Staff and Postgraduate Students
Mr Peter Tollan, MSci Geology
Contact Mr Peter Tollan (email at p.m.e.tollan@durham.ac.uk)
1. Education
2010-present: Durham University, PhD Geology
2006-2010: University of Bristol, MSci Geology (1st class Hons)
2. Current Research
My current research focuses on the nature of lithospheric arc mantle, and the generation and preservation of compositional and physical heterogeneities during interactions between residual mantle and fluid components in the mantle wedge.
I'm using a diverse suite of fore-arc mantle peridotite xenoliths obtained from the West Bismarck arc in the west Pacific. This suite is remarkably fresh (serpentine-free) and records a range of mantle processes, reflected in terms of both xenolith texture and chemistry.
My analytical techniques are diverse but complementary. Ancient melting processes and the origin of fluid components are investigated using Os-Sr-Nd-O isotopes on bulk powders and mineral separates. The nature and timing of fluid-mantle interaction I'm constraining from in-situ LA-ICP-MS trace element and EPMA major element analyses of olivine and pyroxene. Chemical controls on hydration and water partitioning of/between olivine and pyroxene are being investigated with FTIR. I am applying a series of 1 atm experimental methods to investigate compositional controls on calculations of oxygen fugacity in depleted peridotites and also piston cyclindor experiments to test hydration mechanisms in natural harzburgitic olivine.
3. Awards
2011: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Summer Fellowship
2011: Best student presentation, Research in Progress day, Durham University
2012: Geological Society research grant
2012: Mineralogical Soceity research grant
2012: Geochemistry Group award for best student presentation, Open University
2012: International Association of Geochemistry research grant
4. Research Interests
- Mantle geochemistry
- Water in nominally anhydrous minerals
- Fluid-rock interactions
- Magmatic differentiation
- Experimental petrology
- Oxybarometry and thermometry of multi-phase solid systems
Publications
Journal papers: academic
- Tollan, PME, Bindeman, I & Blundy, JD (2012). Cumulate xenoliths from St. Vincent, Lesser Antilles Island Arc: a window into upper crustal differentiation of mantle-derived basalts. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 163(2): 189-208.