Project Description
The research plan for the undergraduate student is to measure the bulk chemical composition of glaciovolcanic deposits from four volcanoes in northeastern Iceland using x-ray fluorescence analytical method. Volcanoes that erupted under glacial ice in Iceland's recent geological past are called tuyas. Tuyas are comprised of pillow basaltic lavas at the base, hyaloclastites at intermediate heights, and capping lava flows. The undergraduate will be taught safe laboratory techniques pertaining to all aspects of the x-ray method. The student will compare the composition of basal pillow lavas to the glassy hyaloclastite deposits. Also the student can compare the bulk chemcial composition of the pillows and hyaloclastites to the composition of matrix glass in the samples measured previously by a MS student. The student will interpret the compositional range of the samples in terms of likely magmatic processes such as crystal fractionation, magma mixing, and crustal assimilation. The undergraduate will compare the chemical composition of the tuyas to the composition of the ongoing eruptions in the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland. The student will explain how high iron olivine tholeiite basalts are formed.
Tasks and Responsibilites
The student will learn safe laboratory techniques for sample preparation and the x-ray fluorescence instrument. The student will meet weekly with the Volcanology Research Group to read and discuss relevant volcanology journal papers. Rock sample preparation includes powdering the rock samples for analysis. The student will measure the volatile content of the rock powders by loss on ignition (LOI). The undergraduate then fuses the rock powders into glass pellets in preparation for the x-ray fluorescence instrument. The student then will use the x-ray fluorescence instrument to analyze the major and select trace element composition of the glaciovolcanic deposits. The undergraduate will then evaluate the data by plotting the chemistry on x-y scatter plots. The student will make a poster presentation for the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium.