This grouping combines research into igneous, metamorphic and volcanic processes to enhance understanding of global tectonics as well as their more immediate impacts on our surficial environment. Our strategy is to integrate geological observational studies (field work, petrology, geochemical and isotopic analyses) with interdisciplinary work on multiphase flow in deformable media and the properties of the materials involved.
Current Research
- Mantle heterogeneity and melt transport: Isotope geochemistry, microanalysis and thermodynamics are used to characterise compositional heterogeneity in the convecting mantle. These observations constrain our statistical and computational models of the long-term evolution of Earth's geochemical structure and now highlight the relationship between heterogeneity and melt transport.
- Mantle convection and lithospheric structure: The study of mafic and ultramafic rocks from ocean islands, mid-ocean ridges, large igneous provinces and the continental interiors is used to probe mantle thermal structure and flow field and test models of mantle convection and lithospheric stability.
- Magma chambers: Observations of rock textures and compositional microanalyses are coupled with theoretical models and the results of laboratory experiments to understand magma chamber processes, including evolution of crystal mushes at chamber margins and mixing in the chamber interior.
- Volcanic processes: The establishment of remote, high-resolution measurements of volcanic gases in conjunction with analyses of melt inclusions to model the physical processes occurring during volcanic eruptions.
- Thermodynamics, Mountain Building and Crustal Evolution: Quantitative estimates of changes in pressure and temperature are being made using mineral compositional zonation and thermodynamic databases. The complexity of zoning can be linked to tectonic movements in the Earth's crust.
We have well-equipped geochemical laboratories for the preparation and geochemical analysis of minerals and rocks. The Department has laboratories for high pressure and temperature experiments and also for fluid dynamical investigations.
People specializing in this area
Name | Office phone | Email address |
---|---|---|
Professor Marie Edmonds | +44 (0) 1223 333463 | marie.edmonds@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Professor Sally Anne Gibson PhD, FGS, AGU, MinS | +44 (0) 1223 333401 | sally@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Professor Marian Holness FRS | +44 (0) 1223 333434 | marian@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Professor John Maclennan | +44 (0) 1223 761602 | jcm1004@cam.ac.uk |
Professor Jerome A Neufeld | +44 (0) 1223 765709 | jn271@cam.ac.uk |
Professor Nicholas Rawlinson | +44 (0) 1223 337193 | nr441@cam.ac.uk |
Professor Oliver Shorttle | +44 (0) 1223 768328 | os258@cam.ac.uk |
Professor Nicholas Tosca | +44 (0) 1223 330670 | njt41@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Maximillian Van Wyk de Vries | msv27@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Owen Weller | +44 (0) 1223 333464 | ow212@cam.ac.uk |
Prof Helen M. Williams | +44 (0) 1223 333411 | hmw20@cam.ac.uk |
Professor Andy Woods | +44 (0) 1223 765702 | andy@bpi.cam.ac.uk |
Name | Office phone | Email address |
---|---|---|
Elsa Amsellem | eda27@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Emilie Bowman | eb2031@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Iris Buisman | +44 (0) 1223 333402 | ib330@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Jason Day | +44 (0) 1223 765282 | jafd2@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Ross Findlay | arwf2@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Heye Freymuth | +44 (0) 1223 333455 | hf325@cam.ac.uk |
Justin Hu | jh2363@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Simon Matthews | sm905@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Kathryn Shaw | kms91@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Joshua Shea | jjs83@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Carrie Soderman | +44 (0) 1223 333441 | cs801@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Zoltán Taracsák | +44 (0) 1223 768357 | zt265@cam.ac.uk |
Name | Office phone | Email address |
---|---|---|
Professor Michael James Bickle FRS | +44 (0) 1223 333484 | mb72@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Dr Judith Bunbury | +44 (0) 1223 765260 | jmb21@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Professor Tim Holland | tjbh@cam.ac.uk |