Miss Emily Baker

(she/her)

Overview

I am a PhD researcher funded by George Cooper's Royal Society University Research Fellowship grant. My research focuses on crystal-scale stable isotopes (Fe, Cu, Zn, Ti) in plutonic xenoliths to investigate magmatic processes that are hidden by studying whole-rocks, which homogenises crystal-scale geochemical variations. By using plutonic xenoliths, the aim is to be able to target deeper in the plumbing system in order to see isotopic signatures of magmatic processes that are overprinted when lavas (end-products) are studied.

SEM elemental mapping will form a large part of sample characterisation and allow me to identify target crystals for micromilling for crystal-scale samples which will undergo clean lab isotope analysis using MC-ICP-MS. LA-ICP-MS and Quantitative EDS will be used in order to analyse crystal-scale trace elements and major elements, respectively. 

There will be two case study locations for this project in order to compare different subduction zone settings: 

1. St. Eustatius (Statia), Lesser Antilles as an oceanic subduction zone case study
2. Southern Volcanic Zone, Chile as a continental subduction zone case study

Supervisors: George Cooper and Marc-Alban Millet.