Carolina Cavalcante
Position
Researcher, Project manager for epos-ng, lecturer in bedrock geology, structural geology, geological mapping and tectonics.
Affiliation
Research groups
Short info
Research
I am a dedicated researcher passionate about the entire scientific process, from the initial planning of a project and the meticulous execution of fieldwork and analysis, to the final dissemination of results.
My research focuses on understanding the fundamental processes that build and collapse mountain ranges and that localize strain into shear zones. I am currently involved with , where I am expanding my field of expertise to bridge the gap between Structural Geology, Tectonics, and Geological Mapping with Geohazards. The goal of this work is to translate fundamental geological knowledge into applied science for a more resilient Norway.
To investigate these processes, I integrate extensive fieldwork, including geological mapping and structural data collection, with a suite of advanced analytical techniques.
My expertise spans:
- Digital Geological Mapping & Fieldwork: ArcGIS, QGIS, FieldMove Clino, GIS KIT, Google Earth, GeoMapApp, and Remote Sensing.
- Microfabric Analysis: Applying Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to understand deformation mechanisms.
- Geothermometry: Using geothermometers like Titanium-in-quartz, Titanium-in-zircon, and Zr-in-rutile to constrain temperature conditions during deformation.
- Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS): To analyze rock fabric and strain.
I apply these methods to study deformation across a range of tectonic settings, with a particular interest in hot orogens like the Pan-African-Brazilian system and cold orogens like the Caledonides.
Outreach
Meet the Geologists at the Knowledge festival at 黑料吃瓜资源, 12 April 2026, Bergen, Norway.
Lecture on Earthquakes and Volcanoes in Italy, the Geology of Western Norway, and EPOS鈥慛G, presented during the Geo Olympics (Norwegian National Geoscience Olympiad-GEO鈥慜L), 12 March 2026, Bergen, Norway.
Joint Nordic EPOS exhibition booth. joined EPOS-FI and EPOS-SE at the (Nordic Geological Winter Meeting), 13-15 January 2026 in Turku, Finland.
The , IUGS (International Commission on Geoheritage).
Common Rocks of Western Norway: A Walk Through Tectonic History. , 27 April 2025.
Teaching
In addition to my research, I am passionate about knowledge sharing and find teaching to be a central and rewarding part of my work. I have broad experience from various academic environments, from Brazil to Norway, and have taught a wide range of courses at the bachelor's, master's, and PhD levels. This cross-cultural experience has strengthened my ability to adapt my teaching to reach students from diverse backgrounds.
GEOV104-Introduction to Structural Geology and Tectonics (University of Bergen)
GEOV202-Geological Field Course in Western Norway (University of Bergen)
GEO-3104 / GEOL7048-Advanced Structural Geology (University of Troms酶) (Federal University of Paran谩)
GEO-3221-Digital Geological Mapping (University of Troms酶)
GC-123-Geological Mapping (Federal University of Paran谩)
GC-124-Geological Report (Federal University of Paran谩)
GC-156 (General Geology Applied to Geography) / GC-054 (General Geology Applied to Biology) / GC141 (Geology Applied to Environmental Engineering) (Federal University of Paran谩)
GEO742-SPECIAL TOPICS IN GEOLOGY II - Microstructures and Deformation Mechanisms (Federal University of Paran谩)
Publications
Conference poster
Conference lecture
Academic article
Exhibition production
Academic literature review
Journal corrigendum
Lecture
SILVA, M.A., LAGOEIRO, L., CAVALCANTE, C., BARBOSA, P.F. 2025. Strain localization in quartzo-feldspathic mylonites from Patos shear zone revealed by EBSD data. Journal of Structural Geology, , November 2025, 105514.
CAVALCANTE, C. FOSSEN, H., LAGOEIRO, L., TAUFNER, R. 2024. The collapse of the Caledonian orogen in SW Norway: Insights from quartz textures. Journal of Structural Geology, Volume 189, 105274.
CAVALCANTE, C., COSTA, J.J., LAGOEIRO, L., FOSSEN, H., LEE, A., ARCHANJO, C., VIZEU, R., 2022. TitaniQ temperatures and textural analysis as a record of the deformation history in a major continental shear zone system, Borborema Province, Brazil. Tectonophysics, 841, 229548.
ORIOLO, S., SCHULZ B., HUECK, M., OYHANTC抬ABAL, P., HEIDELBACH F., SOSA, G., VAN DEN KERKHOF, A., WEMMER, K., FOSSEN, H., DRUGUET, E., WALTER, J., CAVALCANTE, C., Siegesmund, S., 2022. The petrologic and petrochronologic record of progressive vs polyphase deformation: Opening the analytical toolbox. Earth-Science Reviews, 234, 104235.
JAENSCH, S. E., LAGOEIRO, L. E., FOSSEN, H., CAVALCANTE, C. 2022. Relation between finite strain geometry and quartz petrofabrics in a folded conglomerate in the Norwegian Caledonides. Journal of Structural Geology.
FOSSEN, H., HARRIS, L.B., CAVALCANTE, C., 础搁颁贬础狈闯翱,&苍产蝉辫;颁.闯.,&苍产蝉辫;脕痴滨尝础,&苍产蝉辫;颁.贵., 2022. The Patos-Pernambuco shear system of NE Brazil: Partitioned intracontinental transcurrent deformation revealed by enhanced aeromagnetic data. Journal of Structural Geology, 158, 104573.
CAVALCANTE, C., MEIRA, V.T., MAGALH脙ES, N., HOLLANDA, M.H.B.M., OLIVEIRA, E., 2021. The role of Ediacaran synkinematic anatectic rocks and the late-orogenic charnockitic rocks in the development of the hot Ara莽ua铆 belt. Precambrian Research, 365, 106396.
SILVEIRA, C.S., LAGOEIRO, L., CAVALCANTE, C., TAUFNER, R., BARBOSA, P.F., SUITA, M.T.F., CONTE, T., 2021. Deformation mechanisms and seismic anisotropy in lower crustal rocks from the Barro Alto Complex, Central Brazil. , 819, 229087.
FOSSEN, H., MEIRA, V.T., CAVALCANTE, C., KONOP脕SEK, J., JANOUSEK, V., 2020. Comment to 鈥淣eoproterozoic magmatic arc systems of the central Ribeira belt, SE-Brazil, in the context of the West-Gondwana pre-collisional history: A review鈥 Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 103052.
TAUFNER, R., LAGOEIRO, L., CAVALCANTE, C., BARBOSA, P., SILVEIRA, C.S., 2020. Deformation mechanisms accommodating progressive simple shear thrusting of quartzite and metacarbonate in the southwestern Espinhac抬o Range, Brazil. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 102944.
CONTE, T., CAVALCANTE, C., LAGOEIRO, L., FOSSEN, H., SILVEIRA, C.S., 2020. Quartz textural analysis from an anastomosing shear zone system: Implications for the tectonic evolution of the Ribeira belt, Brazil. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 103, 102750.
KONOP脕SEK, J., CAVALCANTE, C., FOSSEN, H., JANOU艩EK, V., 2020. Adamastor 鈥 an ocean that never existed? Earth Science Reviews, 205, 103201.
FOSSEN, H., CAVALCANTE, C., KONOP脕SEK, J., MEIRA, V.T., ALMEIDA, R. P., HOLLANDA, M.H.M.B., TROMPETTE, R., 2020. A critical discussion of the subduction-collision model for the Neoproterozoic Ara莽ua铆-West Congo orogen. Prec. Res, 343, 105715.
; FOSSEN, H.; ALMEIDA, R.P.; HOLLANDA, M. H. B.; EGYDIO-SILVA, M. Reviewing the puzzling intracontinental termination of the Ara莽ua铆-West Congo orogenic belt and its implications for orogenic development. Precambrian Research, 322,85-98, 2019.
FOSSEN, H.; CAVALCANTE, G.C.G.; PINHEIRO, R.V.L.; ARCHANJO, C.J. Deformation - Progressive or multiphase? Journal of Structural Geology, 125, 82-99, 2019.
; HOLLANDA, M. H. B.; VAUCHEZ, A.; KAWATA, M. T. How long can the middle crust remain partially molten during orogeny? Geology, 46 (10), 839-842, 2018.
; LAGOEIRO, L. E.; FOSSEN, H.; EGYDIO-SILVA, M; MORALES, L.F.G.; FERREIRA, F.; CONTE, T. Temperature constraints on microfabric patterns in quartzofeldsphatic mylonites, Ribeira belt (SE Brazil). Journal of Structural Geology, 115, 243-262, 2018.
EGYDIO-SILVA, M.; VAUCHEZ, A.; FOSSEN, H.; CAVALCANTE, G. C.G; XAVIER, B. C. Connecting the Ara莽ua铆 and Ribeira belts (SE - Brazil): Progressive transition from contractional to transpressive strain regime during the Brasiliano orogeny. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, v. 86, p. 127-139, 2018.
FOSSEN, H.; SOLIVA, R.; BALLAS, G.; TRZASKOS, B.; CAVALCANTE, G.C.G.; SCHULTZ, R. A. A review of deformation bands in reservoir sandstones: geometries, mechanisms and distribution. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, v. 459, p. 1-25, 2017.
FOSSEN, H.; CAVALCANTE, G. C. G. Shear zones - A review. Earth-science reviews, v. 171, p. 434-455, 2017.
FOSSEN, H.; CAVALCANTE, G. C. G.; ALMEIDA, R.P. Hot versus cold orogenic behavior: Comparing the Ara莽ua铆-West Congo and the Caledonian orogens. Tectonics, v. 36, p. 1-20, 2017.
; VIEGAS, L. G. F.; ARCHANJO, C.J; The influence of partial melting and melt migration on the rheology of the continental crust. Journal of Geodynamics, 101, 186 鈥 189, 2016.
FERREIRA, F.; LAGOEIRO, L. E.; MORALES, L.F.G.; OLIVEIRA, C. G.; BARBOSA, P.F.; 脕vila, C.; CAVALCANTE, G. C. G. Texture development during progressive deformation of hematite aggregate: constraints from VPSC models and naturally deformed iron oxides from Minas Gerais, Brazil. Journal of Structural Geology, 90, 111鈥127, 2016.
; VAUCHEZ, A.; MERLET, C.; ; BEZERRA DE HOLANDA, M. H.; BOYER, B. Thermal conditions during deformation of partially molten crust from TitaniQ geothermometry: rheological implications for the anatectic domain of the Ara莽ua铆 belt, eastern Brazil. Solid Earth, v. 5, p. 1223-1242, 2014. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-1223-2014
; EGYDIO-SILVA, M.; VAUCHEZ, A.; CAMPS, P.; OLIVEIRA, E. Strain distribution across a partially molten middle crust: Insights from the AMS mapping of the Carlos Chagas Anatexite, Ara莽ua铆 belt (East Brazil). Journal of Structural Geology, v. 55, p. 79-100, 2013.
; PINHEIRO, R. V. L. Deforma莽茫o transpressiva particionada no greenstone belt Vila Nova, regi茫o de Pedra Branca do Amapari, AP. In: Rielva Solimairy Campelo do Nascimento, Adriana Maria Coimbra Horbe e Carolina Michelin de Almeida. (Org.). Contribui莽玫es 脿 Geologia da Amaz么nia. 1ed.Manaus: SBG-NO, v. 7, p. 35-43, 2011.
Projects
Submitted projects:
I have developed a proposal for a new Center of Excellence (SFF) submitted by the University Museum to the Research Council of Norway in November 2025 (Application ES756388 / Project 362229): The . This initiative, which I have co-proposed, seeks to pioneer a new science of human-environment interaction by integrating geoscience, biology, archaeology, and anthropology. Our mission is to trace the geological foundations of modern society back 500 million years, decode the co-evolution of natural and societal systems over the past 10,000 years, and translate this deep-time understanding into actionable future scenarios. Status: Under evaluation.
I was deeply involved in developing the proposal for the groundbreaking Norwegian Research School on Natural Hazards (NatHaz). Submitted by our Geoscience Institute to the Research Council of Norway (Application ES751877 / Project 360154) in June 2025, this Coordination and Support Activity was a collaboration with H酶gskulen p氓 Vestlandet, the University of Oslo, the University of Troms酶, the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), and the NTNU Faculty of Engineering. The school was designed to be a leading national initiative, strengthening Norway's capacity to address natural hazard challenges by training a new generation of highly skilled PhD candidates. Status: Not granted.
Running project:
, funded by the Research Council of Norway, project number 350346. Project Manager.
Previous Projects:
Rheology and deformation mechanisms in shear zones using the SEM-EBSD (Scanning Electron Microscope 鈥 Electron Backscatter Diffraction) technique 鈥 Coordinator 鈥 Brazilian Council for Research and Development (CNPq), project number 434202/2018-5. 2018-2024.
Applying EBSD, EDS and WDS techniques for the study of petrophysical properties of minerals and analogues 鈥 Participant 鈥 CNPq, project number 425412-2018-0. 2018-2024.
Rheological evolution of the continental crust: microstructures and deformation mechanisms in the Al茅m-Para铆ba-P谩dua Shear Zone (Ribeira Belt) 鈥 Coordinator 鈥 S茫o Paulo State Research Support Foundation (FAPESP), project number BEX 4190/11-4. 2014-2016.