Ken Brown - Mineralogy/Petrology & Environmental Field Investigations
Fieldwork in NW Nevada.
K-Feldspar megacrysts from NW Nevada (top) and micro-XRF elemental maps showing the distributions of Ba and Ca (bottom).
SEM backscatter image: Spinel lherzolite xenolith in Miocene basalt – Southern CA
Spinel lherzolite xenolith in Miocene basalt – Southern CA
Tripod and camera mount for taking Gigapan photos.
Handheld XRF unit for analyzing chemical compositions.
Hanging out in the field...
RECENT RESEARCH PROJECTS/SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES:
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Crystals as archives of igneous processes: K-feldspar megacrysts in granites For over a century, the origin of K-feldspar megacrysts in granites and granodiorites has remained an unresolved problem in igneous petrology. Traditionally, these megacrysts have been interpreted as having a magmatic origin. However, more recent hypotheses support a subsolidus or near solidus origin. The timing of megacryst formation bears on a fundamental issue in granite petrogenesis, namely whether the textural and chemical features preserved within granitoid intrusions reflect primary magmatic processes or whether these features represent final crystallization and subsolidus processes. This research employs traditional microscopy and high-spatial resolution in-situ elemental, isotopic, and chronologic techniques on K-feldspar megacrysts and their inclusions. This research aims to better characterize the petrogenetic processes operating during megacryst growth and to better constrain the timing of their formation. Student Collaborators: Laura Spasske (GEO); Accepting Students! Publications (italics indicates student authors): Brown, K.L. and Pettus, H., 2018, Potassium Feldspar Megacrysts as Archives of Magmatic Systems and Processes: Abstract V33D-3901; 2018 Fall Meeting, American Geophysical Union, Washington D.C., 10-14th Dec., 2018 Pettus, H., Brown, K.L., 2017, Petrography and geochemistry of Megacrystic K-Feldspars from a granitoid intrusion, northwestern Nevada, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 49, no. 6. McLeod, C., Brown, K.L., Brydon, R. J., Haley, M., Hill,T., Shaulis, B., Tronnes, R., 2017, Crystal CargoCharacterization: Unravelling Granite Petrogenesis through Combined MicroXRF Imaging and In-situ Analyses, (V43C-0546 ed.), American Geophysical Union. Brown, K.L. and Hart, W.K., 2014, A megacrystic K-feldspar intrusion in northwestern Nevada: Petrograhic and Pb isotope analyses: Geological Society of America Abstract with Programs (Cordilleran -110thmeeting; Rocky Mountain Section – 66th meeting), vol. 46, no. 5, p. 2. |
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Investigating the tectonomagmatic evolution of the North American Cordillera through arc magmatism and volcanism The North American Cordillera records an archetypal continental arc system that produced a protracted period of both marginal and inland magmatism. The principal record of this system’s evolution is a discontinuous alignment of deeply eroded batholiths that span from Alaska to Mexico. Constraining the age, origin, and evolution of magmas formed along this continental margin is important in understanding the evolution and architecture of western North America, and more broadly, the exchange processes operating between the crust and mantle in convergent margins settings. Student Collaborators: Accepting students! Publications (italics indicates student authors): Bollinger, A., McLeod, C., Blakemore, D., Shaulis, B., Brown, K., and Currie, B. S., 2019, Zircon U-Pb Chronology of Western Wyoming Crustal Basement using LA-ICP-MS, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 51, no. 5, doi: 10.1130/abs/2019AM-338456. Reinier, C. and Brown, K., 2018, Petrographic and geochemical investigations of the McCartney Mtn. Stock, SW Montana: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 50. no. 6,doi: 10.1130/abs/2018AM-318579. Brown, K.L., Hart, W.K., and Stuck, R., 2018, Temporal and geochemical signatures in granitoids of northwestern Nevada: Evidence for the continuity of the Mesozoic magmatic arc through the western Great Basin: Lithosphere, vol. 10, no. 2, p. 327-350. Brown, K.L., 2015, Geochronologic, Geochemical, and Isotopic Investigations into Cretaceous Granitic Magmatism of Northwestern Nevada: The Santa Rosa Range Granitoid Suite, Miami University, Doctoral Dissertation, 307 p. Brown, K.L. and Hart, W.K., 2015, Cretaceous Granitic Magmatism in Northwestern Nevada: Petrogenetic Insights into Regional Cordilleran Arc Flare-Up: Geological Society of America Abstract with Programs Annual Meeting, vol. 47, no. 7, p. 580. Brown, K.L. and Hart, W. K., 2013, Late Cretaceous Arc Flare-Up in Northwestern Nevada: Elemental, Zircon Hf, and U-Pb Zircon Geochronology of the Santa Rosa Range and Bloody Run Hills Granitoids, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs (Cordilleran Section), vol. 45, no. 6. |
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Mapping our geochemical environment: Investigating anthropogenic pollution in urban environments Heavy metal contaminants (e.g. Pb, Cr, As, and Zn) are a growing public health concern, and are frequently dispersed into urban environments by anthropogenic activities. Many of these elements resist degradation, allowing them to accumulate in the environment for long periods of time. This research examines the spatial distribution and magnitude of such contaminants within soils located in these environments. Mapping these pollutants is critical for identifying legacy issues and protecting the health and safety of residents. This research is in collaboration with the Metal Redlining Network, which is a multi-institutional research effort focused on characterizing the metal burden in urban environments within the context of structurally racist housing policies and practices. Student Collaborators: Hannah Baker; Abby Cook; Kelby Stallings; Accepting students! Publications (italics indicates student authors): Gokey, K.*, Brown, K., Mowery, C.*, Mates, E.*, Toth, R.*, 2019, Urban Legacies: Linking Glass Manufacturing to Soil Pollution in Morgantown, WV, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 51, no. 5, doi: 10.1130/abs/2019AM-333198. Steorts, E. B., Brown, K., Smith, B., Toth, R., Veldhuizen, H., and Latimer, J., 2019, Foundry Waste: A Profile of Heavy Metal Contamination in Reedsville, WV, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 51, no. 5, doi: 10.1130/abs/2019AM-340737. Schmitt, R., Brown, K.L., Veldhuizen, H., Latimer, J. C., 2018, The Distribution and Concentration of Heavy Metal Contaminants among Public Playgrounds in Morgantown, WV: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 50. no. 6, doi: 10.1130/abs/2018AM-318513. Rex, N., Brown, K.L., Veldhuizen, H., Latimer, J.C., 2018, Tracking Heavy Metal Contaminants Along The Monongahela River, Morgantown, West Virginia: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 50. no. 6, doi: 10.1130/abs/2018AM-318962. |
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Geoscience education: Improving IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access) in the geosciences Many groups continue to be underrepresented within the geosciences, including historically underrepresented ethnic and cultural minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and persons with disabilities. Removing the barriers to participation, especially among people who have multiple underrepresented or marginalized identities can have clear benefits for the geosciences. This research focuses on enhancing undergraduate geoscience education through inclusive pedagogies and experiential opportunities. These approaches allow all students to contribute to the scientific enterprise, provide the necessary space for them to build identities around science, and foster the skills necessary to pursue future geoscience careers. Publications (italics indicates student authors): Brown, K., Gokey, K., and Steorts, E., 2020, Mapping our geochemical environment: An Experiential Approach To Teaching Introductory Environmental Geology, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol 52, No. 6 doi: 10.1130/abs/2020AM-357388 Brown, K., 2019, Using Gigapan and Google Earth Pro to Enhance Introductory Geoscience Education, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 51, No. 5, Brown, K.L., Frier, P., 2017, Incorporating Local Issues: Exploring Service LearningProjects Within West Virginia University’s Core Arboretum: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, vol. 49, no. 6. Brown, K.L., 2016, Developing effective learning exercises in the Geosciences: Utilizing online databases and repositories: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs Annual Meeting, vol. 48, no. 7. |