Geochemistry and Geophysics

Dynamic processes of our planet’s interior over its history generated Earth’s habitable surface and are responsible for the natural distribution of mineral resources and geologic hazards including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Solid Earth geochemistry and geophysics research at MSU addresses fundamental questions regarding the evolution of the Earth and the formation of geologic structures we observe today. We offer opportunities for students to study tectonics and petrology at field sites around the globe, to image the Earth’s interior, and to model physical and chemical processes using laboratory and computational methods

Faculty

Susannah Dorfman - Experimental mineralogy (Lab webpage)

Julie Elliott - Geodesy (Lab webpage)

Jeffrey Freymueller - Geodesy (Lab webpage)

Seth Jacobson - Planetary Science (Lab webpage)

Kevin Mackey - Seismology

Allen McNamara - Geodynamics (Lab webpage)

Tyrone Rooney - Igneous petrology and geochemistry (Lab webpage)

Songqiao Shawn Wei - Seismology and geophysics (Lab webpage)

Emeritus Faculty

Kazuya Fujita - Global tectonics and seismology

Michael Velbel - Cosmochemistry and mineral-water interactions