The first paper from my Post-Doc at BC with Mark Behn was published this week in G3. This contribution explores the evolution and fate of sediment diapirs that form in subduction zones. We use thermodynamic phase equilibria modelling coupled with a geodynamic code to show that a range of diapir behaviors are viable at modern subduction zones, including both melting within the mantle wedge and relamination to the base of the arc crust. The paper is available here.
New Paper at Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology!
Co-workers and I have a new paper at Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology looking in detail at the petrology of the Bear Valley Intrusive Suite. We find lots of evidence for multiple discrete mafic magmas in the lower crust, and suggest that mixing of these magmas might be a critical step in generating the homogeneous tonalites at middle and shallow crustal levels. You can read the paper here.
I’ve Moved!
I relocated earlier this month to Lausanne, Switzerland, where I will be post-doc at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Lausanne. I’m looking forward to getting to work with the great community of scientists here, taking advantage of the amazing analytical facilities, exploring the Alps, and eating lots of cheese!
Earth and Planetary Science Letters Publication!
I have a new article published in EPSL looking at the construction of the Bear Valley Intrusive Suite in the southernmost Sierra Nevada. This paper couples geochemistry, structural observations and a model of fractional crystallization within arc crust to better understand how arc crust is constructed.
MIT News story
MIT News wrote a great story on my recently published Geology Paper!
“Geologists raise the speed limit for how fast continental crust can form”
New Geology paper published!
My work using U-Pb zircon geochronology to constrain the emplacement timescale of the Bear Valley Intrusive Suite has been published in Geology!
Virtual Goldschmidt Talk
My talk for Goldschmidt this year is available online. Check it out to see some of my new work on the fate(s) of subducted sediments.
AGU presentation tomorrow!
Stop by Moscone South 156 for my talk tomorrow at 9:30. I will be presenting on the global fractionation conditions in Volcanic Arcs.
Talk at GSA this week!
I am presenting some of my research on the southernmost Sierra Nevada Batholith this week at GSA. Please check out my talk entitled “Flare-up without a Cause: The Bear Valley Intrusive Suite, Sierra Nevada, California” on Tuesday at 1:50
Post-Doc
I’ve officially started my new post-doctoral researcher position, working with Mark Behn at Boston College. I will be starting off working on problems related to the behavior of sediments in subduction zones.