Miami University

Professor

Ph.D. (1991) Univ. of Calif., Santa Cruz
207 Shideler Hall
513-529-5048
widome@muohio.edu

My research involves the application of trace elements and isotope systems (radiogenic and stable) to address a wide variety of geologic problems. Current research foci include investigations of the processes and timescales operating in active magmatic systems (Azores and Japan); the composition and evolution of the Earth's mantle, with ongoing projects on basalts and mantle xenoliths from ocean island settings (Azores and Canary Islands), arc settings (Kamchatka, Izu, Italy and Mexico), and continental settings (China and Nevada); and the application of radiogenic isotope systems to meteorite impact studies (Serpent Mound, Ohio) and environmental contaminant tracing (SW Ohio).

Possible thesis/dissertation topics:

• Sr isotope and U-series disequilibria studies of magmatic processes and timescales in active silicic volcanic systems (Azores, Canary Islands, Japan, Mexico, Nevada).
• Re-Os isotope studies of mantle heterogeneity and crustal recycling in island arc and ocean island settings (Mexico, Azores).
• U isotope study of environmental uranium contamination (Ohio).

Current/recent graduate student research:

• Elise Conte (Ph.D. in progress) Petrogenesis of Sete Cidades volcano, Azores: a U-series disequilibria study.
• George Daly (Ph.D. in progress) Petrogenetic processes and timescales in Terceira, Azores and Dominica, Lesser Antilles: constraints from U-series disequilibria and Sr isotope microanalysis.
• Fara Rasoazanamparany (Ph.D. in progress) Re-Os isotope systematics in Jorullo and Paricutin volcanoes, Mexico.
• Rebecca Tortorello (M.S. in progress) Isotopic tracers of environmental uranium contamination in SW Ohio.
• Shizuko Watanabe (Ph.D. 2010) Isotope and Trace Element Investigation of Magmatic Processes and Timescales in the Azores.
• Huimin Yu (Ph.D. in progress) Origin of mantle heterogeneity in the Azores: an Os-Hf-Li-O isotope study.

Selected publications:

Partey, F., Lev, S., Casey, R., Widom, E., Lueth, V., and Rakovan, J. (2009) Source of Fluorine and Petrogenesis of the Rio Grande Rift Type Barite-Fluorite-Galena Deposits. Economic Geology 104, 505-520.

Yu, B., Dong, H., Widom, E., Chen, J. and Lin, C. (2009) Geochemistry of basal Cambrian black shales and cherts from the Northern Tarim Basin, Northwest China: implications for depositional setting and tectonic history. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 34, 418-436.

Simon, N.S.C., Neumann, E.-R., Bonadiman, C., Coltorti, M., Delpech, G., Gregoire, M., and Widom, E. (2008) Ultra-depleted domaines in the oceanic mantle lithosphere: evidence from major element chemical and model relationships in mantle xenoliths from ocean islands. Journal of Petrology 49, 1223-1251.

Snyder, D.C., Widom, E., Pietruszka, A.J., Carlson, R.W. and Schmincke, H.-U. (2007) Time scales of formation of zoned magma chambers: U-series disequilibria in Fogo A and 1563 A.D. trachyte deposits, Sao Miguel, Azores. Chemical Geology, 239, 138-155 (see also erratum in Chemical Geology 243, 369).

Conticelli, S., Carlson, R.W., Widom, E., and Serri, G. (2007) Chemical and isotopic composition (Os, Pb, Nd and Sr) of Neogene to Quaternary Calc-alkaline, Shoshonitic and Ultrapotassic mafic rocks from the Italian Peninsula: inferencences on the nature of their mantle sources. In Beccaluva, L., Bianchine, G., and Wilson, M., eds., Cenozoic Volcanism in the Mediterranean Area: GSA Special Paper 418, 171-202.

Widom, E. (2006) Lost lithium found. Nature 443, 516-517.

Selected grants:

• National Science Foundation 2010 - 2013
  Identifying Crustal and Mantle Processes in the Central Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
• National Science Foundation 2010 - 2013
  Collaborative Research; Testing the links between magma source characteristics, shallow plumbing, and eruptive styles in mafic intraplate volanic fields (Lunar Crater Volcanic Field, Nevada)..
• National Science Foundation 2009 - 2012
  Constraining Processes and Timescales of Magma Evolution.
• National Science Foundation 2007 - 2010
  Technician Support: Management of Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Isotope Geochemistry Clean Labs.
  

Teaching Interests:

GLG 111 - The Dynamic Earth
GLG 211 - Chemistry of Earth Systems
GLG 427/527 - Isotope Geochemistry
GLG 617 - Chemistry of Earth's Interior
GLG 627 - Applications of Non-Traditional Isotope Systems
GLG 770 - Advanced Isotope Geochemistry

For complete descriptions of courses please click here.