Note: Cette page est une version d'archive. Voir les informations actuelles ici:
Sciences de la Terre et de l'Environnement.
Note: This is an archive version. Current information can be found here:
Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Research concentrations (2008-2009)

The research programs of the Department are divided into the five general domains of Magmatism and Volcanology, Physical Volcanology, Isotope Geochemistry and Geochronology, Geological Risk (CERG), and Ore Deposit Genesis, which are respectively the responsibilities of Professors M. Dungan, U. Schaltegger, C. Bonadonna, and L. Fontboté, in collaboration with academic staff members members D. Fontignie, R. Moritz, S. Th. Schmidt, M. Chiaradia and R. Spikings, postdoctoral assistants (C. Annen, O. Bachmann, K. Frischknecht, K. Kouzmanov), and 12 PhD students. Many of the research involve multiple international collaborators and all involve PhD and MSc students.

Click here for publications resulting from these programs.
Click here for teaching information and for analytical resources.

A. Magmatism and volcanology

The primary focus of the group led by Prof. M. Dungan is continental arc magmatism, with a special emphasis on understanding intra-crustal open-system magma differentiation. Our approach to these questions is to comprehensively integrate field relations, volcanic stratigraphy, geochronology, and paleomagnetic constraints to develop a rigorous geologic context for all subsequent geochemical and petrologic studies, and then to combine data from whole-rock major element, trace element, and isotope chemistry, petrography, and mineral chemistry to arrive at models for the short-term and long-term magmatic evolution of the volcanic centers of interest.

Following the completion of several studies in the San Juan volcanic field, in collaboration with Peter Lipman (Ph.D. theses of Olivier Bachmann & Fleurice Parat), we have turned our attention entirely to investigations of frontal arc volcanic centers of the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone. Our research efforts have been divided among; (1) A long term study of the Quaternary Tatara-San Pedro complex (TSPC, 36°S, Chilean Andes; 1984-present). The Ph.D. thesis of Fidel Costa was one expression of this project. (2) A study of the nearby volcanic center that lies across the segment boundary to the south of the TSPC (Nevado de Longaví; 36.2° S; Ph.D. theses of Daniel Sellés and Carolina Rodríguez during 2001-2006), and (3) Our recently initiated investigation of Volcán Llaima on which Caroline Bouvet de Maisonneuve is undertaking a Ph.D. thesis.

B. Physical Volcanology

The physical volcanology group led by Prof. C. Bonadonna is focused on field, numerical and experimental investigations of volcanic processes. In particular, we are interested in the understanding of explosive volcanism and in the probabilistic assessment of associated hazards. As part of this group, a state-of-the-art sedimentology lab for characterizing volcanic particles has just been completed and the construction of a fluid dynamics lab for detailed studies of volcanic processes is in progress.

National and international collaborators include: Dr. JC Phillips (University of Bristol, UK), Prof. CB Connor (University of South Florida, USA), Prof. BF Houghton (University of Hawaii, USA), Prof. B. Chopard (University of Geneva, Switzerland), Prof. P. Haas and Prof. Noca from l’Ecole d'ingénieurs de Genève (CMEFE - Groupe de compétences en mécanique des fluides et procédés énergétiques / IMEC), Prof. M. Rosi (Pisa University, Italy), Prof. R. Cioni (Cagliari University, Italy), Prof. M. Ripepe (Florence University, Italy); Prof. CE Gregg (East Tennessee State University, USA), Dr. A. Costa (INGV Napoli, Italy), Dr. S. Scollo (INGV Catania, Italy), Dr. D. Swanson (Hawaii Volcano Observatory, USA) and Dr. J. Clavero (Sernageomin, Chile).

Current projects are mainly focused on: 1) two phase flow regimes in low viscosity magmas (Postdoc, L. Pioli); 2) understanding basaltic explosive volcanism (PhD, L. Costantini); 3) implication of particle morphology on tephra sedimentation (PhD, F. Alfano); 4)  application of a Cellular-Automata-Lattice-Boltzmann approach to tephra transport, aggregation and deposition (PhD, Kae Tsunematsu); 5) characterization of poorly exposed proximal tephra deposits, example of Nisyros caldera (Greece) (Master, C. Longchamp); 6) determination of eruptive parameters from tephra deposits (Master, S. Biass); 7) influence of volatiles in basaltic explosive eruptions (Master, R. Scalisi); 8) experimental investigations of convective instabilities from volcanic plumes (Master, H. Monnard). Field areas include: Kilauea volcano (Hawaii, USA), Masaya volcano (Nicaragua), Cotopaxi volcano (Ecuador), Villarrica volcano (Chile), Cheitan volcano (Chile), Soufriere Hills volcano (Montserrat, West Indies), Nisyros (Greece).

C. Isotope geochemistry and geochronology

The research group in isotope geochemistry and geochronology is directed by Prof. Urs Schaltegger, together with research collaborators Dr. D. Fontignie, Dr. Massimo Chiaradia and Dr. Richard Spikings. The group includes post-doc research fellows and PhD students. The technical infrastructure features metal-free clean-air laboratories, two thermal ionization mass spectrometers, a Finnigan MAT262 and a Thermo-Fisher TRITON, a 40Ar/39Ar dating laboratory equipped with an ARGUS gas mass spectrometer and a fission track dating laboratory.

The isotope group follows a variety of research directions: (1) High-precision U-Pb geochronology using mainly zircon, but also monazite, xenotime, titanite and other minerals. These techniques are used for tracing magmatic processes at the 104-105 years level, dating volcanic events linked to periods of mass extinction in Earth’s history, dating the growth of accessory minerals in high-grade metamorphism, differentiating between magmatism and ore forming processes, intercalibrating astronomical, biostratigraphic and isotopic timescales, and for many more applications. (2) Sr, Nd, Pb, Hf tracing and dating of magmatic, metamorphic and ore-forming processes, and of climate change. (3) Regional geochronological projects study of duration and rates of magmatic and tectonic processes in the Eastern Cordillera of Peru, including terrane and provenance studies using detrital zircon. (4) Determining the thermal evolution of accreted and autochthonous terranes along the South-American continental margin using Ar-Ar, fission-track and U-Th/He dating. The laboratory hosts Master and PhD students, as well as post-doctoral researches from the Mineralogy and Geology Departments of Geneva and Lausanne Universities, as well as visiting scientists from other Swiss and foreign universities.

Current projects include:

• Quantification of post-extinction biotic recovery after the Permian/Triassic and Triassic/Jurassic mass extinctions, c. 250 and 200 Ma ago. Ultraprecise and accurate U-Pb age determinations on zircon from volcanic ash beds from within well-documented and ammonoid-/conodont-calibrated marine cross-sections in northern Peru and on basalt flows from the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province are carried out to prove their role in triggering the end-Triassic mass extinction.
• Evolution of the pre-Andean Gondwana margin in Peru: tectonic evolution of the Proto-Andean continental margin from Triassic rifting to Jurassic arc magmatism and subduction.
• Development of accurate in-situ laser ablation ICP-MS dating using an Excimer ArF laser and an ELEMENT2 XR at University of Lausanne. In collaboration with Prof. O. Müntener and Dr. F. Bussy, University of Lausanne.
• Late Tertiary transition from calc-alkaline to adakite-like magmatism in Ecuador and its bearing on the formation of porphyry-related deposits: U-Pb dating and Pb-Sr-Nd isotope systematics of magmatic rocks.
• Formation of earliest juvenile crust in a fossile island arc system: U-Pb dating and determination of initial Hf isotopic compositions of zircon from the oldest gabbros and diorites along the Main Mantle Thrust in the southern Kohistan Island Arc Complex. In collaboration with Prof. J.-P. Burg, ETH Zürich
• Resolving magma chamber processes, tracing magma mingling, crystallization, fractionation and initial cooling of the Adamello batholith in NW Italy, by high-precision U-Pb dating using zircon and titanite.
• Investigating the origin of the Interandean Depression, Ecuador, in order to understand the response of the bounding cordilleras to the formation of an intermontane, ramp basin. This project includes: i) U/Th-He analysis of apatite from the Ecuadorian Cordilleras with Dr. Peter Crowhurst, CSIRO, Sydney. ii) The production of a high resolution, 40Ar/39Ar based chronostratigraphy for sedimentary basins within the Interandean Depression.
• Geochemical, Geochronological and Petrological Characteristics of the Ophiolitic Rocks located between the Central Anatolian Crystalline Massif and the Pontide Belt, in collaboration with Prof. F. Çelik (Kocaeli University, Turkey) and Prof. R. Marschik (Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany).

For more information on people, projects and equipment, see:
http://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/mineral/isotopes/min_isotopes.html

D. Geological Risk (CERG)

The CERG (Certificat de formation approfondie en Etude et management des Risques Géologiques) provides a comprehensive training in management of geological risk. It consists of five modules (risk management, seismic hazard, volcanic hazard, terrain instabilities and hydro-meteorological hazards) and is run every summer (April-June). Over the last 20 years the CERG has trained participants from 65 countries around the world in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) and in association with the United Nations University (UNU), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR). It has also cooperated in research projects around the world. More details can be found at: http://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/mineral/CERG/index.html

E. Ore deposits

Circulation of fluids is the principal control on the formation of hydrothermal base metal and gold deposits at different levels of the continental crust. The general aim of the Geneva Ore Deposits Group led by Lluís Fontboté and Robert Moritz, in collaboration with Kalin Kouzmanov and Massimo Chiaradia, post docs and graduate students, is to investigate the geochemistry and role of fluids in the formation of ore deposits. Several projects are carried out in close cooperation with mining companies. Main current projects, most including at least one PhD or MSc project are the following.

• Zoned base metal ("Cordilleran") veins and replacement deposits in intrusion-related (generally porphyry) systems: Colquijirca-San Gregorio, Cerro De Pasco, Morococha, Domo de Yauli, Peru.
• Relationships among geodynamics, magmatism, and high- and low-sulfidation epithermal deposits in the Cretaceous Srednegorie and Tertiary Rhodope tectonic zones of Bulgaria, including Chelopech and Ada Tepe.
• Fe-oxide copper gold deposits (IOCG): Candelaria-Punta del Cobre, Chile; Salobo, Brazil; Raúl-Condestable, Peru
• Au-skarns: Nambija, Ecuador
• Volcanic Hosted Massive Sulfides (VHMS): Perubar, Peru; La Plata, Ecuador
• Orogenic Gold: Pataz, Peru
• Missississippi Valley-type deposits and low temperature zinc-lead/barite/fluorite veins
• Radiogenic isotopes applied to metallogeny and regional studies (mainly Northern and Central Andes)
• Mineralogy of tailings / Acid mining drainage (in cooperation with B. Dold, Lausanne)
• Other topics

Other pages of this web site give information concerning the publications on line, teaching programs and internet resources related to ore deposits research.

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