Petrology at St Andrews (PAStA)
PAStA is a collective. We study igneous, metamorphic, and chondritic rocks to understand the Earth System in the broadest sense. Our interests centre on some of the most vexing and fundamental questions in Solid Earth and Planetary Science, including (but by no means limited to):
- How did the Earth, its moon and other rocky bodies form?
- Why are Earth and its geologic twin Venus very similar, yet very different?
- Why did Earth develop subduction-zone plate tectonics whilst other rocky planets did not, and what are the implications for elemental cycling between the mantle, crust, hydrosphere and atmosphere?
- How and when did this continental lithosphere stabilize, emerge, and form diamond-bearing cratons?
- How do critical geodynamic processes combine to produce key metal resources (Mineral Systems) and what do such resources tell us about fundamental planetary processes?
The PAStA group seeks to answer these questions (and more) via the development and application of novel non-traditional stable and radiogenic isotopic systems and chronometers integrated with geodynamic models, geochemistry and empirical and experimental petrology, all underpinned by field observations, to document the timings and rates of planet-defining geodynamic processes.
The PAStA Group
Academic Staff
- Prof Adrian Finch
- Dr Nick Gardiner
- Dr Will Hutchison
- Dr Will McCarthy
- Dr Sami Mikhail
- Dr Paul Savage
- Dr Leanne Staddon
- Prof Richard White
Research Staff
- Dr Batzi Fischer
- Dr Josh Garber
- Dr Sally Law
- Dr Bob Steele
- Kirsten Wong
Postdocs
PhD Students
- Joe Benson
- Rebecca Galbraith
- Matt Goodey
- Fawn Holland
- Abate Melaku
- Joseph Metcalfe
- Jose Nava de la Peña (Seb)
Key Facilities
Electron beam analysis
- EPMA: JEOL XA-iSP100 electron probe micro-analyser with 5 WDS spectrometers, an EDS spectrometer and BSE, SE, and CL detectors
- FEG-SEM: Jeol JSM-F100 field emission gun (FEG) electron microscope fitted with a Soft X-ray Emission Spectrometer (SXES), EDS, BSE and SE detectors
- SEM: Jeol JSM-IT200 SEM with EDS, BSE, SE detectors
- These new microbeam facilities offer a unique capability for high resolution non-destructive analysis of materials including the light elements from Li to F. Additional access to TEM facilities and a FEI Scios DualBeam FIB SEM is available through the School of Chemistry’s electron microscopy unit.
Mass spectrometry
- St Andrews Geochronology Laboratory (StAGE) – provides in-situ geochronology and tracing (e.g. U-Pb, Hf, Pb, and Sr isotopes) as well as geochemical analysis e.g. trace elements) via LA-ICP-MS in a range of geological materials. Also undertakes geochemical characterisation and 3D imaging via LIBS (laser ablation breakdown spectroscopy). Laboratory has a recently installed RESOlution LA-LIBS laser ablation unit coupled to an Agilent 8800 QQQ-ICP-MS and NuPlasma multicollector ICP-MS
- Isotope facilities with a further two MC-ICP-MS (Neptune plus and NuPlasma Sapphire), a second QQQ-ICP-MS (Agilent 8900) with solution, GC, and laser ablation introduction systems for the analysis of trace metal concentrations and isotope ratios as well as two MAT 253 gas source spectrometers for CHONS isotope analysis.
Other relevant facilities
- Raman Spectroscopy (Renishaw Invia Qontor) with 532, 633 and 785 nm lasers
- Keyence VHX microscope with 3D scanning capabilities
- ED-XRF (SPECTRO XEPOS HE) for routine whole rock element analysis
- Experimental petrology Piston Cylinder & High-T controlled atmosphere furnace – capability to simulate pressure-temperature conditions from 0–5GPa and 100–2000°C
Follow this link for all School Facilities