About the Project
Magma reservoirs are key to growth of the Earth’s crust, underpin significant volcanic hazards, and host significant critical mineral deposits. Understanding how magma reservoirs grow is therefore an important goal of the Earth Sciences, but has been challenging because tools to reconstruct magma reservoir growth are sparse. In this project, the student will explore isotopic fingerprinting of minerals in plutonic rocks to answer two critical questions: (i) what is the size of melt batches from which magma reservoirs grow? (ii) What role does porous melt flow play in the assembly and evolution of these reservoirs? The isotopic composition of minerals in plutonic rocks serves as a unique tracer of individual batches of magma, enabling these questions to be addressed. Ultimately, when coupled with petrological observations (igneous textures, mineral major- and trace element compositions), this will lead to a new conceptual model for the growth and evolution of magma reservoirs.
The proposed isotopic fingerprinting approach can be applied to magma reservoirs across a range of geotectonic settings. Study locations will be decided in consultation with the student, but may include both oceanic (e.g., ODP Hole 735B) and continental (e.g., Rum) intrusions. Furthermore, the student can steer the project towards certain isotope systems (e.g., Sr, Nd, Hf) and analytical tools (thermal ionisation mass spectrometry and/or multicollector plasma source mass spectrometry). As such, the student will have a significant level of control over the design of the project, and obtain analytical expertise that aligns with their interests and career path. The student will also be able to help organise and execute sampling campaigns, and will benefit from training in petrology and geochemistry across Cardiff and Bristol. Together, this ensures that the student develops excellent academic, project management and field skills, providing a solid foundation for their career, be it in academia or industry.