Professor Geoffrey Clayton
Fellow Emeritus, Geology
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Lopes, G. and Mangerud, G. and Clayton, G., The palynostratigraphy of the Mississippian Birger Johnsonfjellet section, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Palynology, 2018
Lopes, G. and McLean, D. and Mangerud, G. and Clayton, G., A new Mississippian biozonal scheme for the Finnmark Platform, Norway â" Palynostratigraphic integration of exploration wells 7128/4-1 and 7128/6-1, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 92, 2018, p94-108
Spina, A. and Vecoli, M. and Riboulleau, A. and Clayton, G. and Cirilli, S. and Di Michele, A. and Marcogiuseppe, A. and Rettori, R. and Sassi, P. and Servais, T. and Riquier, L., Application of Palynomorph Darkness Index (PDI) to assess the thermal maturity of palynomorphs: A case study from North Africa, International Journal of Coal Geology, 188, 2018, p64-78
Clayton, G. and Goodhue, R. and Abdelbagi, S.T. and Vecoli, M., Correlation of Palynomorph Darkness Index and vitrinite reflectance in a submature Carboniferous well section in northern Saudi Arabia, Revue de Micropaleontologie, 60, (3), 2017, p411-416
CLARK, N.D.L., GILLESPIE, R., MORRIS, S.F., CLAYTON, G., A new early Carboniferous crustacean from the Forest of Dean, England, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 14, (9), 2016, p799-807 -
ROONEY, A., GOODHUE, R., CLAYTON, G., Stable nitrogen isotope analysis of the Upper Devonian palynomorph, Tasmanites, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 429, 2015, p13 - 21
FERNANDES, P., RODRIGUES, B., BORGES, M., MATOS, V. and CLAYTON, G. , Organic maturation of the Algarve Basin (southern Portugal) and its bearing on thermal history and hydrocarbon exploration, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 46, 2013, p210 - 233
NAYLOR, D., AL-RAWI, M., CLAYTON, G., FITZPATRICK, M.J. and GREEN, P. F. , Hydrocarbon potential in Jordan, Journal of Petroleum Geology, 36, 2013, p205 - 236
ROONEY, A., CLAYTON, G. and GOODHUE, R., The dispersed spore Retusotriletes loboziakii sp. nov., affiliated with the enigmatic Late Devonian alga Protosalvinia Dawson 1884, Palynology, 37, (2), 2013, p196 - 201
FERNANDES, P., MUSGRAVE, J.A., CLAYTON, G., PEREIRA, Z., OLIVEIRA, J.-T., GOODHUE, R. and RODRIGUES, B., New evidence concerning the thermal history of Devonian and Carboniferous rocks in the South Portuguese Zone, Journal of the Geological Society, 169, 2012, p647 - 654
WICANDER, R., CLAYTON, G., MARSHALL, J.E.A., TROTH, I, and RACEY, A., Was the latest Devonian glaciation a multiple event? New palynological evidence from Bolivia, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 305, (1-4), 2011, p75-83
GOODHUE, R. and CLAYTON, G., Palynomorph Darkness Index (PDI) - a new technique for assessing thermal maturity, Palynology, 34, (2), 2010, p147 - 156
DONOGHUE, E., TROLL, V.R., SCWARZKOPF, L.M., CLAYTON, G., and GOODHUE, R., Organic block coatings in block-and-ash flow deposits at Merapi Volcano, central Java., Geological Magazine, 146, 2009, p113 - 120
DUGGAN, M.C. and CLAYTON, G., Colour change in the acritarch Veryhachium as an indicator of thermal maturity, GeoArabia, 13, 2008, p125 - 136
HEAL, S. and CLAYTON, G., The palynology of the Hannibal Shale (Mississippian) of northeastern Missouri, U.S.A. and correlation with Western Europe, Palynology, 32, 2008, p27 - 37
FERNANDES, P. and CLAYTON, G., Organic maturation levels and thermal history of the Carboniferous rocks of the Dublin Basin, Proceedings of the XVth International Congress on Carboniferous and Permian Stratigraphy, Utrecht, 2003, edited by Wong, T. , 1, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2007, pp37 - 45
McCORMACK, N., CLAYTON, G. and FERNANDES, P., The thermal history of the Upper Palaeozoic rocks of southern Portugal, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 24, (3), 2007, p145 - 150
HECKEL, P.H. and CLAYTON, G., 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, (4), 2006, p393 - 396
McCORMACK, N., CLAYTON, G. and FERNANDES, P., A historia termica das rochas do Paleozoico Superior da Zona Sul Portuguesa , VII Congresso Nacional de Geologia Resumos alagardos, VII Congresso Nacional de Geologia, Evora, 2006, edited by J.A.P. Mirao and A.C. Balbino , 2006, pp85 - 88
HECKEL, P. H. and CLAYTON, G., The Carboniferous System. Use of the new official names for the subsystems, series and stages, Geologica Acta, 4, (3), 2006, p403 - 407
Palynology, Cocks, R. and Plimer, I. , Encyclopedia of Geology, Elsevier, 2005, pp464 - 469, [COXON, P. and CLAYTON, G. ]
Light microscopy of fossil pollen and spores in, editor(s)Jones, T.P and Rowe, N.P. , Fossil Plants and Spores: modern techniques, Hefei, China, University of Science and Technology of China Press, 2005, pp51 - 54, [COXON, P. and CLAYTON, G.]
Spore and pollen biostratigraphy in, editor(s)Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. , Fossil Plants and Spores: modern techniques, Hefei, China, University of Science and Technology of China Press, 2005, pp248 - 253, [CLAYTON, G. and COXON, P.]
NAYLOR, D., PHILCOX, M.E. and CLAYTON, G. , Annaghmore-1 and Ballynamullen-1 wells, Larne-Lough Neagh basins, Northern Ireland., Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 21, 2003, p47 - 69
CLAYTON, G., WICANDER, R. and PEREIRA, Z. , Palynological evidence concerning the relative positions of Northern Gondwana and Southern Laurussia in latest Devonian and Mississippian times, Studies in Palaeozoic palaeontology and biostratigraphy in honour of Charles Hepworth Holland. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 67, 2002, p45 - 56
GONZALEZ, F., MORENO, C., SAEZ, R. and CLAYTON, G, Ore genesis age of the Tharsis Mining District (Iberian Pyrite Belt): a palynological approach, Journal of the Geological Society, London, 159, 2002, p229 - 232
CORCORAN, D.V. and CLAYTON, G. , . Interpretation of vitrinite reflectance profiles in sedimentary basins, onshore and offshore Ireland. , The petroleum exploration of Ireland's Offshore Basins. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 188, 2001, p61 - 90
CLAYTON, G. and BAILY, H. , Organic Maturation Levels of Pre-Westphalian Carboniferous Rocks in Ireland and in the Irish Offshore, Geologisches Jahrbuch, D 107, 2000, p25 - 41
McKERROW, W.S., MacNIOCAILL, C., AHLBERG, P.E., CLAYTON, G., CLEAL, C.J. and EAGAR, R.M.C. , The Late Palaeozoic relations between Gondwana and Laurussia, Orogenic Processes: Quantification and Modelling in the Variscan Belt. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 179, 2000, p9 - 20
NAYLOR, D. and CLAYTON, G, Palynological and maturation data and their bearing on Irish post-Variscan palaeogeography, Irish Journal of Earth Sciences, 18, 2000, p33 - 39
CLAYTON, G., FILATOFF, J., AL-HAJRI, S. and OWENS, B, Latest Devonian and Early Carboniferous miospore assemblages from Saudi Arabia, Stratigraphic Palynology of Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia Special Publication , 1, 2000, p146 - 153
OWENS, B., FILATOFF, J., CLAYTON, G. and AL-HAJRI, S. , Evidence of mid-Carboniferous miospore assemblages from central Saudi Arabia. , Stratigraphic Palynology of Saudi Arabia. GeoArabia Special Publication , 1, 2000, p154 - 167
GREEN, P.F., DUDDY, I.R., HEGARTY, K.A., BRAY, R.J., SEVASTOPULO, G.D., CLAYTON, G. and JOHNSTON, D. , The post-Carboniferous evolution of Ireland: evidence from thermal history reconstruction, Proceedings of the Geologists Association, 11, 2000, p307 - 320
CORCORAN, D. and CLAYTON, G. , Interpretation of vitrinite reflectance profiles in the Central Irish Sea area: implications for the timing of organic maturation, Journal of Petroleum Geology, 22 , (3), 1999, p261 - 286
Light microscopy of fossil pollen and spores in, editor(s): Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. , Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques, London, Geological Society, London, 1999, pp47 - 51, [COXON, P. and CLAYTON, G. ]
GOODHUE, R. and CLAYTON, G, Organic maturation levels, thermal history and hydrocarbon source rock potential of the Namurian rocks of the Clare Basin, Ireland, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 16, 1999, p667 - 675
Spore and pollen biostratigraphy in, editor(s): Jones, T.P. and Rowe, N.P. , Fossil plants and spores: modern techniques, London, Geological Society, London, 1999, pp225 - 229, [CLAYTON, G. and COXON, P. ]
EVANS, A. and CLAYTON, G. , The geological history of the Ballydeenlea Chalk Breccia, County Kerry, Ireland, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 15, 1998, p299 - 307
CLAYTON, G., MANGER, W.L. and OWENS, B. , Mississippian palynofloras from the Cuyahoga and Logan Formations of northeastern Ohio, U.S.A., Journal of Micropalaeontology, 17 , (2), 1998, p183 - 191
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Lopes, G., Mangerud, G., Clayton, G., Mørk, A., New insights on East Finnmark Platform palynostratigraphy and paleogeography - A study of three shallow cores from a Mississippian succession in the Barents Sea, Norway, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 450, 2016, p60-76
Research Expertise
Description
My main research interests are: 1) PALYNOLOGY - the use of palynomorphs in Palaeozoic rocks to determine their age, depositional environment and palaeogeographic setting. 2) ORGANIC PETROLOGY - interpretation of thermal histories of rocks based on studies of microscopic plant debris and other organic particles. Current areas of interest include Ireland, Bolivia, Portugal, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the USA.Projects
- Title
- Nitrogen isotopes as indicators of climate change
- Summary
- 14N/15N ratios will be determined from late Devonian - early Carboniferous marine rocks and chemostratigraphic profiles will be constructed. The stratigraphic interval selected spans glaciation and deglaciation around the palaeo-south pole and is represented mostly by marine black shales in the USA. A novel aspect of the project will be the analysis of separated organic constituents such as Tasmanites and woody land plants tissues, rather than the crude 'whole-rock' approach used in previous investigations. Comparison of the stable isotope results with the known climatic changes will establish whether this is a viable technique for the study of such old rocks.
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- 1 September 2007
- Date To
- 31 August 2010
- Title
- Palynological correlation of Mississippian (Carboniferous) stage boundaries in Western Europe and the USA
- Summary
- The recent decision to revise the stratigraphic classification of the Carboniferous System by introducing the North American divisions, 'Mississippian' and 'Pennsylvanian' worldwide has focussed attention on the lack of adequate correlation of the constituent North American stages with those in Europe. The various Mississippian stage boundaries can be recognised in numerous outcrop sections, principally in Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois, that include grey shales suitable for palynological investigation. The project will build on highly successful pilot projects by establishing a comprehensive Mississippian miospore zonation for the first time in the USA and correlating this with the existing European zonal scheme.
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- 1 July 2005
- Date To
- 30 June 2008
- Title
- Stratigraphic Palynology of the Palaeozoic of Saudi Arabia
- Summary
- Investigation of the sub-surface Palaeozoic stratigraphy of Saudi Arabia using palynology. Samples from many hydrocarbon exploration wells drilled throughout Saudi Arabia are being studied by specialists in several European universities in order to determine the detailed distributions of all of the palynomorph groups encountered. Comprehensive zonal schemes are being erected and palynostratigraphic correlations of the well sections are being established.
- Funding Agency
- Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco)
- Date From
- 1990
- Date To
- 2019
Recognition
Representations
Vice-Chair, Subcommission for Carboniferous Stratigraphy
Councillor, International Federation of Palynological Societies
President, Commission Internationale de Microflore du Paleozoique
Secretary-General, Commission Internationale de Microflore du Paleozoique
Awards and Honours
Visiting Professor of Palynology, University of Sheffield
Senior Fellow, Trinity College Dublin
Berkeley Research Fellow, Trinity College Dublin
Member of Royal Irish Academy
Fellow, Trinity College Dublin
Memberships
American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists
Commisssion Internationale de Microflore du Paleozoique