Earth and Oceanographic Science

What processes control the evolution of mountain belts in time and space?  What is the role of disequilibrium during metamorphism? How do micro- and nano-scale processes influence plate-tectonic-scale processes, such as collisional orogenesis and the exhumation of terranes? To address these questions, I use petrology, mineralogy, geochronology and geochemistry to quantify the timing and rates of metamorphic recrystallization, deformation, melting and other aspects of crustal evolution. My research has focused on developing in situ techniques to measure pressure, temperature and time, while retaining the petrologic context.

If these types of questions interest you, email me or stop on by my office!  I will be looking for students interested in working with me to map and collect samples, perform experiments in the lab and run geochemical models.

Images: Click to enlarge
Sample collecting and geologic mapping in Death Valley.
Ti-in-Quartz temperatures collected in situ using the SHRIMP-RG at Stanford University.
Geochemical modeling can constrain the pressure-temperature conditions of garnet growth, which informs us about mountain building processes.

Peterman, E.M., Grove, M. and Hourigan, J.K. (in prep for Geology) Integrating monazite, K-feldspar, muscovite, biotite and zircon thermochronology—Case study of the Catnip Sill, Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson, AZ

Hourigan, J.K.,Peterman, E.M. and Grove, M. (in prep for Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta) High-fidelity thermocouple-based pyrometry 

Peterman, E.M., Mattinson, J.M. and Hacker, B.R., 2012, Multi-step TIMS and CA-TIMS monazite U-Pb geochronology: Chemical Geology, v. 312-313, p. 58-73.

Peterman, E.M. and Grove, M., 2010, Growth conditions of symplectic muscovite + quartz: Implications for quantifying retrograde metamorphism in exhumed magmatic arcs, Geology, v. 38, no. 12, p. 1071-1074.

Hacker, B.R., Andersen, T.B., Johnston, S.M., Kylander-Clark, A.R.C., Peterman, E.M., Walsh, E.O., Young, D.J., 2010, Exhumation of the ultrahigh-pressure Western Gneiss Region: Structural geology and petrology, Tectonophysics, v.480, p 149-171.

Peterman, E.M., Hacker, B.R. and Baxter, E.F., 2009, Phase transformations of continental crust during subduction and exhumation: Western Gneiss Region, Norway, European Journal of Mineralogy; doi: 10.1127/0935-1221/2009/0021-1988.

Peterman, E.M., 2009, The Development and Use of Monazite and Garnet Geochronology with Application to Tectonic Processes. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara, 130p.

West, D.P., Jr. and Peterman, E.M., 2004, Bedrock Geology of the Razorville 7.5' Quadrangle,      Maine: Maine Geological Survey Map, Scale = 1:24,000 (Geologic Map and Explanation).

Peterman, E.M., Grove, M., and Hourigan, J.K., 2011, Development and intercalibration of monazite (U-Th)/ He thermochronology: Catnip Sill, Santa Catalina Mountains, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 43, no. 5, p. 331.

Peterman, E.M., Grove, M. and Kimbrough, D.L., 2010, Quantifying Continental Margin Deformation North and South of the Opening of the Gulf of California—Evidence for Subduction Erosion? EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, AGU 2010 Fall Meeting, V41B-2288.

Peterman, E.M., Hourigan, J.K. and Grove, M., 2010, Laser heating of monazite to simultaneously determine He diffusion parameters and (U-Th)/He ages, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 42, no. 5.

Peterman, E.M. and Grove, M., 2010, Linking Temperature to Time in Retrograde Metamorphism: Ti-in-Quartz + Rb/Sr of Muscovite in preserved Ms + Qtz Symplectite, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 74, 11S1, A809.

Peterman, E.M. and Hourigan, J.K., 2009, Standard development for coupled (U-Th)/(Pb-He) chronology of monazite: EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, AGU 2009 Fall Meeting, V41D-2205.

Peterman, E.M. and Grove, M. 2009, Significance of muscovite + quartz symplectites in anatectic wallrocks for evaluating background geothermal gradients in magmatic arcs: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 41, no. 7, p. 356.

Peterman, E.M. and Hacker, B.R., 2008, Phase transformations in subducting and exhuming continental crust: Insight from geochemical modeling: EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, AGU 2008 Fall Meeting, T41B-1969.

Peterman, E.M., Mattinson, J.M., and Hacker, B.R., 2008, Chemical Abrasion Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (CA-TIMS) Method Development for Monazite: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Abstract 222-12.

Peterman, E.M., Hacker, B.R. and Baxter, E.F., 2007, Sm–Nd Garnet geochronology demonstrates wholesale transformation of continental crust during UHP subduction—Western Gneiss Region, Norway: EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, AGU 2007 Fall Meeting, V41C-0718.

Peterman, E., Hacker, B., Grove, M., Gehrels, G., and Mattinson, J., 2006, A Multi-Method Approach to Improving Monazite Geochronology: TIMS, LA-ICP-MS, SIMS and EPMA: EOS Transactions American Geophysical Union, AGU 2006 Fall Meeting, V21A-0551.

Peterman, E., Hacker, B., and Gehrels, G., 2005, Monazite standard assessment by LA-ICP-MS: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v.37, no. 7, p. 448.

Noble Gas Facility; Stanford University, 2010 – present
      ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar K-feldspar, muscovite and biotite; (U-Th)/He monazite and zircon

Electron microprobe laboratory—JEOL 720; Stanford University, 2010 – present
      Quantitative compositional analysis of minerals

Scanning electron microscope laboratory; Stanford University, 2010 – present
      Backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence imaging, EDS analysis

Helium Thermochronology Laboratory; UC Santa Cruz, 2009 – present
      (U-Th)/He thermochronology and He diffusion parameters for monazite and zircon

Plasma Analytical Facility; UC Santa Cruz, 2009 – present
      Rare earth element analysis (solution and laser ablation modes), (U-Th)/Pb monazite
      Thermo Scientific Element XR ICP-MS, Thermo Scientific X-series quadrupole ICP-MS 
      Photon Machines Analyte 193H excimer laser equipped with a HelEx cell 
      Zygo NewView 7200 vertical scanning interferometer

Plasma Source Facility; UC Santa Barbara, 2009 – present
      (U-Th)/Pb monazite; ID Th-Pb geochronology monazite
      Nu Instruments Plasma HR MC-ICP-MS and AttoM SC-ICP-MS  
      Photon Machines Analyte 193H excimer laser equipped with a HelEx cell

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry—Finnigan MAT 261; UC Santa Barbara, 2006 – present
      U-Pb monazite via CA-TIMS

SHRIMP-RG; Stanford University, 2007 – present
      (U-Th)/Pb monazite and zircon, Ti-in-quartz thermometry

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry—Cameca ims 1270; UCLA, 2006 – present
      (U-Th)/Pb monazite

Electron Microprobe Laboratory—Cameca SX50 and SX100 UC Santa Barbara, 2005 – present
      Mapping and quantitative analysis of monazite, garnet, biotite, K-white mica, etc.

Scanning Electron Microscope Lab; UC Santa Barbara, 2005 – present
      BSE and CL imaging of accessory phases

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry—VG Sector 54; UC Santa Cruz, 2009 – 2010
      Sr isotopes

Thermo Finnigan Neptune MC-ICP-MS; UC Santa Cruz, 2009 – 2010
      U, Th, Pb, Hf, Nd and Sr isotopes

Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry—Thermo Finnigan Triton; Boston University, 2007
      Sm-Nd garnet and whole-rock

Laser Ablation ICP-MS Lab—GV Isoprobe; University of Arizona, Tucson, 2006 – 2008
      (U-Th)/Pb monazite, U-Pb zircon, U-Pb titanite

High-temperature Lab; UC Santa Barbara, 2005 – 2009
      Synthesized monazite of various compositions