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 Michael James Bickle FRS | +44 (0) 1223 333484 | mb72@esc.cam.ac.uk |
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 |
Dr Jerome A Neufeld | +44 (0) 1223 765709 | j.neufeld@bpi.cam.ac.uk |
Dr Oliver Shorttle | +44 (0) 1223 768328 | os258@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Professor Nicholas Tosca | +44 (0) 1223 330670 | njt41@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Owen Weller | +44 (0) 1223 333464 | ow212@cam.ac.uk |
Dr 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 |
---|---|---|
Dr Iris Buisman | +44 (0) 1223 333402 | ib330@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Jason Day | +44 (0) 1223 765282 | jafd2@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Heye Freymuth | +44 (0) 1223 333455 | hf325@cam.ac.uk |
Aleksej Popel | +44 (0) 1223 768357 | ap499@cam.ac.uk |
Dr Zoja Vukmanovic | +44 (0) 1223 333 474 | zv211@cam.ac.uk |
Name | Office phone | Email address |
---|---|---|
Nicholas Barber | +44 (0) 1223 333441 | ndb38@cam.ac.uk |
Rachael Baxter | +44 (0) 1223 333432 | rjmb3@cam.ac.uk |
James Crosby | +44 (0) 1223 768357 | jcc85@cam.ac.uk |
Kieran Gilmore | kg382@cam.ac.uk | |
Matthew Gleeson | +44 (0) 1223 333438 | mlmg3@cam.ac.uk |
Charlotte Gordon | +44 (0) 1223 333432 | cg712@cam.ac.uk |
Claire Marie Guimond | cmg76@cam.ac.uk | |
Charlotte Jackson | +44 (0) 1223 33482 | cj340@cam.ac.uk |
Ayesha Landon-Browne | arrl3@cam.ac.uk | |
Philippa Liggins | pkl28@cam.ac.uk | |
Emily Mason | +44 (0) 1223 364919 | em572@cam.ac.uk |
Sophie Miocevich | +44 (0) 1223 333425 | srm81@cam.ac.uk |
Callum D.J. Reekie | +44 (0) 1223 333482 | cdjr2@cam.ac.uk |
Katy Relph | +44 (0) 1223 333442 | ker42@cam.ac.uk |
Carrie Soderman | +44 (0) 1223 333441 | cs801@cam.ac.uk |
Craig Robert Walton | +44 (0) 1223 333449 | crw59@cam.ac.uk |
Andrew Whyte | +44 (0) 1223 333425 | ajw291@cam.ac.uk |
Penny E Wieser | +44 (0) 1223 333482 | pew26@cam.ac.uk |
Julia Woitischek | +44 (0) 1223 333544 | jw943@cam.ac.uk |
Name | Office phone | Email address |
---|---|---|
Dr Judith Bunbury | +44 (0) 1223 765260 | jmb21@esc.cam.ac.uk |
Professor Tim Holland | tjbh@cam.ac.uk | |
Dr Stephen Reed | +44 (0) 1223 333417 | sjbr@esc.cam.ac.uk |