Geochemical Tracers

Radiogenic isotopic compositions (e.g., Pb-Sr-Nd-Hf) are extremely powerful tools for identifying the sources and components involved in the genesis of solid earth materials and for placing quantitative constraints on the movement of material between the major reservoirs of the planet (e.g., mantle-crust, asthenosphere-lithosphere).

Major PCIGR projects include:

– modelling the geochemical and isotopic heterogeneity of the Earth’s mantle through a comparative study of basaltic lavas from oceanic plateaus, hotspot tracks, and other Large Igneous Provinces;

– using granites for probing the age and extent of crystalline basement structure in the Canadian Cordilleran of BC and Yukon;

– constraining the amount and composition of sediment and slab input to volcanoes of the northern Cascade Arc;

– defining isotopic heterogeneity in mafic layered intrusions; and

– identifying ancient landscape use by investigating the geographic sources of archaeological stone tools based on Indigenous-led research initiatives.

Below are some snapshots of the projects that fall under this research theme.

Researchers:
Weis, Dominique
Scoates, James
Mortensen, Jim
Coogan, Laurence
Gillis, Kathryn
Kopylova, Maya
Marshall, Dan
Russell, Kelly
Thorkelson, Derek