Transfer of heat and matter in the Earths mantle and crust is a fundamental manifestation of differentiation that drives nearly all dynamic Earth systems. Geochemical and petrologic research at Yale seeks to understand the differentiation and geodynamics of the Earth through examination of the organization of lithologic, magmatic, and crustal-fluid reservoirs, their distributions and fluxes, and their interactions with other Earth systems.

Our work uses a variety of field, analytical, and modeling approaches to geochemistry, petrology, and geochronology sometimes taking us to far-flung corners of the globe such as Kamchatka, Antarctica, Hawaii, and the Greek Islands. We are studying the role of fluids in large-scale material transport, including CO₂, economically vital elements, and formation of veins in the crust. We study the dynamics of mantle melting beneath subduction zones and hotspots, and the role of recycled crust in basaltic magmatism. We use stable and radiogenic isotopes to track the evolution of metamorphic systems in orogenic belts, fluids in ore deposits, and the dynamics of reactive transport in porous systems over length-scales of mircons to kilometers. We reconstruct the chemical evolution of volcanic systems over time-scales from individual eruptions to millions of years. We probe the dynamics of the deep mantle, its volatile budgets, and influence of volatiles on mantle convection.

Analytical facilities in the Department of Geology & Geophysics include a high-resolution inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), several state-of-the art stable-isotope mass spectrometers, FTIR lab, fully automated electron microprobe, X-ray diffractometer, laser Raman, SEM, and other facilities.

Faculty involved in petrologic and high-temperature geochemical research include Jay Ague, Danny Rye, and Shun Karato.