Nicholas Perez
Associate Professor
Tectonics, basin dynamics, fold-thrust belts, continental rifts
(979) 845-6529
Research
The Basin Tectonic Group at Texas A&M investigates tectonic problems by integrating field- and lab-based techniques including basin analysis (sedimentology/stratigraphy, sediment provenance, chronostratigraphy, subsidence, peak thermal conditions), structural geology, and thermochronology. We work in convergent and extensional settings, including the central Andes in Peru and Bolivia, the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington, the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, and the Ancestral Rocky Mountains (Paradox and Delaware Basins) in the western US.
Impact
The Basin Tectonics Group investigates sedimentation, crustal deformation, and exhumation. My students and I integrate sedimentology & stratigraphy, structural geology, geochronology, thermochronology and other techniques to address fundamental and applied questions in the geosciences.
Selected Publications
Peer Reviewed Publications:
* - Graduate Student
12) Perez, N. D., Anderson, R. B., Horton, B. K., Ohlson, B. A., Calle, A. Z., Reconciling spatial and temporal patterns of Cenozoic shortening, exhumation, and subsidence in the southern Bolivian Andes, accepted 2021, Frontiers in Earth Science.
11) *Pesek, M. E., Perez, N. D., Meigs, A., **Rowden, C. C., & **Giles, S. M. (2020). Exhumation timing in the Oregon Cascade Range decoupled from deformation, magmatic, and climate patterns. Tectonics, e2020TC006078.
10) *Estep, J., Reece, R., *Kardell, D. A., Perez, N. D., Christeson, G. L., and Carlson, R. L. (2020) Intraplate deformation of oceanic crust near the Rio Grande Rise in the South Atlantic. Tectonophysics, v. 790, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2020.228543
9) Perez, N.D., and **Levine, K.G., (2020) Diagnosing an ancient shallow subduction event from Cenozoic depositional and deformational records in the central Andes of southern Peru. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. v. 541, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116263.
8) *Gao, Z., and N.D. Perez, Competing sediment sources during Paleozoic closure of the Marathon-Ouachita remnant ocean basin, accepted at GSA Bulletin.
7) Perez, N. D., Teixell, A., Gómez‐Gras, D., & Stockli, D. F. (2019). Reconstructing extensional basin architecture and provenance in the Marrakech High Atlas of Morocco: Implications for rift basins and inversion tectonics. Tectonics, 38, 1584–1608. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018TC005413
6) Eichelberger, N., Nunns, A., Perez, N. D., Ball, S., Claroni, D. J., and D. He, 2018, Incorporating Simple Erosion into Structural Forward Models: The Effects of Regional Erosion on Growth Strata Geometry, Journal of Structural Geology, 116, 146-158, doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2018.08.011.
5) Garzione, C. N., McQuarrie, N., Perez, N. D., Ehlers, T. A., Beck, S. L., Kar, N., Eichelberger, N., Chapman, A. D., Ward, K. M., Ducea, M. N., Lease, R. O., Poulsen, C. J., Wagner, L. S., Horton, B. K., Saylor, J. E., and Zandt, G., 2017, The Tectonic Evolution of the Central Andean Plateau and Geodynamic Implications for the Growth of Plateaus, Annual Reviews in Earth and Planetary Sciences, 45:1, doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-063016-020612.
4) Perez, N. D., Horton, B. K., McQuarrie, N., Stübner, K., and Ehlers, T. A., 2016, Andean shortening, inversion and exhumation associated with thin- and thick-skinned deformation in southern Peru, Geological Magazine, 153, p. 1013-1041, doi:10.1017/S0016756816000121.
3) Perez, N. D., Horton, B. K., and Carlotto, V., 2016, Structural inheritance and selective reactivation in the northern Altiplano: Andean deformation guided by Triassic extensional structures, Tectonophysics, v. 671, p. 264-280, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2015.12.031.
2) Horton, B.K., Perez, N.D., Fitch, J.D., and Saylor, J.E., 2015, Punctuated shortening and subsidence in the Altiplano plateau of southern Peru: Implications for early Andean mountain building: Lithosphere, v. 7, p. 117–137, doi:10.1130/L397.1.
1) Perez, N.D., and Horton, B.K., 2014, Oligocene-Miocene deformational and depositional history of the Andean hinterland basin in the northern Altiplano plateau, southern Peru: Tectonics, v. 33, p. 1819-1847, doi:10.1002/2014TC003647
Conference Presentations:
** - Undergraduate
* - Graduate
§ - Invited
Perez, N.D. (2018), Differences between Cordilleran Models and Real Margins: Impact of structural inheritance and dynamic topography on basin evolution in the central Andes, southern Peru, T53A-05. Presented at 2018 Fall Meeting, AGU, Washington, D.C., 10-14 Dec.
Pesek, M. E.*, and Perez, N.D. (2018), Exhumation of the Oregon Cascades: Testing the role of lithospheric and surface processes on orogen evolution. Presented at GSA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, T54 156-13.
Levine, K.**, and Perez, N.D. (2018), Investigating the role of multi-phase deformation history on Triassic to recent crustal exhumation in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru. Presented at GSA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, T54 172-70.
Rowden, C. Charles**, Pesek, M. E.*, and Perez, N.D. (2018), Investigating asynchronous exhumation trends along the Cascade Range in Washington and Oregon using thermochronologic modeling. Presented at GSA Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, T54 172-65.
*Manos, T.A., Perez, N.D., 2018, Thermal Maturity Modeling of Organic-Rich Mudrocks in the Delaware Basin using Raman Spectroscopy of Carbonaceous Material, Presented at AAPG ACE Annual Meeting - Salt Lake City, UT. May 23, 2018.
*Findlay, C.P., Ewing, R.C., Perez, N.D. (2018). Assessing the Role of Detrital Zircon Sorting on Provenance Interpretations in an Ancient Fluvial System Using Paleohydraulics – Permian Cutler Group, Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado, Presented at AAPG ACE Annual Meeting - Salt Lake City, UT. May 23, 2018.
*Findlay, C. P., Ewing, R. C., and Perez, N. D., 2017, Assessing the role of detrital zircon sorting on provenance interpretations in an ancient fluvial system using paleohydraulics – Permian Cutler Group, Paradox Basin, Utah and Colorado, EP33A-1922, presented at 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 Dec.
**Giles, S. M., *Pesek, M. E., and Perez, N. D., 2017, Analysis of the Exhumation Pathways Experienced in the Cascades Range, T13A-0491, presented at 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, LA, 11-15 Dec.
§ Perez, N. D., 2017, Multiphase pre-Andean deformation guides Cenozoic mountain building in the central Andes, southern Peru, Geological Society of America annual meeting, T218.
§ Garzione, C. N., McQuarrie, N., Perez, N. D., Ehlers, T. A., Beck, S. L., Kar, N., Eichelberger, N., Chapman, A. D., Ward, K. M., Ducea, M. N., Lease, R. O., Poulsen, C. J., Wagner, L. S., Saylor, J. E., Zandt, G, and Horton, B. K., 2017, The Tectonic Evolution of the Central Andean Plateau and Geodynamic Implications for the Growth of Plateaus, Geological Society of America annual meeting.
Invited Presentations:
2018 GSA Annual meeting, invited oral presentation
2016 University of Houston, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences;
San Antonio Petroleum Club
Education
2015, Ph.D., Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin
2009, B.S., Geological Sciences (Special Honors), University of Texas at Austin
Awards
2020, Dean's Distinguished Achievement Faculty Teaching Award
2019, NSF CAREER award
2017, Student Success Faculty Fellow, Center for Teaching Excellence, TAMU
2011 – 2015, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
