Dr Quentin G. Crowley - Assistant Professor & Ussher Lecturer in Isotope Analysis and the Environment

Name: Dr. Quentin G. Crowley

Research Area

My research focuses on using state of the art analytical techniques in isotope geochemistry and geochronology in the following themes:

• Isotopes and biomineralisation: I am interested in gaining a better understanding of how certain organisms preserve environmental signatures encoded by isotopes.

• Isotopes and the biosphere: Relating our underlying geology to inherited isotope signatures (e.g. 87Sr/86Sr) in soil, plants and animals is useful for modern food web and geospatial life cycle connectivity studies.

• Radon in Ireland: Sources and high spatial resolution prediction of radon anomalies.

• High-precision U-Pb geochronology and time-scale refinement: I work on many different parts the geological timescale dating volcanic horizons to provide improved constraints on absolute ages.

• Crustal evolution of the early Earth: I am currently working on Archean rocks from NE Scotland and India (Singhbhum Craton) to gain a better understanding of the early Earth.

• Magmatic and tectonic development of ophiolites: For instance the Semail Ophiolite (UAE and Oman), Troodos Ophiolite (Cyprus), Grampian (e.g. Tyrone, Shetland) and Tibetan ophiolites.

• Detrital minerals and provenance studies: I have recently conducted provenance work in Cambrian to Devonian rocks from Ireland and Newfoundland, as well as Neoproterozoic rocks from Namibia and Norway for palaeogeographic reconstructions and terrane studies.

• The nature and timing of gold mineralisation in relation to magmatic and tectonic processes: I am interested in providing absolute age constraints on economically significant mineralisation events. Current projects include gold mineralisation in a Palaeoproterozoic domain of southern Tanzania and Archean rocks from Mauritania.

Contact Details

Department of Geology
Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
Email: crowleyq@tcd.ie
Tel: + 353 1 8962403

Current Research and Research Opportunities

I currently supervise or co-supervise the following postgraduate students:

• Vincent Mouchi, TCD geology, Biomineralisation and Isotope Proxies for Environmental Change.
• Kyle Heron, TCD geology, Geochronology and Gold Mineralisation in the Mesoarchean Tasiat Terrane, Mauritania.
• John MacDonald, Liverpool University, UK  (co-supervisor), The Effects of Overprinting on Rock Fabrics and Isotopic Ages: the Lewisian Complex as a Case Study.
• Christopher Lawley, Durham University, UK (co-supervisor), Evolution of the Palaeoproterozoic Ubendian belt, Tanzania - an integrated U-Pb, Re-Os geochronology and tectonic study: Implications for crustal dynamics and gold mineralisation.

 I have the following graduate research opportunities at Trinity College Dublin (link). Feel free to contact me for more information if you are a student thinking about postgraduate research in one of these themes.

Teaching

At Junior Sophister level I teach Geochemistry and Analytical Techniques (GL 3304) and Geology for Engineers (CE 3A8).
At Senior Sophister level, I teach Radiogenic Isotope Geochemistry and Mass Spectrometry (new module).
I also teach various field courses (Antrim, Spain and some local fieldtrips).

College and Scientific Service

• Contact point for Erasmus and foreign students studying geology at TCD
• Chief Editor, Journal of the Geological Society
• Associate Editor for the Geological Society of America Bulletin
• Member of the Editorial Board for the Irish Journal of Earth Sciences

Publications and Research output

Peer reviewed papers and book chapters

Kryza, R., Crowley, Q.G., Larionov, A., Pin, C., Oberc-Dziedzic, T., Mochnacka, K. In Press. Chemical abrasion applied to SHRIMP zircon geochronology: An example from the Variscan Karkonosze Granite (Sudetes, SW Poland), Gondwana Research.

Cooper, M.R., Crowley, Q.G., Hollis, S.P., Noble, S.R., Roberts, S., Chew, D., Merriman, R.J., Earls, G., Herrington, R. 2011. Age Constraints and Geochemistry of the Ordovician Tyrone Igneous Complex, Northern Ireland, Journal of the Geological Society, 168, p837-850.

Parry, S., Noble, S., Crowley, Q., Wellman, C. 2011. A high-precision U-Pb age constraint on the Rhynie Chert Konservat-Lagerstätte: timescale and other implications. Journal of the Geological Society, 168, 2011, p863-872.

Smyth, H.R., Crowley, Q.G., Hall, R., Kinny, P.D. Hamilton, J., Schmidt, D.N. 2011. A Toba-scale eruption in the Early Miocene: the Semilir eruption, East Java, Indonesia, Lithos, 126, (3-4), p198-211.

Zimmermann, U. Tait, J. Crowley, Q.G., Pashley, V. Straathof, G. 2011. Diamicitites in southern Namibia and their associated rocks - constraints for a global glaciation? International Journal of Earth Sciences,  p511-526.

Chew, D.M., Fallon, N., Kennelly, C., Crowley, Q., Pointon, M. 2010. Basic volcanism contemporaneous with the Sturtian glacial episode in NE Scotland, Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 100, (4), 399-415.

Blight, J.H.S., Crowley, Q.G., Petterson, M.G., Cunningham, D. 2010. Granites of the Southern Mongolia Carboniferous Arc: new geochronological and geochemical constraints, Lithos, 116, (1-2), 35-52 .

Blight, J.H.S., Petterson, M.G., Crowley, Q.G., Cunningham, D. 2010. The Oyut Ulaan Volcanic Group: Stratigraphy, magmatic evolution and timing in the Carboniferous arc of South East Mongolia, Journal of the Geological Society, London, 167, (3), 491-509.

Goodenough, K.M., Park, R.G., Krabbendam, M., Myers, J., Wheeler, J., Loughlin, S., Crowley, Q.G., Kinny, P., Friend C.R.L., Beach, A., Graham, R. 2010. The Laxford Shear Zone: an Archean terrane boundary? Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 335, 101-118.

Goodenough, K.M., Styles M.T., Schofield D., Thomas R.J., Crowley Q.G., Lilly R.M., McKervey, J., Stephenson, D., Carney, J. 2010. Architecture of the Oman - UAE Ophiolite: evidence for a multi-phase magmatic history, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 3, (4), p439-458.

Kimbell, G.S., Young, B., Millward, D., Crowley, Q.G. 2010. The North Pennine batholith (Weardale Granite) of Northern England: new data on its age and form. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society, 58:107-128.

McConnell, B. Crowley, Q.G., Riggs, N. 2010. A Laurentian origin for the Ordovician Grangegeeth volcanic arc terrane, Ireland, Journal of the Geological Society, London, 167, (3), 467-473.

McConnell, B., Riggs, N., Crowley, Q.G. 2010. Comment on “Detrital U–Pb zircon dating of lower Ordovician syn-arc-continent collision conglomerates in the Irish Caledonides” by Peter D. Clift, Andrew Carter, Amy E. Draut, Hoang Van Long, David M. Chew, Hans A. Schouten, Tectonophysics 479 (2009), 165–174 , Tectonophysics, 490, 136-137.

Chan, G.H., Waters, D.J., Searle, M.P., Aitchison, J., Horstwood, M.S.A., Crowley, Q.G., Lo, C.-H., Chan, J. S.-L. 2009. Probing the basement of southern Tibet: evidence from crustal xenoliths entrained in a Miocene ultrapotassic dyke. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 166, 45-52.

McConnell, B., Riggs, N., Crowley, Q.G. 2009. Detrital zircon provenance and Ordovician terrane amalgamation, western Ireland. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 166, 473-484.

Neilson, J.C., Kokelaar, P., Crowley, Q.G. 2009. New ages for Siluro-Devonian magmatism in the SW Scottish Highlands: Timescales for volcanic-plutonic activity. Journal of the Geological Society, 166, 545-561.

Chew, D.M., Flowerdew, M.J., Page, L.M., Crowley, Q.G., Daly, J.S., Cooper, M., Whitehouse, M.J. 2008. The tectonothermal evolution and provenance of the Tyrone Central Inlier, Ireland: Grampian imbrication of an outboard Laurentian microcontinent? Journal of the Geological Society, London. 165, 675-685.

Cooper, M., Crowley, Q.G., Rushton, A. 2008. New age constraints for the Ordovician Tyrone Volcanic Group, Northern Ireland. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 165, 333-340.

Key, R.M., Loughlin, S.C., Horstwood, M.S.A., Gillespie, M., Pitfield, P.E.J., Henney, P.J., Crowley, Q.G., Del Rio, M. 2008. Two Mesoarchaean Terranes in the Reguibat shield of NW Mauritania. Geological Society of London Special Publication, 297, 33-52.

Okay, A.I., Bozkurt, E., Satır, M., Yiğitbaş, E., Crowley, Q.G., Shang, C.K. 2008. Defining the southern margin of Avalonia in the Pontides: geochronological data from the Late Proterozoic and Ordovician granitoids from NW Turkey. Tectonophysics 461, 252-264.

Selby, D., Conliffe, J., Crowley, Q.G., Feely, M. 2008. Geochronology (Re-Os, U-Pb) & fluid inclusion studies of molybdenite mineralisation associated with the Shap, Skiddaw & Weardale Granites, UK. Applied Earth Science (Trans. Inst. Min. Metall. B), 117, 11-28.

Anczkiewicz, R., Mazur, S., Szczepanski, J., Storey. C., Crowley, Q.G., Villa, I.M., Thirlwall, M., Jeffries, T.E. 2007. Lu-Hf geochronology and trace element distribution in garnet: Implications for uplift and exhumation of ultra-high pressure granulites in the Sudetes, SW Poland. Lithos, 95, 363-380.

Zhang, Hong-Fei, Parrish, Randall, Zhang, Li, Xu, Wang-Chun, Yuan, Hong-Lin, Gao, Shan, Crowley, Quentin G. 2007. A-type granite and adakitic magmatism association in Songpan-Garze fold belt, eastern Tibetan Plateau: Implication for lithospheric delamination. Lithos. 97, 323-325.

Zhang, Hong-Fei, Parrish, Randall, Zhang, Li, Xu, Wang-Chun, Yuan, Hong-Lin, Gao, Shan, Crowley, Quentin G. 2007. Reply to the comment by Zhang et al. on: “First finding of A-type and adakitic magmatism association in Songpan–Garze fold belt, eastern Tibetan Plateau: Implication for lithoshperic delamination”. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2007.10.011.

Schofield, D.I., Horstwood, M.S.A., Pitfield, P.E.J., Crowley, Q.G., Wilkinson, A.F., Sidaty, H.Ch.O. 2006. Timing and kinematics of Eburnean tectonics in the central Reguibat Shield, Mauritania. Journal of the Geological Society, 163, 549-560.

Styles, M.T., Ellison, R.A., Arkley, S.L.B., Crowley, Q., Farrant, A., Goodenough, K M, McKervey, J A, Pharaoh, T C, Phillips, E R, Schofield, D, and Thomas, R J. 2006. The Geology and Geophysics of the United Arab Emirates. Volume 1: Geology. (Keyworth, Nottingham: British Geological Survey.)

Winchester, J.A., Kachlik, V., Patocka, F., Melzer, M., Nawakowski, C., Crowley, Q.G., Floyd, P.A., 2003. Geochemistry of Metasedimentary sequences in the Krkonose-Jizera Terrane, West Sudetes, Bohemian Massif: paleotectonic and stratigraphic implications. Journal of the Czech Geological Society, 48 (1-2), 135-136.

Winchester, J.A., Patocka, F., Kachlik, V., Melzer, M., Nawakowski, C., Crowley, Q.G., Floyd, P.A. 2003. Geochemical discrimination of metasedimentary sequences in the Krkonose-Jizera terrane (West Sudetes, Bohemian Massif): Paleotectonic and stratigraphic constraints. Geologica Carpathica, 54 (5), 267-280.

Crowley, Q.G., Štědrá, V., Winchester, J.A.W., Floyd, P.A., S., Holland, J.G. 2002. The Mariánské-Lázně Complex: development and destruction of an early Palaeozoic seaway. Geological Society Special Publication 201, 177-195.

Crowley, Q.G., Timmermann, H., Noble, S., Holland, J.G. 2002. Palaeozoic Terrane Amalgamation in Central Europe: a REE and Sm-Nd Isotopic Study of the pre-Variscan Basement, NE Bohemian Massif. Geological Society Special Publication 201, 157-176.

Floyd, P.A., Crowley, Q.G., Winchester, J.A.W., Kryza, R., Abdel-Wahed, M. 2002. Pillow lavas in the Sleza Ophiolite and their geochemical relationship to other Sudetic mafic components. Geological Society Special Publication 201, 197-216.

Winchester, J.A., Floyd. P.A., Crowley, Q.G. et al. 2002. Palaeozoic amalgamation of Central Europe: new results from recent geological and geophysical investigations. Tectonophysics, 360, 5-21.

Crowley, Q.G., Floyd, P.A., Winchester, J.A.W, Franke, W., Holland, J.G. 2000. Early Palaeozoic rift-related magmatism in Variscan Europe: fragmentation of the Armorican Terrane Assemblage. Terra Nova. 12 (4), 171-180.

Floyd, P.A., Winchester, J.A., Seston, R., Kryza, R., Crowley, Q.G. 2000. Review of geochemical variation in Lower Palaeozoic metabasites from the NE Bohemian Massif: intracratonic rifting and plume-ridge interaction. In: Orogenic Processes: Quantification and Modelling in the Variscan Belt (W.Franke, V. Haak and D. Tanner, eds.). Geological Society, London, special publication 179, 155-174.

Seston, R., Winchester, J.A., Piasecki, M.A.J., Crowley, Q.G., Floyd, P.A. 2000. A structural model for the Western-Central Sudetes: a deformed stack of Variscan thrust-bounded slices. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 157, 1155-1167.

Crowley, Q.G., Feely, M. 1997. New perspectives on the order and style of granite emplacement in the Galway Batholith, western Ireland. Geological Magazine, 134, 539-548.