Crustal Fluid Dynamics

Research Staff

Professor Sandy Cruden
Geodynamics of magmatic sill formation, the effects of magma channelisation on mineralisation of economic deposits.


Professor Roberto Weinberg
The interaction between structural geology and fluids and magmas, controlling the evolution of mountain belts and mineralisation
Dr Jozua van Otterloo
Analogue modelling of magma transport dynamics and the effects of cooling

Postgraduate Students

  Lauren Wolfram (PhD)
My PhD research looks at high-temperature metamorphic rocks (migmatites) and granites in northwest Argentina, and the processes contributing to elemental differentiation of the earth during melting of the continental crust. I have implemented a multidisciplinary approach integrating detailed field observations, metamorphic and igneous petrography, whole rock and mineral geochemistry, and zircon and monazite geochronology. I hope to contribute to further understanding the evolution and compositional diversity of crustal-derived magmas, and assess the broader implications for differentiation and thermal stability of the continental crust.       
  Ivan Smenov (PhD)
  Mr Nicholas Hunter (PhD)
In my project I am using microstructures and textures of mylonitic rocks to develop methods through which the structural and dynamic properties of crustal shear zones can be quantitatively described. The Main Central Thrust (Alaknanda Valley, NW Himalaya) is a natural laboratory for this type of work, as it comprises variably deformed quartz mylonite units across its structure. The simple composition of these units serve as an ideal medium for advanced microstructural analysis. I combine electron back scatter diffraction, neutron diffraction and optical petrography to understand the development of crystallographic preferred orientations (CPO), the modification of microstructures, and the activity of different deformation mechanisms along the strain profile. At the completion of my thesis I hope to provide a quantitative framework for describing shear zones worldwide.       
  Alice Roberts (PhD)
  Frediano Clos (PhD)

The aim of my project is to provide new structural, geochemical and metamorphic constraints on the evolution of the Archean Yalgoo Dome, a broad elliptical dome (50x100 km) in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia.       
 
Mr Martin Schwindinger (PhD)
My project focusses on the different aspects of generation and evolution of granitic magmas in a near source environment by studying migmatites and related intrusive granites in the southern Adelaide fold belt (Kangaroo Island). My goal is to contribute to the ongoing debate about the significance of  water-fluxed melting, magma mixing and entrainment of source material in the formation of granitic magmas.
  Pablo Farias (PhD)

Group activities

Roberto also has a website where he explores a wide range of geological features and regions, with a wide selection of photographs. It currently consists of over 130 pages that provide the geological context for more than 3000 high-quality photographs (see http://users.monash.edu.au/~weinberg) attracting over 10,000 visitors per year.