Physical and Chemical Variations Along the Central American Volcanic Arc part of MARGINS Data in the Classroom:MARGINS Mini-Lessons
The Central American volcanic arc displays large arc-parallel variations in chemical composition that yield important clues concerning the complex origin of magmas in subduction zones. In this exercise, students use data compiled for the NSF MARGINS program to compare heights, volumes, and whole-rock compositions of 39 Quaternary volcanic centers along the Central American arc, together with crustal thicknesses, to assess the possible sources of the magmas and the petrologic processes that have modified them prior to eruption.
Igneous Rock Compositions and Plate Tectonics part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Igneous Rocks and Tectonics
Allen Glazner and Kent Ratajeski Published July 28, 2005. Description In this exercise, students use whole-rock major- and trace-element compositions of igneous rocks from a variety of tectonic settings and ...
Compositional Diversity in Volcanic Suites part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Compositional Diversity in Volcanic Suites
Kent Ratajeski Published Oct. 26, 2004. Description In this exercise, students use whole-rock major- and trace-element compositions of volcanic rocks to explore the origins of compositional variation in igneous ...
Olivine Crystal Structure part of Mineralogy:Activities
In this exercise, students use the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database and a crystallographic visualization program such as Xtaldraw or CrystalMaker to study the temperature-dependent ordering of Mg ...
Crystal Structures as Geobarometers part of Mineralogy:Activities
In this exercise, designed for undergraduate igneous petrology or advanced mineralogy courses, students download a series of crystal structures from the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database to explore ...
The Cretaceous Superplume part of Integrating Research and Education:Cretaceous
This page was written by Kent Ratajeski as part of the DLESE Community Services Project: Integrating Research in Education. HideA satellite gravity and bathymetric map of the Ontong-Java plateau, an igneous ...
Compositional Diversity in Volcanic Suites part of Geochemistry:Activities
In this exercise, students use geochemical data downloaded from the GEOROC database to explore the origins of compositional variation among volcanic rocks associated with the Yellowstone and Crater Lake calderas.
Crystallization-Differentiation of Basaltic Magma part of Geochemistry:Activities
In this exercise, students use geochemical data from volcanic glasses and minerals in lavas and drill cores from the solidified Kilauea Iki lava lake to learn about the petrologic processes related to the eruption ...
Physical and Chemical Variations Along the Central American Volcanic Arc part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Central America Volcanoes
Kent Ratajeski Published June 13, 2007. Description The Central American volcanic arc displays large arc-parallel variations in chemical composition that yield important clues concerning the complex origin of ...
Global Geochemistry of Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts
Kent Ratajeski Published Oct. 15, 2006. Description Geological processes at the mid-ocean ridges are responsible for the bulk of the Earth's heat loss and volcanic activity. The compositions of materials ...
Cenozoic Volcanic History of the Western United States part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:NAVDAT animations
Kent Ratajeski Published June 30, 2006 Description In this activity, students view a Quicktime video animation based on data from the North American Volcanic and Intrusive Rock Database (NAVDAT) to learn about the ...
Volcanic Landforms and Magma Composition part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Volcanoes
Kent Ratajeski Published July 12, 2006. Description Magma composition is an important control on the geomorphology of lava flows and volcanoes. In this exercise, students investigate this relationship by studying ...
Crystal Structures as Geobarometers part of Integrating Research and Education:Crystallography:Cpx Geobarometer
Kent Ratajeski Published Jan. 4, 2005 Description This exercise is based on the recent formulation of a geobarometer based on the crystal structure of clinopyroxene (Nimis, 1995; 1998; 1999). This method relates ...
Order/Disorder Within Crystal Structures as a Function of Temperature part of Integrating Research and Education:Crystallography:Olivine Structure at High Temperatures
Kent Ratajeski Published Jan. 25, 2005 Description HideThe olivine unit cell. Crystallographic sites house Si (black), O (red), and the M1 (brown) and M2 (orange) cations (Mg and Fe). Details This exercise is ...
Identifying Minerals with Chemical and Crystallographic Data part of Integrating Research and Education:Crystallography:Identifying Minerals Using Chemical and Crystallographic Data
Kent Ratajeski Published Jan. 25, 2005 Description In this exercise, crystal structure data for a variety of unknown minerals are downloaded and entered into a visualization program (either XtalDraw or ...
Crystallization-Differentiation of the Kilauea Iki Lava Lake part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Kilauea Iki Lava Lake
Kent Ratajeski Published Oct. 26, 2004. Description In this exercise, students use major-element compositions of whole-rocks, volcanic glasses, and minerals in lavas and drill cores from the solidified Kilauea Iki ...
Mineralogy Field Trip to the TN-NC Blue Ridge Mountains part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2019:Program:Share-a-Thon
The topics of Earth history and mineral resources form the two main themes for this three-day field trip to the Blue Ridge geologic province of southeastern TN and southwestern NC. The route includes stops at the ...
Volcanic Fields of North America part of Integrating Research and Education:EarthChem:Volcanic Fields
Kent Ratajeski and Brian Stogner Published Oct. 15, 2006 Description In this activity, students gather gather data from selected North American volcanic fields which were active during the Cenozoic. Geographic, ...