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Petrology, Geochemistry, and Planetary Studies at USF People Current Research
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"Hard-Rock" geology research efforts at USF follow a number of tracks:

  1. The geochemistry of modern subduction zones, with an emphasis on igneous and metasomatic processes occurring in the forearc and back-arc.
  2. The role of subduction in global-scale chemical cycles, focusing on the assessment of possible "subduction signatures" in the compositions of ocean ridge and intraplate volcanic rocks.
  3. The petrogenesis of ultramafic rocks in subduction and collisional settings.
  4. "Light element" geochemistry (Li, Be, and B abundance and isotopic applications.)
  5. The petrology of folded mountain belts
  6. Petrologic and trace-element geochemical studies of meteorites and meteor impact sites.

    All of the above may be considered broadly as "the application of chemistry to solving geologic problems", which is what we do, fundamentally.

    The research projects above are largely supported by NSF and the Ocean Drilling Program.

    Students are afforded considerable independence in defining the research questions they address, and opportunities are provided for students to visit and work in other geochemical research labs at FL universities, as well as at labs in Washington, DC, and other sites. All students get the opportunity to present their work at national and international professional venues (American Geophysical Union, Geological Society of America, the Goldschmidt Conference, the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference).