|
Pakistan, 1995 |
Dr. Alan Whittington Department of Geological Sciences email: whittingtona@missouri.edu phone: +1 (573) 884-7625 |
Antarctica, 2003 |
Research:
I
regard the combination of field- and lab-based studies as essential to much
research in the geosciences. Doing both enhances my understanding of geological
processes and increases my enjoyment of both kinds of work.
My research has spanned crustal melting and granitic plutonism in orogenic
belts; shallow basaltic sheet emplacement in sedimentary basins; measurements
of the viscosity, other physical properties and thermodynamics of silicate
liquids; metamorphic petrology in high-grade metamorphic rocks. Research field
areas to date include the western Himalaya, Antarctica, the Rocky Mountains,
Brazil and Guatemala.
I am currently looking for graduate students, especially PhD students,
to work on the rheology and thermodynamics of volatile-bearing arc magmas.
I need students for other projects too (e.g. astromineralogy, thermal budget of incrementally assembled plutons, basaltic lava flows, etc) - please contact me for more information.
Recent and ongoing projects include:
•
NSF CAREER award: Enhancing Thermodynamic Applications and Learning in Petrology
(EnThALPy) *
• Rheology
of dacite-rhyodacite block and ash "stealth" flows: Santiaguito
Dome, Guatemala *
• Transport properties of silicate glasses,
liquids and magmas *
• Intrusive Architecture and Flow Directiions
in the Ferrar Large Igneous Province, Southern Victoria Land *
• Crustal
contamination of basaltic magma / Emplacement of magma at Spanish Peaks, Colorado
**
* funded
by the NSF
** funded by the MU Research Council and University of Missouri Research
Board
Techniques:
• Field observations
and measurements (Himalaya, Brazil, Antarctica, USA, Guatemala, etc.). My favorite
kind of work.
• Viscometry: we have both concentric cylinder and parallel plate viscometers
to measure viscosity at high and low temperatures, from ~1 to 105 Pas and from ~108 to 1013 Pas, and a high temperature (1700°C) muffle furnace for sample synthesis
• Differential Scanning Calorimetry: we have a new high-temperature Differential Scanning Calorimeter / Drop Calorimeter, capable of enthalpy and heat capacity measurements to 1300°C
• Thermal diffusivity: in collaboration with Anne Hofmeister, at Washington
University (St. Louis)
• Infrared spectroscopy of circumstellar dust shells: in collaboration with Angela Speck, MU Physics and Astronomy
• Thinking (generally under-rated)
More information (and pictures) for specific research projects available here
Teaching:
links to syllabi for most recent semester
GEOL 1100 Principles of Geology - Fall 2005
GEOL 1200 Environmental Geology - Spring 2003
GEOL 1400 Themes in Geology: "Natural Disasters" - Fall 2008
GEOL 2500 Regional Geology Field Trip - Spring 2008
GEOL 3300 Introduction to Geochemistry - Fall 2008
GEOL 3900 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology - Spring 2008
GEOL 4180 / 7180 Solar System Science - Fall 2007
GEOL 4700 / 7700 Theoretical Geochemistry - Fall 2006
GEOL 4992 Field Camp (hard rock week) - Summer 2005
GEOL 8085 Problems (seminar classes):
- Winter 2003 Mafic Dike Emplacement
- Fall 2004 Physics and Chemistry of Silicate Liquids
GEOL 8140 Metamorphic Petrology - Spring 2009
GEOL 8750 Silicate Glasses, Liquids and Magmas - Spring 2006
Cosmic Conversations - monthly public lecture series on astronomy, including scientific and cultural issues
Saturday Morning Science - for those who just don't get enough science during the week...
American Geological Institute guide to Geoscience Careers
Geological photos:
St. Francois Mountains Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology field trip to south-east Missouri, April 2008 (joint with U. Arkansas)
Pictures from previous years (different outcrops or features so worth checking out):
Guatemalan Volcanoes Here are three different views of Santiaguito to give the general idea:
Above: Looking down and south from the summit of Santa Maria (3772 m)
| Below (L) looking up and north from the Observatory
|
Below (R) looking east from Brujo dome to Caliente, the active dome
|
Other things:
Weather in Columbia, MO |
 |
|
Dr.
Angela Speck spacedust and astromineralogy |
 |
