Project Description
he research plan for the undergraduate student is to measure the chemical composition of pillow and hyaloclastite glasses and minerals from four volcanoes in northeastern Iceland using x-ray fluorescence and the electron microprobe. Volcanoes that erupt under glacial ice in Iceland's recent geological past are called tuyas. The SURF student will focus on the pillow and hyaloclastite glasses and minerals. The undergraduate researcher will be taught safe laboratory techniques pertaining to all aspects of the x-ray and electron microprobe methods. The student will compare the bulk composition of basal pillow lavas and glassy hyaloclastite deposits to the spot chemical composition of the pillows and hyaloclastites measured previously by a MS student. Moreover, the student will look at the chemistry of large minerals in the pillows and hyaloclastites to understand the origin of their crystal cargoes. The SURF 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 researcher will compare the chemical composition of the tuyas to the composition of the Fjallgarðar Volcanic Ridge erupted 40 km to the east and to the ongoing eruptions in the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland. The student will explain how enriched and depleted tholeiitic magmas form in the northern volcanic zone of Iceland.
Tasks and Responsibilites
The student will learn safe laboratory techniques for sample preparation and the x-ray fluorescence and electron microprobe instruments.The student will meet weekly with the faculty mentor to read and discuss relevant volcanology journal papers related to Iceland. Rock sample preparation includes powdering the rock samples for XRF analysis and glass mounts for the electon microprobe. The SURF student will measure the volatile content of the rock powders by loss on ignition (LOI). The undergraduate then will fuse 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 pillow and hyaloclastite deposits. The student will make glass mounts and then spend a day at the electron microprobe in Madison to analyze the chemistry of glass and minerals. The undergraduate will then evaluate the data by plotting the chemistry on x-y scatter plots. The student will eventually make a poster presentation for the UWM Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Desired Qualifications
None listed.