Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/A/S/2003/00491
Innovative approaches to determining processes and pathways of magmatic differentiation.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor J Davidson, Durham University, Earth Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor DG Pearson, Durham University, Earth Sciences
- Grant held at:
- Durham University, Earth Sciences
- Science Area:
- Earth
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Science Topics:
- Volcanic Processes
- Properties Of Earth Materials
- Tectonic Processes
- Mantle & Core Processes
- Abstract:
- The isotopic compositions of magmatic rocks can be viewed as a sort of 'DNA' used to fingerprint mantle and crustal sources, which have contributed various elements to the magma. New analytical capabilities allow us to analyze single crystals - or even perform isotopic traverses across crystals. Preliminary work has shown that isotopic heterogeneity is common at the sub-crystal (<1 mm) scale. We now need to tackle an entire magma system and use these techniques, integrated with the whole rock, mineral composition and textural data, to show how the individual rock components can be unravelled to obtain a more faithful and more detailed record of magma evolution than has been hitherto possible. By analyzing in the context of textures at the single/sub-crystal scale we expect to be able to determine where and how magmas evolve in the crust, which, in turn, will allow us to better determine the mantle source of the magmas, and the thermal evolution of the lithosphere. We have demonstrated our capability to do these small scale analyses at Durham, and we have identified rocks on Skye and Mull (NW Scotland) which have already been extensively studied by members of our Department, as the ideal targets for initial research. We expect the results of this work to be instrumental in opening a whole new avenue of deeper understanding of the textures and compositions of igneous rocks.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/A/S/2003/00491
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £152,616
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| £8,408 | £89,211 | £13,961 | £41,037 |
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