Volatiles as a link between planetary interiors and the environment

Volatiles derived from planetary interiors influence magma evolution and environmental processes. Over appropriate timescales, Earth's mantle, crust, ocean, and atmosphere constitute coupled systems. The apparently synchronous Siberian Traps eruption and end-Permian mass extinction offer an ideal test case to study the interactions between magmatism and climate. In this thesis, I use experimental petrology, numerical modeling, geochemical measurements, and field observations to investigate the petrologic sources, eruptive transfer, and climatic effects of volatiles released during emplacement of the Siberian large igneous province. In an extreme variation on terrestrial volatile cycling, I also explore the erosional history of Titan as recorded in valley networks carved by rivers of liquid hydrocarbons.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Black, Benjamin A. (Benjamin Alexander)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Linda T. Elkins-Tanton.

• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/84920

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/84920