle, Z. Jenei, J.-Y. Kim, Y. Lee, H.P. Liermann, J. Mainberger, M. Makita, H. Marquardt, E.E. McBride, J.D. McHardy, M.I. McMahon, S. Merkel, G. Morard, E.F. O’Bannon, C. Otzen, E.J. Pace, A. Pelka, C.M. Pépin, J.S. Pigott, C. Plückthun, V.B. Prakapenka, R. Redmer, S. Speziale, G. Spiekermann, C. Strohm, B.T. Sturtevant, P. Talkovski, L. Wollenweber, U. Zastrau, R.S. McWilliams, Z. Konôpková, Dynamic optical spectroscopy and pyrometry of static targets under optical and x-ray laser heating at the European XFEL, Journal of Applied Physics 134;5, 055901 (2023), [doi: 10.1063/5.0142196, LillOA]
9. T. Mandolini, J. Chantel, S. Merkel, Y. Le Godec, N. Guignot, A. King, J. Hosdez, L. Henry, N. Hilairet, Deformation of two-phase aggregates with in situ X-ray tomography in rotating Paris–Edinburgh cell at GPa pressures and high temperature, Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 30;5, (2023), [doi: 10.1107/S1600577523005374, LillOA]
8. J.-P. Gay, E. Ledoux, M. Krug, J. Chantel, A. Pakhomova, H.-P. Liermann, C. Sanchez-Valle, S. Merkel, Transformation microstructures in pyrolite under stress: Implications for anisotropy in subducting slabs below the 660 km discontinuity, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 604, 118015 (2023), [doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118015, LillOA]
7. E. Kolesnikov, I. Kupenko, M. Achorner, C. Plückthun, H.-P. Liermann, S. Merkel, C. Sanchez-Valle, Strength and seismic anisotropy of textured FeSi at planetary core conditions, Frontiers in Earth Science 10, 974148 (2022), [doi: 10.3389/feart.2022.974148, LillOA]
6. M. Krug, M. Saki, E. Ledoux, J.-P. Gay, J. Chantel, A. Pakhomova, R. Husband, A. Rohrbach, S. Klemme, C. Thomas, S. Merkel, C. Sanchez‐Valle, Textures Induced by the Coesite‐Stishovite Transition and Implications for the Visibility of the X‐Discontinuity, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 23;10, e2022GC010544 (2022), [doi: 10.1029/2022gc010544, LillOA]
5. E. Ledoux, F. Lin, L. Miyagi, A. Addad, A. Fadel, D. Jacob, f. béclin, S. Merkel, Deformation of Polycrystalline MgO Up to 8.3 GPa and 1270 K: Microstructures, Dominant Slip-Systems, and Transition to Grain Boundary Sliding, Frontiers in Earth Science 10, 849777 (2022), [doi: 10.3389/feart.2022.849777, LillOA]
4. B. Yue, M. Krug, C. Sanchez-Valle, S. Merkel, F. Hong, C. Sanchez-Valle, Deformation and slip systems of CaCl2-type MnO2 under high pressure, Physical Review Materials 6, 053603 (2022), [doi: 10.1103/physrevmaterials.6.053603, LillOA]
3. S. Merkel, S. Hok, C. Bolme, D. Rittman, K.J. Ramos, B. Morrow, H.J. Lee, B. Nagler, E. Galtier, E. Granados, A. Hashim, W.L. Mao, A.E. Gleason, S. Hok, Femtosecond Visualization of hcp-Iron Strength and Plasticity under Shock Compression, Physical Review Letters 127;20, 205501 (2021), [doi: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.205501, LillOA]
2. J.-P. Gay, L. Miyagi, S. Couper, C. Langrand, D.P. Dobson, H.-P. Liermann, S. Merkel, Deformation of NaCoF3 perovskite and post-perovskite up to 30 GPa and 1013 K: implications for plastic deformation and transformation mechanism, European Journal of Mineralogy 33;5, 591-603 (2021), [doi: 10.5194/ejm-33-591-2021, LillOA]
1. S. Tecklenburg, R. Colina-Ruiz, S. Hok, C. Bolme, E. Galtier, E. Granados, A. Hashim, H.J. Lee, S. Merkel, B. Morrow, B. Nagler, K. Ramos, D. Rittman, R. Walroth, W.L. Mao, A.E. Gleason, Ultrafast X-ray Diffraction Study of a Shock-Compressed Iron Meteorite above 100 GPa, Minerals 11;6, 567 (2021), [doi: 10.3390/min11060567, LillOA]

Full list (The link could be slow)

Conference presentations

10. S. Merkel, Pyrolite microstructures and deep mantle anisotropy from multigrain XRD in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell, Séminaire de recherche, Séminaire de recherche, Bayreuth, Allemagne, Jun 2024 [LillOA]
9. S. Merkel, J.-P. Gay, E. Ledoux, M. Krug, S. Speziale, C. Sanchez-Valle, Phase transformation and deformation microstrucures in Earth's mantle minerals up to 110 GPa and 2000 K using multigrain X-ray crystallography, Conférence invitée, ICOTOM International Conference on the Textures of Materials, Metz, France, Jul 2024 [LillOA]
8. S. Merkel, H. Ginestet, New facilities for high pressure / high temperature experiments on iron alloys at planetary core conditions on the European XFEL, Communication dans un congrès sans actes, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Autriche, Apr 2024 [LillOA]
7. S. Merkel, H. Ginestet, Le fer sous hautes pression au laser à électrons libres: diffraction au MHz, chauffage X, et métrologies associées, Poster, Rayons X et Matière, Bordeaux, France, Nov 2023 [LillOA]
6. S. Merkel, M. Krug, E. Ledoux, J.-P. Gay, J. Chantel, S. Speziale, C. Sanchez-Valle, La diffraction multigrain pour l’étude des microstructures de transformation et déformation dans les expériences sous haute pression et haute température en cellule à enclumes de diamant, Communication dans un congrès sans actes, Rayons X et Matière, Bordeaux, France, Nov 2023 [LillOA]
5. S. Merkel, M. Krug, E. Ledoux, J.-P. Gay, J. Chantel, S. Speziale, C. Sanchez-Valle, Multigrain X-ray Diffraction for the Study of Deformation and Phase Transformation Microstructures at Deep Mantle Pressures and Temperatures, Communication dans un congrès sans actes, IUCr Congress and General Assembly, Melbourne, Victoria, Australie, Aug 2023 [LillOA]
4. H. Ginestet, S. Merkel, . EuXFEL 3063 Community Proposal, MHz X-Ray Diffraction and X-Ray-Heating in the Diamond Anvil Cell: a Metrology Study on Fe, Poster, Joint 28th AIRAPT and 60th EHPRG International Conference on High Pressure Science and Technology, Edinburgh, Royaume-Uni, Jul 2023 [LillOA]
3. S. Merkel, Deformation and microstructures of Earth minerals at mantle P and T using multigrain X-ray crystallography, Conférence invitée, Joint 28th AIRAPT and 60th EHPRG International Conference on High Pressure Science and Technology, Edinburgh, Royaume-Uni, Jul 2023 [LillOA]
2. S. Merkel, M. Krug, E. Ledoux, J.-P. Gay, J. Chantel, S. Speziale, C. Sanchez-Valle, Multigrain X-ray Diffraction for the Study of Deformation and Phase Transformation Microstructures at Deep Mantle Pressures and Temperatures, Communication dans un congrès sans actes, Joint 28th AIRAPT and 60th EHPRG International Conference on High Pressure Science and Technology, Edinburgh, Royaume-Uni, Jul 2023 [LillOA]
1. T. Mandolini, N. Hilairet, J. Chantel, S. Merkel, Y. Le Godec, N. Guignot, A. King, Microstructure evolution of olivine+serpentine aggregates under shear deformation: in-situ X-ray tomography and post-mortem electron microscopy study, Communication dans un congrès sans actes, Gordon Research Seminar on Rock Deformation, Lewiston, Maine, Etats-Unis d'Amérique, Aug 2022 [LillOA]

Full list (The link could be slow)

Datasets

9. J.-P. Gay, E. Ledoux, M. Krug, J. Chantel, A. Pakhomova, H. Liermann, C. Sanchez-Valle, S. Speziale, S. Merkel (2024) Dataset for "Depth Dependent Deformation and Anisotropy of Pyrolite in the Earth's Lower Mantle", Recherche Data Gouv [Dataset] [doi: 10.57745/VM1WZW, LillOA]
8. N. Hilairet, J. Guignard, T. Ferrand, S. Merkel, P. Raterron, W. Crichton (2024) In situ strain and stresses in two phase olivine+antigorite aggregates deformed at subduction zones pressures, Recherche Data Gouv [Dataset] [doi: 10.57745/ZCHKER, LillOA]
7. S. Merkel, N. Hilairet, Y. Wang, C.N. Tomé (2024) The Androgynous Twins of Zinc - Raw data and Models, Recherche Data Gouv [Dataset] [doi: 10.57745/FOINIM, LillOA]
6. E. Ledoux, M. Saki, J.-P. Gay, M. Krug, O. Castelnau, W.-Y. Zhou, J. Zhang, J. Chantel, N. Hilairet, M. Bykov, E. Bykova, G. Aprilis, V. Svitlyk, G. Garbarino, C. Sanchez-Valle, C. Thomas, S. Speziale, S. Merkel (2023) Data supporting "Deformation mechanisms, microstructures, and seismic anisotropy of wadsleyite in the Earth's transition zone" by Ledoux et al., Recherche Data Gouv [Dataset] [doi: 10.57745/OVCWQN, LillOA]
5. E. Ledoux, M. Krug, J.-P. Gay, J. Chantel, N. Hilairet, M. Bykov, E. Bykova, G. Aprilis, V. Svitlyk, G. Garbarino, N. Guignot, C. Sanchez-Valle, S. Speziale, S. Merkel (2023) Data supporting the article "In-situ study of microstructures induced by the olivine to wadsleyite transformation at conditions of the 410 km depth discontinuity" by Ledoux et al., Recherche Data Gouv [Dataset] [doi: 10.57745/NZFWP9, LillOA]
4. E. Ledoux, F. Lin, L. Miyagi, A. Addad, A. Fadel, D. Jacob, f. Béclin, S. Merkel (2021) Dataset for article " Deformation of polycrystalline MgO up to 8.3 GPa and 1270 K: microstructures, dominant slip-systems, and transition to grain boundary sliding", Zenodo [Dataset] [doi: 10.5281/zenodo.4073383, LillOA]
3. S. Merkel, S. Hok, C. Bolme, D. Rittman, K.J. Ramos, B. Morrow, H.J. Lee, B. Nagler, E. Galtier, E. Granados, A. Hashim, W.L. Mao, A.E. Gleason (2021) SLAC/MEC LJ55 experiment on hcp-Fe plasticity under shock compression, Zenodo [Dataset] [doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5526702, LillOA]
2. J.-P. Gay, E. Ledoux, M. Krug, J. Chantel, A. Pakhomova, H.-P. Liermann, C. Sanchez-Valle, S. Merkel (2023) EPSL 2023 on Transformation Microstructures in Pyrolite, Recherche Data Gouv [Dataset] [doi: 10.57745/I0J6LZ, LillOA]
1. J.-P. Gay, L. Miyagi, S. Couper, C. Langrand, D.P. Dobson, H.-P. Liermann, S. Merkel (2021) Data for deformation and transformation of NaCoF3 perovskite and post-perovskite up to 30 GPa and 1013 K, Zenodo [Dataset] [doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5513910, LillOA]