Dr Emma L. Tomlinson - Assistant Professor

Name: Dr Emma L. Tomlinson

Research Area

My research involves applying trace element and isotope geochemistry to various problems in the geosciences.

Evolution of silicic magmas – Volcanic eruptions involving silicic magmas (dacite and rhyolite) are typically highly explosive. Thus, silicic volcanism possesses a severe hazard potential and can have devastating effects on human populations. My research focuses on determining the geochemistry of silicic volcanic deposits (quenched magma and minerals) in order to gain insights into the magma source, its evolution and the eruption trigger. 

Tephrostratigraphy and tephrochronology - Volcanic ash (tephra) forms isochronous marker layers, which allow the various sedimentary records to be linked. My work uses the geochemistry of volcanic ash layers to correlate between marine, lake and archaeological paleoarchives (tephrostratiraphy). In addition, if distal tephra layers can be correlated to proximal deposits of known eruptions, then these can be used as chronostratigraphic markers (tephrochronology). High-precision correlations are critical for reconstructing the timing, rate and duration of environmental changes and hence for testing theories about the causes and impacts of those changes.

Mantle fluids and metasomatism - Diamond is mechanically strong and chemically inert, which make it a perfect vessel for the preservation of minerals and fluids from deep in the cratonic lithosphere. My particular interest is in mantle fluids: where do they come from - the lower mantle or subduction zones? What effects do they have on the host rock as they pervade through the mantle? do they cause melting in the mantle and are melting events expressed at the surface? Are these fluids related to the generation of kimberlite magma, which brings diamonds to the surface?

Contact Details

Department of Geology
Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
Email: tomlinse@tcd.ie Tel: + 353 1 8963856

Current Research and Research Opportunities

I currently co-supervise the following postgraduate students:

Joanna Cross - Royal Holloway University of London, UK (co-supervisor) - Explosive activity Colli Albani Italy: constraints on the chemistry and explosivity.

Previous students:

Paul Albert - Royal Holloway University of London, UK (co-supervisor) – Volcanic glass geochemistry of Italian proximal deposits linked to distal archives in the central Mediterranean region.

Anna Todman - Royal Holloway University of London, UK (co-supervisor) – The last 2000 years of explosive activity, Vulcano, Italy.

Teaching

At Junior Sophister level, I teach the Crystalline rocks (GL3316)
At Senior Sophister level, I teach Global igneous petrology (GL4406)

Publications and research output

Lowe, J., Barton, N., Blockley, S., Ramsey, C.B., Cullen, V.L., Davies, W., Gamble, C., Grant, K., Hardiman, M., Housley, R., Lane, C.S., Lee, S., Lewis, M., MacLeod, A., Menzies, M., Muller, W., Pollard, M., Price, C., Roberts, A.P., Rohling, E.J., Satow, C., Smith, V.C., Stringer, C.B., Tomlinson, E.L. and White, D. (2012). Volcanic ash layers illuminate the resilience of Neanderthals and early modern humans to natural hazards. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109, 13532–13537.

E.L. Tomlinson, I. Arienzo, S, Wulf, V.C. Smith, A. Carandente, L. Civetta, M. Hardiman, C.S. Lane, G. Orsi, M. Rosi, M.T. Thirlwall, W. Muller and M.A. Menzies (2012). Geochemistry of the Campi Flegrei (Italy) proximal sources for major Mediterranean tephras (C-1, C-2, Y-3 and Y-5). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 93, 102-128.

E.L. Tomlinson, H.S. Kinvig, V.C. Smith, J.D. Blundy, J. Gotsmann, W. Mueller, and M.A. Menzies (2012). The Upper and Lower Nisyros Pumices: revisions to the Mediterranean tephrostratigraphic record using glass geochemistry. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 243-244, 69-80.

P. G. Albert, E.L. Tomlinson, V. C. Smith, A. Di Roberto, A. Todman, M. Rosi, M. Marani, W. Muller and M.A. Menzies. Continental-marine tephra correlations: volcanic glass geochemistry from the Aeolian Islands, Italy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 229-230, 74-94.

E.L. Tomlinson, T. Thordarson, C.S. Lane, C.J. Manning, V.C. Smith, W. Mueller, and M.A. Menzies (2012). Petrogenesis of the Slheimar Ignimbrite (Katla, Iceland): implications for tephrostratigraphy. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 86, 318-337.

C.S. Lane, S.P.E. Blockley, J. Mangerud, V.C. Smith, O.S. Lohne, E.L. Tomlinson, I.P. Matthews and A.F. Lotter (2011). Was the 12.1 ka Icelandic Vedde Ash one of a kind? Quaternary Science Reviews, 33, 87-99.

E. Smith, M. Kopylova, L. Dubrovinsky, O. Navon, J. Ryder and E.L. Tomlinson (2011). Transmission X-ray diffraction as a new tool for diamond fluid inclusion studies. Mineralogical Magazine, 75, 2657-2675

E.L. Tomlinson, D. Howell, A.P. Jones and D. Frost. (2011) Characteristics of HPHT diamond grown at sub-lithosphere conditions (10-20 GPa). Diamond and Related Materials 20, 1117

E.L. Tomlinson, T. Thordarson, W. Mueller , M. Thirlwall, M.A. Menzies (2010). Microanalysis of tephra by LA-ICP-MS - Strategies, advantages and limitations assessed using the Thorsmork ignimbrite (Southern Iceland). Chemical Geology 279, 73-89.

E.L. Tomlinson, W. Muller, EIMF (2009) A snapshot of mantle metasomatism: Trace element analysis of coexisting fluid (LA-ICP-MS) and silicate (SIMS) inclusions, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 279 (3), 362-372.

E.L. Tomlinson, P.F. McMillan, M. Zhang, A.P. Jones and S.A.T. Redfern (2007) Quartz-bearing C-O-H fluid inclusions diamond: Retracing the pressure-temperature path in the mantle using calibrated high temperature IR spectroscopy. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 71 (24) 6030-6039.

E.L. Tomlinson, A.P. Jones and J.W. Harris (2006) Co-existing fluid and silicate inclusions in mantle diamond. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 250 (3-4) 581-595.

E.L. Tomlinson, I. De Schrijver, K. De Corte, A.P. Jones, Luc Moens and Frank Vanhaecke (2005) Trace element compositions of sub-microscopic inclusions in coated diamond: a tool for understanding diamond petrogenesis. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 69 (19) 4719-4732.

E.L. Tomlinson, A.P. Jones and H. J. Milledge (2004) High-pressure experimental growth of diamond using C-K2CO3-KCl as an analogue for Cl-bearing carbonate fluid. Lithos 77(1-4) 287-294.