Research Interests:
Igneous geochemistry and petrology; mid-ocean ridges; solid-earth processes

Current Research:
I am primarily interested in the geochemical variability of the upper oceanic crust. Despite great advances in understanding the composition of surface exposures along mid-ocean ridges, the variation of lavas with depth remains poorly characterized. As an alternative and complement to ocean drilling and ophiolite studies, I examine the geochemical relationships in tectonic windows, faulted escarpments where vertical sections of the crust are exposed.

Blanco Transform Fault:
The northern scarp of the western Blanco Transform fault zone provides a tectonic window into crust generated at an intermediate-rate spreading center, exposing a ~2000 m vertical section of lavas and dikes (Figure 1 -- The Blanco Transform is located in the NE Pacific. The box outlines area of interest.). Whole rock major and trace element analyses of lavas collected along the scarp during the 1995 Blancovin dive program suggest that the lavas are derived from relatively small melt bodies experiencing low magma flux and/or high cooling rate, which is consistent with magmatic processes known to occur along the present-day southern Cleft Segment. Geologic observations and magnetic studies suggest a model for spreading in which isochrons delineating lava flows of approximately equal age follow curvilinear paths that dip toward the spreading center (Figure 2 - Schematic diagram of dipping isochrons (black lines) in the lava section). Our model isochron, based on geologic observations and magnetic data, suggests that the Cleft Segment requires ~50 ka to build the full thickness of the extrusive section, consistent with the several tens of thousands of years suggested by independent estimates. Because both vertical and horizontal sections through the crust represent an age-progressions, we hypothesize that sampling vertically should yield chemical trends similar to those observed in the horizontal direction. Systematic compositional trends, however, are not observed in the lava section . Sparse sampling may contribute to the lack of systematic spatial variations, highlighting the need for denser sample coverage within tectonic windows.

Pito Deep:
The Pito Deep Rift, located just NE of the Easter Microplate, is a tectonic window that exposes >4000 m of ocean crust that was generated at a superfast-spreading center (Figure 3 - Pito Deep, exposing over 4 km of the upper oceanic crust, is located near the NE edge of the Easter Microplate (from Hey et al., 2002).). In January, 2005, we completed a nested-scale survey that focused on the structure, composition, alteration, and magnetic properties of the upper crust. Our approach utilized a combination of methods, including the submersible Alvin, the ROV Jason II, and DSL-120 side-scan sonar. You can follow our journey on the Pito Deep Web site.

Education:

PhD Earth and Ocean Sciences (September 2007)
   Duke University, Durham NC
BS Geology and Environmental Science (2001)
   Marshall University, Huntington WV

Professional Affiliations:

• American Geophysical Union
• Geological Society of America

Advisor: Emily Klein

Hobbies: I enjoy outdoor activities, like camping, hiking, or biking. I’m a sucker for a good book. Lately, I’ve been attracted to hobbies that produce something tangible, like cooking, sewing, and even woodworking.