Petrology & Geochemistry

Over the course of Earth’s history, processes in the deep interior have driven plate tectonics, crustal uplift, volcanism, atmosphere formation, and our planet’s evolution.  The crust of our planet has been repeatedly formed, deformed, deconstructed (weathered and eroded), and renewed by physical and chemical processes. Observations at many scales, together with physical, chemical, and geochemical tools and analyses, allow us to understand the physical and chemical processes shaping our planet, both at the surface, and deep within.

Staff and students also explore the petrology and geochemistry of the Moon and other planets through a combination of laboratory analysis of Apollo lunar samples and meteorites, remote sensing data from landers, rovers, and orbiting spacecraft, and field studies of terrestrial analog sites.