Dr. Emma Tomlinson
Associate Professor, Geology
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Carl Walsh, Balz Kamber, Emma L. Tomlinson, Deep, ultra-hot-melting residues as cradles of mantle diamond, Nature, 615, (7952), 2023, p450--454
O'Sullivan, Gary J, Hoare, Brendan C, Mark, Chris, Drakou, Foteini, Tomlinson, Emma L, Uranium-lead geochronology applied to pyrope garnet with very low concentrations of uranium, Geological Magazine, 2023
Céline M. Vidal, Christine S. Lane, Asfawossen Asrat, Dan N. Barfod, Darren F. Mark, Emma L. Tomlinson, Amdemichael Zafu Tadesse, Gezahegn Yirgu, Alan Deino, William Hutchison, Aurélien Mounier & Clive Oppenheimer , Age of the oldest known Homo sapiens from eastern Africa, Nature, 2022
Tephrochronology and Geochemistry of Tephra from the Campi Flegrei Volcanic Field, Italy in, Campi Flegrei: A Restless Caldera in a Densely Populated Area, Berlin, Heidelberg, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2022, pp151 - 174, [Tomlinson Emma L, Albert Paul G, Menzies Martin A]
Vidal C.M., Fontijn K., Lane C.S., Asrat A., Barfod D., Tomlinson E.L., Piermattei A., Hutchison W., Tadesse A.Z., Yirgu G., Deino A., Moussallam Y., Mohr P., Williams F., Mather T.A., Pyle D.M., Oppenheimer C., Geochronology and glass geochemistry of major pleistocene eruptions in the Main Ethiopian Rift: Towards a regional tephrostratigraphy, Quaternary Science Reviews, 290, 2022
Gill Plunkett and Michael Sigl and Hans F. Schwaiger and Emma L. Tomlinson and Matthew Toohey and Joseph R. McConnell and Jonathan R. Pilcher and Takeshi Hasegawa and Claus Siebe, No evidence for tephra in Greenland from the historic eruption of Vesuvius in 79"CE: implications for geochronology and paleoclimatology, Climate of the Past, 18, (1), 2022, p45--65
Hoare B.C., Tomlinson E.L., Kamber B.S., Evidence for a very thick Kaapvaal craton root: Implications for equilibrium fossil geotherms in the early continental lithosphere, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 597, 2022
Tadesse A.Z., Fontijn K., Melaku A.A., Gebru E.F., Smith V.C., Tomlinson E., Barfod D., Gopon P., Begue F., Caricchi L., Laha P., Terryn H., Gudbrandsson S., Yirgu G., Ayalew D., Eruption frequency and magnitude in a geothermally active continental rift: The Bora-Baricha-Tullu Moye volcanic complex, Main Ethiopian Rift, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 423, 2022
Wallace K.L., Bursik M.I., Kuehn S., Kurbatov A.V., Abbott P., Bonadonna C., Cashman K., Davies S.M., Jensen B., Lane C., Plunkett G., Smith V.C., Tomlinson E., Thordarsson T., Walker J.D., Community established best practice recommendations for tephra studies"from collection through analysis, Scientific Data, 9, (1), 2022
Niklas Leicher and Biagio Giaccio and Giovanni Zanchetta and Roberto Sulpizio and Paul G. Albert and Emma L. Tomlinson and Markus Lagos and Alexander Francke and Bernd Wagner, Lake Ohrid"s tephrochronological dataset reveals 1.36"Ma of Mediterranean explosive volcanic activity, Scientific Data, 8, (1), 2021
Emma L Tomlinson, Tim J B Holland, Corrigendum to: A Thermodynamic Model for the Subsolidus Evolution and Melting of Peridotite, Journal of Petrology, 62, (5), 2021
Emma L Tomlinson, Tim J B Holland, A Thermodynamic Model for the Subsolidus Evolution and Melting of Peridotite, Journal of Petrology, 62, (1), 2021
Brendan C.Hoare, Emma L.Tomlinson, Jaime D.Barnes, Sebastian Tappe, Michael A.W. Marks, Tatjana Epp, John Caulfield, Thomas Riegler, Tracking halogen recycling and volatile loss in kimberlite magmatism from Greenland: Evidence from combined F-Cl-Br and δ37Cl systematics, Lithos, 2021
Brendan C. Hoare and Gary O'Sullivan, Metasomatism of the Kaapvaal Craton during Cretaceous intraplate magmatism revealed by combined zircon U-Pb isotope and trace element analysis, Chemical Geology, 578, 2021, p120302
Emma L. Tomlinson, Balz S. Kamber, Depth-dependent peridotite-melt interaction and the origin of variable silica in the cratonic mantle, Nature Communications, 12, (1), 2021
Emma L. Tomlinson, Victoria C. Smith, Martin A. Menzies, Chemical zoning and open system processes in the Laacher See magmatic system, Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 175, (3), 2020
Caulfield John T, Tomlinson Emma L, Chew David M, Marks Michael A.W, McKenna Cora A, Ubide Teres, Smith Victoria C, Microanalysis of Cl, Br and I in apatite, scapolite and silicate glass by LA-ICP-MS, Chemical Geology, 557, 2020, p119854-
Balz Kamber and Emma Tomlinson, Petrological, mineralogical and geochemical peculiarities of Archaean cratons, Chemical Geology, 511, 2019, p123-151
Paul G. Albert, Victoria C. Smith, Takehiko Suzuki, Danielle McLean, Emma L. Tomlinson, Yasuo Miyabuchi, Ikuko Kitaba, Darren F. Mark, Hiroshi Moriwaki, Takeshi Nakagawa, Geochemical characterisation of the Late Quaternary widespread Japanese tephrostratigraphic markers and correlations to the Lake Suigetsu sedimentary archive (SG06 core), Quaternary Geochronology, 2019
Rosca Carolina, Schoenberg Ronny, Tomlinson Emma L, Kamber Balz S, Combined zinc-lead isotope and trace-metal assessment of recent atmospheric pollution sources recorded in Irish peatlands, Science of The Total Environment, 658, 2019, p234 - 249
Niklas Leicher and Biagio Giaccio and Giovanni Zanchetta and Bernd Wagner and Alexander Francke and Danilo M. Palladino and Roberto Sulpizio and Paul G. Albert and Emma L. Tomlinson, Central Mediterranean explosive volcanism and tephrochronology during the last 630 ka based on the sediment record from Lake Ohrid, Quaternary Science Reviews, 226, 2019, p106021
McNamara, K., Cashman, K. V., Rust, A. C., Fontijn, K., Chalie, F., Tomlinson, E. L., Yirgu, G., Using Lake Sediment Cores to Improve Records of Volcanism at Aluto Volcano in the Main Ethiopian Rift, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 19, (9), 2018, p3164-3188
Wulf Sabine, Hardiman Mark J, Staff Richard A, Koutsodendris Andrea, Appelt Oon, Blockley Simon P.E, Lowe J. Joh, Manning Christina J, Ottolini Luis, Schmitt Axel K, Smith Victoria C, Tomlinson Emma L, Vakhrameeva Polin, Knipping Mari, Kotthoff Ulric, Milner Alice M, MÃ"ller Ulrich C, Christanis Kimo, Kalaitzidis Stavro, Tzedakis Polychronis C, Schmiedl Gerhar, Pross Jör, The marine isotope stage 1â"5 cryptotephra record of Tenaghi Philippon, Greece: Towards a detailed tephrostratigraphic framework for the Eastern Mediterranean region, Quaternary Science Reviews, 186, 2018, p236 - 262
Rosca Carolina, Tomlinson Emma L, Geibert Walter, McKenna Cora A, Babechuk Michael G, Kamber Balz S, Trace element and Pb isotope fingerprinting of atmospheric pollution sources: A case study from the east coast of Ireland, Applied Geochemistry, 96, 2018, p302 - 326
Albert Paul G, Smith Victoria C, Suzuki Takehik, Tomlinson Emma L, Nakagawa Takesh, McLean Daniell, Yamada Masatak, Staff Richard A, Schlolaut Gordo, Takemura Keij, Nagahashi Yoshitak, Kimura Jun-Ich, Constraints on the frequency and dispersal of explosive eruptions at Sambe and Daisen volcanoes (South-West Japan Arc) from the distal Lake Suigetsu record (SG06 core), Earth-Science Reviews, 185, 2018, p1004 - 1028
Tomlinson, Emma L. and Kamber, Balz S. and Hoare, Brendan C. and Stead, Clare V. and Ildefonse, Benoit, An exsolution origin for Archean mantle garnet, Geology, 46, (2), 2017, p123
Stead C.V, Tomlinson E.L, Kamber B.S, Babechuk M.G, McKenna C.A, Rare Earth Element Determination in Olivine by Laser Ablation-Quadrupole-ICP-MS: An Analytical Strategy and Applications, Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 41, (2), 2017, p197 - 212
Stead, Clare V. and Tomlinson, Emma L. and McKenna, Cora A. and Kamber, Balz S., Rare earth element partitioning and subsolidus exchange behaviour in olivine, Chemical Geology, 475, 2017, p1-13
Albert, Paul G. and Tomlinson, Emma L. and Smith, Victoria C. and Di Traglia, Federico and Pistolesi, Marco and Morris, Anna and Donato, Paola and De Rosa, Rosanna and Sulpizio, Roberto and Keller, Jorg and Rosi, Mauro and Menzies, Martin, Glass geochemistry of pyroclastic deposits from the Aeolian Islands in the last 50 ka: A proximal database for tephrochronology, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 336, 2017, p81-107
Giaccio, Biagio and Niespolo, Elizabeth M. and Pereira, Alison and Nomade, Sebastien and Renne, Paul R. and Albert, Paul G. and Arienzo, Ilenia and Regattieri, Eleonora and Wagner, Bernd and Zanchetta, Giovanni and Gaeta, Mario and Galli, Paolo and Mannella, Giorgio and Peronace, Edoardo and Sottili, Gianluca and Florindo, Fabio and Leicher, Niklas and Marra, Fabrizio and Tomlinson, Emma L., First integrated tephrochronological record for the last similar to 190 kyr from the Fucino Quaternary lacustrine succession, central Italy, Quaternary Science Reviews, 158, 2017, p211-234
Chen X., Chen X., Chen X., Chen X., Blockley S., Tarasov P., Xu Y., McLean D., McLean D., Tomlinson E., Albert P., Albert P., Liu J., Müller S., Müller S., Wagner M., Menzies M., Menzies M., Clarifying the distal to proximal tephrochronology of the Millennium (B-Tm) eruption, Changbaishan Volcano, northeast China, Quaternary Geochronology, 33, 2016, p61-75
Pistolesi M., Isaia R., Marianelli P., Bertagnini A., Fourmentraux C., Albert P., Tomlinson E., Menzies M., Rosi M., Sbrana A., Simultaneous eruptions from multiple vents at Campi Flegrei (Italy) highlight new eruption processes at calderas, Geology, 44, (6), 2016, p487-490
Wutke K., Wutke K., Wulf S., Tomlinson E., Hardiman M., Hardiman M., Dulski P., Luterbacher J., Brauer A., Geochemical properties and environmental impacts of seven Campanian tephra layers deposited between 40 and 38 ka BP in the varved lake sediments of Lago Grande di Monticchio, southern Italy, Quaternary Science Reviews, 118, 2015, p67-83
Tomlinson E., Smith V., Albert P., Aydar E., Civetta L., Cioni R., Çubukçu E., Gertisser R., Isaia R., Menzies M., Orsi G., Orsi G., Rosi M., Zanchetta G., The major and trace element glass compositions of the productive Mediterranean volcanic sources: Tools for correlating distal tephra layers in and around Europe, Quaternary Science Reviews, 118, 2015, p48-66
Albert, Paul G. Hardiman, Mark Keller, Jörg Tomlinson, Emma L. Smith, Victoria C. Bourne, Anna J. Wulf, Sabine Zanchetta, Giovanni Sulpizio, Roberto Müller, Ulrich C. Pross, Jörg Ottolini, Luisa Matthews, Ian P. Blockley, Simon P. E. Menzies, Martin A., Revisiting the Y-3 tephrostratigraphic marker: a new diagnostic glass geochemistry, age estimate, and details on its climatostratigraphical context, Quaternary Science Reviews, 118, (SI), 2015, p105 - 121
Lane C., Lane C., Brauer A., Martín-Puertas C., Blockley S., Smith V., Tomlinson E., Tomlinson E., The Late Quaternary tephrostratigraphy of annually laminated sediments from Meerfelder Maar, Germany, Quaternary Science Reviews, 122, 2015, p192-206
Quaternary Science Reviews, 118, (2015), 1 - 242p, J. John Lowe, Rupert A. Housley, Emma L. Tomlinson, [eds.]
Satow C., Tomlinson E., Grant K., Albert P., Albert P., Smith V., Manning C., Ottolini L., Wulf S., Rohling E., Rohling E., Lowe J., Blockley S., Menzies M., A new contribution to the Late Quaternary tephrostratigraphy of the Mediterranean: Aegean Sea core LC21, Quaternary Science Reviews, 117, 2015, p96-112
Lowe J., Ramsey C., Housley R., Lane C., Lane C., Tomlinson E., Tomlinson E., Stringer C., Davies W., Barton N., Pollard M., Gamble C., Gamble C., Menzies M., Rohling E., Rohling E., Rohling E., Roberts A., Roberts A., Roberts A., Blockley S., Cullen V., Grant K., Grant K., Grant K., Lewis M., MacLeod A., White D., White D., Albert P., Albert P., Hardiman M., Hardiman M., Lee S., Oh A., Satow C., Satow C., Satow C., Cross J., Law C., Todman A., Bourne A., Bourne A., Matthews I., Matthews I., Müller W., Smith V., Wulf S., Wulf S., Wulf S., Anghelinu M., Antl-Weiser W., Bar-Yosef O., Boric D., Boscato P., Ronchitelli A., Chabai V., Veselsky A., Uthmeier T., Farrand W., Gjipali I., Ruka R., Güleç E., Karavanic I., Karkanas P., King T., Kom"o D., Koumouzelis M., Kyparissi N., Lengyel G., Mester Z., Neruda P., Panagopoulou E., Shalamanov-Korobar L., Tolevski I., Sirakov N., Guadelli A., Guadelli J., Ferrier C., Skrdla P., Slimak L., Soler N., Soler J., Soressi M., Tushabramishvilii N., Zilhão J., Angelucci D., Albert P., Bramham Law C., Cullen V., Lincoln P., Staff R., Flower K., Aouadi-Abdeljaouad N., Belhouchet L., Barker G., Bouzouggar A., Van Peer P., Kindermann K., Gerken K., The RESET project: Constructing a European tephra lattice for refined synchronisation of environmental and archaeological events during the last c. 100 ka, Quaternary Science Reviews, 118, 2015, p1-17
Brown, R. J., Civetta, L., Arienzo, I., D'Antonio, M., Moretti, R., Orsi, G., Tomlinson, E. L., Albert, P. G., Menzies, M. A., Geochemical and isotopic insights into the assembly, evolution and disruption of a magmatic plumbing system before and after a cataclysmic caldera-collapse eruption at Ischia volcano (Italy), Contributions To Mineralogy and Petrology, 168, (3), 2014
K. Douka, Z Jocabs, C Lane, R Grun, L Farr, C Hunt, RH Inglis, T. Reynolds, PG Albert, A Aubert, V Cullen, E Hill, L Kinsley, RG Roberts, EL Tomlinson, S Wulf, G Baker, The chronostratigraphy of the Haua Fteah cave (Cyrenaica, northeast Libya), Journal of Human Evolution, 66, 2014, p39 - 63
Emma L. Tomlinson, Paul G. Albert, Sabine Wulf, Richard J. Brown, Victoria C. Smith, Jörg Keller, Giovanni Orsi, Anna J. Bourne, Martin A. Menzies, Age and geochemistry of tephra layers from Ischia, Italy: constraints from proximal-distal correlations with Lago Grande di Monticchio, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 287, 2014, p22 - 39
J.K. Cross, E.L. Tomlinson, G. Giordano, V.C. Smith, A.A. De Benedetti, J. Roberge, C.J. Manning, S. Wulf, M.A. Menzies, High level triggers for explosive mafic volcanism: Albano Maar, Italy, Lithos, 190-191, 2014, p137 - 153
P.G. Albert, E.L. Tomlinson, C.S. Lane, S. Wulf, V.C. Smith, M. Coltelli, J. Keller, D. Lo Castro, C.J. Manning, W. Müller, M.A. Menzies, Late glacial explosive activity on Mount Etna: Implications for proximal-distal tephra correlations and the synchronisation of Mediterranean archives, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 265, 2013, p9 - 26
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., Volcanic ash layers illuminate the resilience of Neanderthals and early modern humans to natural hazards, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109, (34), 2012, p13532-13537
Wulf, A.; Keller, J.; Paterne, M.; Mingram, J.; Lauterbach, S.; Opitz, S.; Sottili, G.; Giaccio, B.; Albert, P.; Satow, C.; Tomlinson, E.L.; Viccaro, M.; Brauer, A., The 100-133 ka record of Italian explosive volcanism and revised tephrochronology of Lago Grande di Monticchio, Quaternary Science Reviews, 58, 2012, p104-123
E.L. Tomlinson, H.S. Kinvig, V.C. Smith, J.D. Blundy, J. Gotsmann, W. Mueller, and M.A. Menzies , The Upper and Lower Nisyros Pumices: revisions to the Mediterranean tephrostratigraphic record using glass geochemistry, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 243, 2012, p69-80
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, 2012, p74-94
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 , Geochemistry of the Phlegraean Fields (Italy) proximal sources for major Mediterranean tephras: Implications for the dispersal of Plinian and co-ignimbritic components of explosive eruptions, Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta, 93, 2012, p102-128
E.L. Tomlinson, T. Thordarson, C.S. Lane, C.J. Manning, V.C. Smith, W. Mueller, and M.A. Menzies , Petrogenesis of the Solheimar Ignimbrite (Katla, Iceland): implications for tephrostratigraphy, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 86, 2012, p318-337
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, Was the 12.1 ka Icelandic Vedde Ash one of a kind?, Quaternary Science Reviews, 33, 2012, p87-99
E.L. Tomlinson, D. Howell, A.P. Jones and D. Frost, Characteristics of HPHT diamond grown at sub-lithosphere conditions (10-20 GPa), Diamond and Related Materials, 20, (1), 2011, p11-17
E. Smith, M. Kopylova, L. Dubrovinsky, O. Navon, J. Ryder and E.L. Tomlinson, ransmission X-ray diffraction as a new tool for diamond fluid inclusion studies, Mineralogical Magazine, 75, (5), 2011, p2657-2675
E.L. Tomlinson, T. Thordarson, W. Mueller , M. Thirlwall, M.A. Menzies , Microanalysis of tephra by LA-ICP-MS - Strategies, advantages and limitations assessed using the Thorsmork ignimbrite (Southern Iceland), Chemical Geology, 279, (3-4), 2010, p73-89
E.L. Tomlinson, W. Muller, EIMF, 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), 2009, p362-372
E.L. Tomlinson, P.F. McMillan, M. Zhang, A.P. Jones and S.A.T. Redfern, 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), 2007, p6030-6039
E.L. Tomlinson, A.P. Jones and J.W. Harris, Co-existing fluid and silicate inclusions in mantle diamond, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 250, (3-4), 2006, p581-595
E.L. Tomlinson, I. De Schrijver, K. De Corte, A.P. Jones, L. Moens and F. Vanhaecke, Trace element compositions of sub-microscopic inclusions in coated diamond: a tool for understanding diamond petrogenesis, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 69, (19), 2005, p4719-4732
E.L. Tomlinson, A.P. Jones and H. J. Milledge, High-pressure experimental growth of diamond using C-K2CO3-KCl as an analogue for Cl-bearing carbonate fluid, Lithos, 77, (1-4), 2004, p287-294
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Tomlinson EL, Kamber BS, Hoare BC, Stead CV, Ildefnonse B , An exsolution origin for Archaean mantle garnet, Goldschmidt, Paris, 2017
Stead C, Tomlinson E, Kamber B & McKenna C , Diffusion and Distribution of Rare Earth Elements in Olivine, Goldschmidt, Paris, 2017
J. John Lowe, Rupert A. Housley, Emma L. Tomlinson, Synchronising Environmental and Archaeological Records using Volcanic Ash Isochrons. Special Issue Quaternary Science Reviews (118), Elsevier, 2015, 1 - 242pp
E.L. Tomlinson, C.V. Stead and B.S. Kamber , Beyond garnet: REEs in the sub-continental lithospheric mantle, Goldschmidt Conference, Prague, 2015
Stead C, Tomlinson E, Kamber B & Babechuk M, REE Determination in Olivine by LA-ICP-MS: An Analytical Strategy and Applications , Goldschmidt, Prague, 2015
E.L. Tomlinson, P.G. Albert, S Wulf, L Civetta, R Brown, V Smith, J Keller, G Orsi, MA Menzies, Tephra from Ischia: dating eruptions and geochemical changes, Goldschmidt Conference, Florence, Italy, 2013
Research Expertise
Projects
- Title
- Halogens in magmatic systems: from mantle to crust
- Summary
- The abundances and distributions of halogens (F, Cl, Br, I) in the Earth's mantle are virtually unknown, yet the mantle is the source of magmas emplaced in the crust and erupted at the surface. This project will aims to address this gap in knowledge by: 1) developing a new analytical approach for halogens by electrothermal vaporization ICP-MS/OES; 2) characterizing the elemental and isotopic halogen composition of the primitive mantle, using samples from Baffin Island and West Greenland; and 3) to assess halogen recycling and the mantle residence time of recycled halogens thorough investigation of mafic alkaline rocks from the Greenlandic portion of the North Atlantic Craton. This will provide a unique insight into this significant and unexplored halogen reservoir and will make it possible to distinguish between primitive halogens from the deep mantle and those introduced into the mantle via subduction.
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- 01/09/2015
- Date To
- 01/09/2017
- Title
- Isonose
- Summary
- Land-use has changed soil dynamics in agricultural landscapes and huge amounts of metal pollutants are continuously released into the environment by industrial and domestic activities. In other places, metal deficiency in soils is observed. These modifications affect the nutrient status of soils and freshwater. This project will will determine and use the distinct isotope fingerprint of these anthropogenic influences on the environment and will investigate the potential for using novel stable isotopes as environmental tracers (e.g. find pollution sources).
- Funding Agency
- EU FP7
- Date From
- Jan 2014
- Date To
- Dec 2017
- Title
- Testing an exsolution origin for the Archaean cratonic lithophere
- Summary
- The formation and evolution of the Earth's mantle is key to the growth and stabilzation of the planet's continents and the formation of a habitable planet. The aim of this project is to combine geochemical and crystallographic data in order to test the two competing hypothesis for the formation of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). Oceanic mantle peridotite forms by the extraction of basaltic melt to form the crust. However, the SCLM is fundamentally different, being enriched in Si, Al and Ca and having an overabundance of orthopyroxene, which cannot be explained by melting. The favoured model for the formation of the SCLM requires that peridotite mantle initally underwent melting, leading to incompatible element depletion, and was subsequently enriched, or metasomatised, by precolating sililic fluids. However, several observations are difficult to explain, such as: the close spatial distribution of garnet and orthopyroxene in SCLM peridotites, and their low water content. I favor a model in which that the SCLM formed by unmixing (exsolution) of garnet and orthopyroxene from a precursor mineral. In an exsolution scenario, we expect undisturbed exsolution pairs to display a topotaxic relationship, therefore I will analyse the relative crystallographic orientations of garnet inclusions in orthopyroxene in SCLM peridotite. We also expect exsolution pairs to display chemical equilibrium, therefore I will analyse the ultra-trace element and isotopic compostions of proposed exsolution pairs. This novel dataset will be also used to assess the extent of metasomatism. Using the combined crystallographic and geochemical data, I will develop a model for the nature and origin of the percursor and the formation of the SCLM. The SCLM has a strong influence on continental dynamics, relative sea-level change and long term climate change. Thus, understanding the formation and evolution of the SCLM is central to many issues in Earth Sciences.
- Funding Agency
- IRC
- Date From
- 01/10/2017
- Date To
- 30/09/2020
- Title
- The effect of climatic warming on the frequency of volcanic eruptions in Iceland
- Summary
- The effect of volcanism on climate is well known: explosive volcanic eruptions cause global cooling through stratospheric injection of sulphur. However, it is now understood that climatic warming and deglaciation leads to an increase in the frequency of volcanic eruptions in places such as Iceland. A significant increase in volcanic activity in Iceland would make ash clouds over Europe a more frequent occurence, disrupting aviation and transport. I will investgate the relationship between climatic warming and increased volcanism in the past using volcanic signatures in peat. Layers of volcanic ash (tephra) are deposited from volcanic plumes, however tephra records are incomplete. This project will combine traditional tephrochronology with a novel approach to identify volcanic aerosols and thus provide a more comprehensive record of past volcanism in Iceland. This will be used to resolve some of the uncertainty of the effect of climate change on volcanic hazards in the 21st century.
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- 01/09/2018
- Date To
- 31/08/2022
- Title
- Testing volcanic - climatic linkages across the caldera cycle: a case study from Campi Flegrei
- Summary
- Many volcanic systems exhibit remarkable cyclic behaviour, starting with eruptions of less evolved magma and transitioning to infrequent eruptions of more evolved magma before culminating in cataclysmic eruption. Cyclic variations with periods of 104-105 years are within the range of orbitally forced climatic variations (Milankovitch cycles), indeed, layers of volcanic ash in sediment cores document an increase in volcanic eruption frequency following deglaciation. This project will investigate the tempo of past volcanic eruptions at Campi Flegrei (Italy) using tephra layers preserved in a sedimentary core from Lago Grande di Monticchio, an annually layered lake spanning 3-133 ka located downwind of Campi Flegrei. The aim is to explore the interplay between magmatic and climatic processes and to test the hypothesis that the timing and tempo of volcanism at Campi Flegrei is controlled by climatic variations.
- Funding Agency
- TCD
- Date From
- September 2020
- Date To
- August 2024
- Title
- Quantifying the formation and evolution of the Archean lithospheric mantle
- Summary
- The formation of the Archean lithosphere was a key event in Earth history, resulting in the construction of the first continents, or cratons. The lithosphere formed by extensive mantle melting, however, there are conflicting models for the environment in which melting took place. Efforts to understand the formation of the cratonic lithosphere are hampered by a lack of quantitative information on the depth of mantle melting and the original thickness of the Archean lithosphere. Exsolved orthopyroxenes within peridotite xenoliths and silicate inclusions in diamond hold the key to constraining these critical parameters. We will reconstruct the original compositions of an extensive collection of exsolved orthopyroxenes and use our recently published thermodynamic model to calculate their formation pressures and temperatures. This innovative approach will reveal the depth extent of Archean melting. We will provide the first constraints on the vertical extent of the lithosphere in the Archean using geothermal gradients calculated from dated diamond inclusions. To achieve this, we will perform cutting edge laser ablation U-Pb dating of garnet inclusions, this challenging application has yielded promising results for xenolithic garnet. Observations will be complemented by new experiments using fertile, depleted and silica-enriched compositions, coupled with with thermodynamic modelling, which will lead to a better understanding of phase relations during peridotite melting. The origin and significance of silica enrichment is poorly understood. We will conduct melt-rock reaction experiments to test the hypothesis that silica addition occurred via interaction with ascending komatiite melt1. We will thus address several fundamental issues: the depth of Archean mantle melting; the origin of silica enrichment; and the link between cratonic peridotite and komatiite magma. LITHO3 will provide unprecedented insight into the formation and evolution of the cratonic lithosphere.
- Funding Agency
- ERC
- Date From
- 01/09/2022
- Date To
- 31/08/2027
Recognition
Representations
Serve as ordinary member of the council of the Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland, this organisation publishes two journals presents four high profile awards and and is the parent society for a eight active special interest groups (including vmsg and the geochemistry group).
Peer review for international journals: Geology, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Chemical Geology, Bulletin of Volcanology, Lithos, American Mineralogist, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, Geochemical Perspectives letters, Journal of Quaternary Science, Boreas. I aim to complete at least two peer reviews for every paper submitted by myself or my students.
External MSc examiner for Ms SEM Milne , University of Johannesburg
External PhD examiner for Dr Mandy Krebs, University of Alberta
Co-edited a special issue of Quaternary Science Reviews (volume 118, published 2015), responsible for handling geochemistry papers for a special issue titled "Volcanic Ash Synchronization", http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02773791/118
Served on the committee of the Geochemistry Group first as secretary and then as ordinary member. Group responsible for awarding research and travel bursaries and organising an annual meeting.
Co-convened a session on diamond forming fluids at the Goldschmidt 2008 (Vancouver, Canada)
Memberships
Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland
European Association of Geochemistry
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK)