|
Pakistan, 1995 |
Paris, 1999 |
Dr. Alan Whittington Department
of Geological Sciences email: whittingtona@missouri.edu phone: +1 (573) 884-7625 |
Brazil, 2000 |
Antarctica, 2003 |
This web page is always under construction; next plan is
to add more pictures
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 - 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: my lab has both concentric cylinder and parallel plate viscometers
to measure viscosity at high and low temperatures, as well as high temperature
furnaces for sample synthesis
• Thermal diffusivity: in collaboration with Anne Hofmeister, at Washington
University (St. Louis)
•
Differential Scanning Calorimetry: in collaboration with Steven Keller, MU Chemistry
Department
• Stable isotope geochemistry: the department's stable isotope lab measures
C and O isotopes
• Organic petrology: in collaboration with Jack Crelling (SIU) and Sue
Rimmer (UK)
• 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 - Winter 2003
GEOL 2500 Regional Geology Field Trip - Winter 2008
GEOL 3900 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology - Winter 2006
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 - Winter 2007
GEOL 8750 Silicate Glasses, Liquids and Magmas - Winter 2006
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 (coming soon). 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 |
 |
 |
