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Dr George Cooper
(he/him)
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Teams and roles for George Cooper
Royal Society University Research Fellow
Overview
My research focuses on crystal specific studies (in particular, in-situ microanalytical approaches) to determine the conditions and magmatic processes operating in volcanic plumbing systems. I use a range of microanalytical techniques; SEM, Electron Microprobe (EPMA), Laser Ablation (LA-ICPMS), Ion Microprobe (SIMS), MicroMilling and isotopic analyses by TIMS and MC-ICPMS. I am currently working on the project 'Crystal-scale isotope constraints on crustal melt evolution (CSI:Subduction)'.
Publication
2025
- Cooper, G. F., Lissenberg, C. J., Koorneef, J. M., Jansen, M. N. and Millet, M. 2025. Crustal versus mantle-level aggregation of heterogeneous melts at mid-ocean ridges. Geology (10.1130/g52872.1)
2023
- Hicks, S. P. et al. 2023. Slab to back-arc to arc: Fluid and melt pathways through the mantle wedge beneath the Lesser Antilles. Science Advances 9(5), article number: eadd2143. (10.1126/sciadv.add2143)
2022
- Cooper, G. F. and Inglis, E. C. 2022. A crustal control on the Fe isotope systematics of volcanic arcs revealed in plutonic xenoliths from the Lesser Antilles. Frontiers in Earth Science 9, article number: 795858. (10.3389/feart.2021.795858)
2021
- Wilson, C. J. N., Cooper, G. F., Chamberlain, K. J., Barker, S. J., Myers, M. L., Illsley-Kemp, F. and Farrell, J. 2021. No single model for supersized eruptions and their magma bodies. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment (10.1038/s43017-021-00191-7)
- Schlaphorst, D. et al. 2021. Variation in upper plate crustal and lithospheric mantle structure in the Greater and Lesser Antilles from ambient noise tomography. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 22(7), article number: e2021GC009800. (10.1029/2021GC009800)
- Braszus, B. et al. 2021. Subduction history of the Caribbean from upper-mantle seismic imaging and plate reconstruction. Nature Communications 12(1), article number: 4211. (10.1038/s41467-021-24413-0)
- Iveson, A. A. et al. 2021. Deciphering variable mantle sources and hydrous inputs to arc magmas in Kamchatka. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 562, article number: 116848. (10.1016/j.epsl.2021.116848)
- Brown, J. R., Cooper, G. F., Nowell, G. M., Macpherson, C. G., Neill, I. and Prytulak, J. 2021. Isotopic compositions of plagioclase from plutonic xenoliths reveal crustal assimilation below Martinique, Lesser Antilles Arc. Frontiers in Earth Science 9, article number: 682583. (10.3389/feart.2021.682583)
2020
- Cooper, G. et al. 2020. Author Correction: Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. Nature 584(7822), pp. E36-E36. (10.1038/s41586-020-2582-4)
- Crameri, F. et al. 2020. A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation. Nature Communications 11, article number: 3750. (10.1038/s41467-020-17522-9)
- Cooper, G. et al. 2020. Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. Nature 582(7813), pp. 525-529. (10.1038/s41586-020-2407-5)
- Davy, R. et al. 2020. Wide-angle seismic imaging of two modes of crustal accretion in mature atlantic ocean crust. JGR Solid Earth 125(6), article number: e2019JB019100. (10.1029/2019JB019100)
2019
- Cooper, G., Blundy, J., Macpherson, C., Humphreys, M. and Davidson, J. 2019. Evidence from plutonic xenoliths for magma differentiation, mixing and storage in a volatile-rich crystal mush beneath St. Eustatius, Lesser Antilles. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 174(39) (10.1007/s00410-019-1576-4)
- Humphreys, M. C. S., Zhang, J., Cooper, G. F., Macpherson, C. G. and Ottley, C. J. 2019. Identifying the ingredients of hydrous arc magmas: insights from Mt Lamington, Papua New Guinea. Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 377(2139), article number: 20180018. (10.1098/rsta.2018.0018)
- Humphreys, M., Cooper, G., Zhang, J., Loewen, M., Kent, A., Macpherson, C. and Davidson, J. 2019. Unravelling the complexity of magma plumbing at Mount St. Helens: a new trace element partitioning scheme for amphibole. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 174(9) (10.1007/s00410-018-1543-5)
2017
- Cooper, G. F., Morgan, D. J. and Wilson, C. J. N. 2017. Rapid assembly and rejuvenation of a large silicic magmatic system: Insights from mineral diffusive profiles in the Kidnappers and Rocky Hill deposits, New Zealand. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 473, pp. 1-13. (10.1016/j.epsl.2017.05.036)
- Zhang, J., Humphreys, M. C., Cooper, G. F., Davidson, J. P. and Macpherson, C. G. 2017. Magma mush chemistry at subduction zones, revealed by new melt major element inversion from calcic amphiboles. American Mineralogist 102(6), pp. 1353-1367. (10.2138/am-2017-5928)
2016
- Cooper, G. F., Davidson, J. P. and Blundy, J. D. 2016. Plutonic xenoliths from Martinique, Lesser Antilles: evidence for open system processes and reactive melt flow in island arc crust. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 171, article number: 87. (10.1007/s00410-016-1299-8)
- Cooper, G. F., Wilson, C. J. N., Millet, M. and Baker, J. A. 2016. Generation and rejuvenation of a supervolcanic magmatic system: a case study from Mangakino Volcanic Centre, New Zealand. Journal of Petrology 57(6), pp. 1135-1170., article number: egw035. (10.1093/petrology/egw035)
2014
- Cooper, G. F. and Wilson, C. J. 2014. Development, mobilisation and eruption of a large crystal-rich rhyolite: the ongatiti ignimbrite, new zealand. Lithos 198-19, pp. 38-57. (10.1016/j.lithos.2014.03.014)
- Cooper, G. F., Wilson, C. J., Charlier, B. L., Wooden, J. L. and Ireland, T. R. 2014. Temporal evolution and compositional signatures of two supervolcanic systems recorded in zircons from mangakino volcanic centre, new zealand. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 167(6), article number: 1018. (10.1007/s00410-014-1018-2)
Articles
- Cooper, G. F., Lissenberg, C. J., Koorneef, J. M., Jansen, M. N. and Millet, M. 2025. Crustal versus mantle-level aggregation of heterogeneous melts at mid-ocean ridges. Geology (10.1130/g52872.1)
- Hicks, S. P. et al. 2023. Slab to back-arc to arc: Fluid and melt pathways through the mantle wedge beneath the Lesser Antilles. Science Advances 9(5), article number: eadd2143. (10.1126/sciadv.add2143)
- Cooper, G. F. and Inglis, E. C. 2022. A crustal control on the Fe isotope systematics of volcanic arcs revealed in plutonic xenoliths from the Lesser Antilles. Frontiers in Earth Science 9, article number: 795858. (10.3389/feart.2021.795858)
- Wilson, C. J. N., Cooper, G. F., Chamberlain, K. J., Barker, S. J., Myers, M. L., Illsley-Kemp, F. and Farrell, J. 2021. No single model for supersized eruptions and their magma bodies. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment (10.1038/s43017-021-00191-7)
- Schlaphorst, D. et al. 2021. Variation in upper plate crustal and lithospheric mantle structure in the Greater and Lesser Antilles from ambient noise tomography. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 22(7), article number: e2021GC009800. (10.1029/2021GC009800)
- Braszus, B. et al. 2021. Subduction history of the Caribbean from upper-mantle seismic imaging and plate reconstruction. Nature Communications 12(1), article number: 4211. (10.1038/s41467-021-24413-0)
- Iveson, A. A. et al. 2021. Deciphering variable mantle sources and hydrous inputs to arc magmas in Kamchatka. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 562, article number: 116848. (10.1016/j.epsl.2021.116848)
- Brown, J. R., Cooper, G. F., Nowell, G. M., Macpherson, C. G., Neill, I. and Prytulak, J. 2021. Isotopic compositions of plagioclase from plutonic xenoliths reveal crustal assimilation below Martinique, Lesser Antilles Arc. Frontiers in Earth Science 9, article number: 682583. (10.3389/feart.2021.682583)
- Cooper, G. et al. 2020. Author Correction: Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. Nature 584(7822), pp. E36-E36. (10.1038/s41586-020-2582-4)
- Crameri, F. et al. 2020. A transdisciplinary and community-driven database to unravel subduction zone initiation. Nature Communications 11, article number: 3750. (10.1038/s41467-020-17522-9)
- Cooper, G. et al. 2020. Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. Nature 582(7813), pp. 525-529. (10.1038/s41586-020-2407-5)
- Davy, R. et al. 2020. Wide-angle seismic imaging of two modes of crustal accretion in mature atlantic ocean crust. JGR Solid Earth 125(6), article number: e2019JB019100. (10.1029/2019JB019100)
- Cooper, G., Blundy, J., Macpherson, C., Humphreys, M. and Davidson, J. 2019. Evidence from plutonic xenoliths for magma differentiation, mixing and storage in a volatile-rich crystal mush beneath St. Eustatius, Lesser Antilles. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 174(39) (10.1007/s00410-019-1576-4)
- Humphreys, M. C. S., Zhang, J., Cooper, G. F., Macpherson, C. G. and Ottley, C. J. 2019. Identifying the ingredients of hydrous arc magmas: insights from Mt Lamington, Papua New Guinea. Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 377(2139), article number: 20180018. (10.1098/rsta.2018.0018)
- Humphreys, M., Cooper, G., Zhang, J., Loewen, M., Kent, A., Macpherson, C. and Davidson, J. 2019. Unravelling the complexity of magma plumbing at Mount St. Helens: a new trace element partitioning scheme for amphibole. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 174(9) (10.1007/s00410-018-1543-5)
- Cooper, G. F., Morgan, D. J. and Wilson, C. J. N. 2017. Rapid assembly and rejuvenation of a large silicic magmatic system: Insights from mineral diffusive profiles in the Kidnappers and Rocky Hill deposits, New Zealand. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 473, pp. 1-13. (10.1016/j.epsl.2017.05.036)
- Zhang, J., Humphreys, M. C., Cooper, G. F., Davidson, J. P. and Macpherson, C. G. 2017. Magma mush chemistry at subduction zones, revealed by new melt major element inversion from calcic amphiboles. American Mineralogist 102(6), pp. 1353-1367. (10.2138/am-2017-5928)
- Cooper, G. F., Davidson, J. P. and Blundy, J. D. 2016. Plutonic xenoliths from Martinique, Lesser Antilles: evidence for open system processes and reactive melt flow in island arc crust. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 171, article number: 87. (10.1007/s00410-016-1299-8)
- Cooper, G. F., Wilson, C. J. N., Millet, M. and Baker, J. A. 2016. Generation and rejuvenation of a supervolcanic magmatic system: a case study from Mangakino Volcanic Centre, New Zealand. Journal of Petrology 57(6), pp. 1135-1170., article number: egw035. (10.1093/petrology/egw035)
- Cooper, G. F. and Wilson, C. J. 2014. Development, mobilisation and eruption of a large crystal-rich rhyolite: the ongatiti ignimbrite, new zealand. Lithos 198-19, pp. 38-57. (10.1016/j.lithos.2014.03.014)
- Cooper, G. F., Wilson, C. J., Charlier, B. L., Wooden, J. L. and Ireland, T. R. 2014. Temporal evolution and compositional signatures of two supervolcanic systems recorded in zircons from mangakino volcanic centre, new zealand. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 167(6), article number: 1018. (10.1007/s00410-014-1018-2)
Biography
- 2023-Present: Royal Society University Research Fellow. "Crystal-scale isotope constraints on crustal melt evolution (CSI:Subduction)"
- 2020-2023: NERC Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cardiff University, UK. "HiDe- A Highly Heterogeneous Depleted Mantle?' (PI: Dr. C.J. Lissenberg)
- 2016-2019: NERC Postdoctoral Research Associate, Durham University/University of Bristol, UK. " Volatile Recycling at the Lesser Antilles Arc: Processes and Consequences (VoiLA)" (PI's: Prof. C. G. Macpherson & Prof. J. D. Blundy)
- 2013-2016: NERC Postdoctoral Research Associate, Durham University, UK "How does crust form at arcs? - a Multidisciplinary Study of the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc" (PI: Prof. J. P. Davidson)
- 2009-2013: PhD in volcanology, SGEES, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ. Title : Insights into the dynamics of supervolcanoes from crystal specific studies: case studies from Mangakino volcano, New Zealand (Supervisors: Prof. C. J. N. Wilson, Prof. J. A. Baker).
- 2005-2009: Masters of Geology (MGeol), first class honours, University of Leeds, UK. Included a 1 year exchange program at Victoria University of Wellington
Contact Details
Research themes
Specialisms
- Volcanology
- Igneous and metamorphic petrology
- Geochemistry