Geoff Clayton - Professor

Name: Prof. Geoffrey Clayton

Research Area

My research is in the fields of palynology (organic-walled microfossils) and organic petrology  (the study of microscopic organic matter in sedimentary rocks). I am especially interested in the application of palynology for dating and correlating Late Devonian and Carboniferous rocks worldwide, and in interpreting depositional environments, palaeoclimate and palaeogeography. With regard to organic petrology, I am interested in new methods for assessing the organic maturity and thermal history of hydrocarbon source rocks.

Contact Details

Department of Geology
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
Email: gclayton@tcd.ie Tel: + 353 1 8962002

Current Research

I am a member of the TCD Palynology and Organic Petrology Research Group, comprising academic and technical staff, PhD students and research associates.  Current research projects mainly focus on Devonian and Mississippian rocks in the eastern USA, Bolivia, Brazil, Ireland, Portugal and Saudi Arabia.

Research Opportunities

Current PhD opportunities include projects on organic maturation and Upper Palaeozoic palynonostratigraphy. Prospective students interested in discussing other potential projects may find the Group’s Completed PhDs and Publications pages useful.

Teaching

I teach parts of Modules GL4411 (Senior Sophister  Organic Petrology, Palynology and Palaeobotany), GL4403 (Senior Sophister Geology of Ireland and Economic Geology), GL2202 (Senior Freshman Palaeontology and Stratigraphy), and GL2204 (Senior Freshman Structural Geology and Mapwork). I am co-leader of the Senior Freshmen Wexford Field excursion.

Publications

Selected peer-reviewed publications are listed below.

- Articles and book chapters

WICANDER, R., CLAYTON, G., MARSHALL, J.E.A., TROTH, I. and RACEY, A. 2011.Was the latest Devonian glaciation a multiple event? New palynological evidence from Bolivia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 305, 75-83.

GOODHUE, R. and CLAYTON, G. 2010. Palynomorph Darkness Index (PDI) - a new technique for assessing thermal maturity. Palynology, 34, 147-156.

DONOGHUE, E., TROLL, V.R., SCHWARZOPF, L.M., CLAYTON, G. and GOODHUE, R. 2009. Organic block coatings in block-and-ash flow deposits at Merapi Volcano, central Java. Geological Magazine, 146, 113-120.

DUGGAN, M.C. and CLAYTON, G. 2008. Colour change in the acritarch Veryhachium as an indicator of thermal maturity. GeoArabia, 13, 125-136.

HEAL, S. and CLAYTON, G. 2008. The palynology of the Hannibal Shale (Mississippian) of northeastern Missouri, U.S.A. and correlation with Western Europe. Palynology, 32, 27-37.

FERNANDES, P. and CLAYTON, G. 2007. Organic maturation levels and thermal history of the Carboniferous rocks of the Dublin Basin. In: Wong, T. (ed.). Proceedings of the XVth International Congress on Carboniferous and Permian Stratigraphy, Utrecht, 2003, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 37-45.

McCORMACK, N., CLAYTON, G. and FERNANDES, P. 2007. The thermal history of the Upper Palaeozoic rocks of southern Portugal. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 24,145-150.

HECKEL, P. and CLAYTON, G. 2006. The Carboniferous System. Use of the new official names for the subsystems, series and stages. Geologica Acta, 4 (3), 7-11.

McCORMACK, N., CLAYTON, G. and FERNANDES, P.2006. A historia termica das rochas do Paleozoico Superior da Zona Sul Portuguesa , In: J.A.P. Mirao, J.A.P. and A.C. Balbino, A.C. (eds). VII Congresso Nacional de Geologia Resumos alagardos, VII Congresso Nacional de Geologia, Evora, 2006, 85-88.

HECKEL, P.H. and CLAYTON, G. 2006. Use of the new official names for the Subsystems, Series and Stages of the Carboniferous System in international journals, Proceedings of the Geologists' Association, 117, 393-396.

COXON, P. and CLAYTON, G. 2005. Light microscopy of fossil pollen and spores. In: Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. (eds) Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques. University of Science and Technology of China Press, Hefei, China, 51-54 (in Chinese).

CLAYTON, G. and COXON, P. 2005. Spore and pollen biostratigraphy. In: Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. (eds) Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques. University of Science and Technology of China Press, Hefei, China, 248-253 (in Chinese).

COXON, P. and CLAYTON, G. 2005. Palynology. In: Selley, R.C., Cocks, R. and Plimer, I. (eds). Encyclopedia of Geology. Elsevier. 464-469.

NAYLOR, D., PHILCOX, M.E. and CLAYTON, G. 2003. Annaghmore-1 and Ballynamullen-1 wells, Larne-Lough Neagh basins, Northern Ireland. Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 21, 47-69.

GONZALEZ, F., MORENO, C., SAEZ, R. and CLAYTON, G. 2002. Ore genesis age of the Tharsis Mining District (Iberian Pyrite Belt): a palynological approach. Journal of the Geological Society, London, 159, 229-232.

CLAYTON, G., WICANDER, R. and PEREIRA, Z. 2002. Palynological evidence concerning the relative positions of Northern Gondwana and Southern Laurussia in latest Devonian and Mississippian times. In: Wyse Jackson, P. and Parkes, M.A. (eds). Studies in Palaeozoic palaeontology and biostratigraphy in honour of Charles Hepworth Holland. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 67, 45-56.

CORCORAN, D.V. and CLAYTON, G. 2001. Interpretation of vitrinite reflectance profiles in sedimentary basins, onshore and offshore Ireland. In: Shannon, P.M., Haughton, P.D.W. and Corcoran, D.V. (eds). The petroleum exploration of Ireland's Offshore Basins. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 188, 61-90.

OWENS, B., FILATOFF, J., CLAYTON, G. and AL-HAJRI, S. 2000. Evidence of mid-Carboniferous miospore assemblages from central Saudi Arabia. In: Al-Hajri, S. and Owens, B. (eds). Stratigraphic Palynology of Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia Special Publication No. 1, 154-167.

NAYLOR, D. and CLAYTON, G. 2000. Palynological and maturation data and their bearing on Irish post-Variscan palaeogeography. Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 18, 33-39.

CLAYTON, G. and BAILY, H. 2000. Organic Maturation Levels of Pre-Westphalian Carboniferous Rocks in Ireland and in the Irish Offshore. In: Whiticar, M.J. and Faber, E (eds). The Search for Deep Gas: Selected Papers presented at the IEA / BMFT International Deep Gas Workshop, Hannover. Geologisches Jahrbuch, D 107, 25-41.

McKERROW, W.S., MacNIOCAILL, C., AHLBERG, P.E., CLAYTON, G., CLEAL, C.J. and EAGAR, R.M.C. 2000. The Late Palaeozoic relations between Gondwana and Laurussia. In: Franke, W., Haak, V., Oncken, O. and Tanner, D. (eds). Orogenic Processes: Quantification and Modelling in the Variscan Belt. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 179, 9-20.

GREEN, P.F., DUDDY, I.R., HEGARTY, K.A., BRAY, R.J., SEVASTOPULO, G.D., CLAYTON, G. and JOHNSTON, D. 2000. The post-Carboniferous evolution of Ireland: evidence from thermal history reconstruction. Proceedings of the Geologists Association, 11, 307-320.

CLAYTON, G., FILATOFF, J., AL-HAJRI, S. and OWENS, B. 2000. Latest Devonian and Early Carboniferous miospore assemblages from Saudi Arabia. In: Al-Hajri, S. and Owens, B. (eds). Stratigraphic Palynology of Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia Special Publication No. 1, 146-153.

CORCORAN, D. and CLAYTON, G. 1999. Interpretation of vitrinite reflectance profiles in the Central Irish Sea area: implications for the timing of organic maturation. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 22 (3), 261-286.

GOODHUE, R. and CLAYTON, G. 1999. Organic maturation levels, thermal history and hydrocarbon source rock potential of the Namurian rocks of the Clare Basin, Ireland. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 16, 667-675.

CLAYTON, G. and COXON, P. 1999. Spore and pollen biostratigraphy. In: Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. (eds) Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques. Geological Society, London, 225-229.

COXON, P. and CLAYTON, G. 1999. Light microscopy of fossil pollen and spores. In: Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. (eds) Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques. Geological Society, London, 47-51.

CLAYTON, G., MANGER, W.L. and OWENS, B. 1998. Mississippian palynofloras from the Cuyahoga and Logan Formations of northeastern Ohio, U.S.A. Journal of Micropalaeontology, 17 (2), 183-91.

EVANS, A. and CLAYTON, G. 1998. The geological history of the Ballydeenlea Chalk Breccia, County Kerry, Ireland. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 15, 299-307.