W.G. Ernst-Home Page-Stanford University

picture of Gary
W. Gary Ernst
Professor

Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-2115

Phone: (650) 723-0185
Fax: (650) 725-0979

ernst@geo.stanford.edu

Office: Green Earth Sciences 209

Field Study Lab: 222 Green Earth Sciences

Mineral synthesis lab: 042 Green Earth Sciences

Research-- Petrotectonic Studies

(1) I have been conducting on-the-ground geologic mapping of the White-Inyo Range for 22 years, involving structural, stratigraphic, and regional/contact metamorphic investigations; I am now applying remote sensing AVIRIS hyperspectral techniques to the entire area. A specific project is the detailed field occurrence and geochemical evolution of the Barcroft Granodiorite, including petrology, microprobe analysis of coexisting phases, oxygen isotope fractionation, and with Chris Van de Ven (Doctoral Student), U/Pb SHRIMP dating of zoned zircons.

(2) Ultrahigh-pressure studies of a deeply subducted, now resurrected thrust-bounded (?) complex in the Dabie-Sulu Belt of eastern China is proceeding in collaboration with Chinese, Japanese, and Russian colleagues. Earlier efforts involved research in the Maksyutov Complex of the south Urals, and the Kokchetav Massif of northern Kazakhastan. Stanford colleagues are Prof. Louie Liou, Ruth Zhang (Research Associate), and Mary Leech (Postdoctoral Fellow). Included are mapping efforts, and proposed petrotectonic/geochemical projects involving deep drilling in the Sulu area of easternmost central China. This work is well underway. Also newly re-proposed to the NSF is research on the blueschist-amphibolite-HP/UHP eclogite parageneses in well-exposed terranes in the rugged mountains of the North Qaidam and North Qilian belts, NW China. My model of thin-slab exhumation propelled by buoyancy still seems relevant—at least to me!

(3) I have renovated Louie’s and my hydrothermal mineral synthesis lab, and am conducting experimental kinetic studies under controlled laboratory conditions of T, Pfluid and fO2 to examine the rate of increase of vitrinite reflectance as an aid in understanding the thermal maturation of low-grade sedimentary units.

And finally (4), although moving into environmental and remote sensing applications, I still maintain hard rock geologic interests in the Franciscan Complex of the California Coast Ranges, and the early Mesozoic development of the oceanic arc(s) in the central Klamaths, but have no field projects in progress in these areas at the present time.

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Research - Environmental Studies

(1) With very modest NASA and Stanford University support, Chris Van de Ven, Prof. Ron Lyon, Research Associate Stu Weiss, and I are studying the influence of bedrock type, derived + exotic soil development and altitude control (4,000-13,000+ feet elevation) on vegetative cover in the entire White-Inyo Range. We have thus far been able to correlate contrasting biomes with different geologic substrates and elevations (+microclimatic zones). A rather large Biocomplexity proposal is soon to be submitted to NSF, but funding is problematic.

(2) Yet another advisee, C. P. David (Doctoral Student), is conducting an on-the-ground, aqueous geochemical, and remote sensing investigation of mine tailings pollution in the west-central Philippines. He is quantifying the dispersion of tailings in the near shore fan + river, and the uptake of heavy metals by corals. He is also collaborating with USGS colleague Sam Luoma.

(3) Just starting a new, far-out Ph. D. research project is Amy Waddell. Her project involves identifying the clay mineral substrate of Valley Fever fungus in the Mojave Desert, documenting its airborne dispersion, and mounting a remote sensing study of sites of origin. She is also working with USGS colleague Rich Bernknopf. Improved human health is the goal here.

Recent Publications (since 1998)

Radvanec, M., Banno, S., and Ernst, W. G., 1998, Chemical microstructure of Franciscan jadeite from Pacheco Pass, California: Amer. Mineral., v. 83, p. 273-279.

Miller, D. E., and Ernst, W. G., 1998, Deformation and metamorphism of the Marble Mountain and Pony Camp areas, Western Triassic and Paleozoic belt, central Klamath Mountains, northwestern California: Int. Geol Rev., v. 39, p. 411-451.

Liou, J. G., Zhang, R., Ernst, W. G., Liu, J., and McLimans, R., 1998, Mineral parageneses in the Piampaludo eclogitic body, Gruppo di Voltri, Western Ligurian Alps: Schweiz. Mineral. Petrograph. Mitt., v. 78, p. 317-335.

Leech, M. L., and Ernst, W. G., 1998, Graphite pseudomorphs after diamond? A carbon isotope and spectroscopic study of graphite cuboids from the Maksyutov Complex, south Ural Mountains, Russia: Geochem. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 62, p. 2,143-2,154.

Ernst, W.G., and Nelson, C. A. (eds.), 1998, Integrated Earth and Environmental Evolution of the Southwestern United States: International Book Series, Volume 1, Geol. Soc. America, Boulder, CO, and Bellwether Publishing Ltd, Columbia, MD, 502 p.

Ernst, W. G. and Liu, J., 1998, Experimental phase-equilibrium study of Al- and Ti-contents of calcic amphibole in MORB—a semiquantitative thermobarometer: Amer. Mineral., v. 83, p. 952-969.

Ernst, W.G., 1998, Geology of the Sawyers Bar area, Klamath Mountains, northern California: Calif. Div. Mines and Geol., Map Sheet 47, scale 1:48,000, accompanying text 59 p.
Ernst, W. G., Mosenfelder, J. L., Leech, M. L., and Liu, J., 1998, H2O recycling during continental collision: phase-equilibrium and kinetic considerations: p. 275-295 in Hacker, B. R., and Liou, J. G. (eds.), When Continents Collide: Geodynamics and Geochemistry of Ultrahigh-Pressure Rocks: Kluwer Acad. Pub., Dordrecht, 323p.

iou, J. G., Zhang, R. Y., Ernst, W. G., Rumble, D. III, and Maruyama, S., 1998, High pressure minerals from deeply subducted metamorphic rocks: Rev. in Mineral., v. 37, p. 33-96.

Lyon, R. J. P., Ernst, W. G., and Van de Ven, C., 1999, Ground-sampling constraints on analysis of path-corrected AVIRIS hyperspectral data, White-Inyo Range, eastern California: Proc. 13th Int. Conf. Applied Geol. Remote Sensing (ERIM), Vancouver, B. C., Canada, p. 324-331.

Ernst, W. G., and Liou, J. G., 1999, Overview of UHP metamorphism and tectonics in well-studied collisional orogens: Int. Geol. Rev., v. 41, p. 477-493.

Snyder, G. A., Neal, C. R., and Ernst, W.G. (eds.), 1999, Planetary Petrology and Geochemistry: International Book Series, Volume 2, Geol. Soc. America, Boulder, CO, and Bellwether Publishing Ltd, Columbia, MD, 277p.

Ernst, W. G., 1999, Hornblende, the continent maker—Evolution of H2O during circum-Pacific subduction versus continental collision: Geology, v. 27, p. 675-678.

Ernst, W. G., 1999, Mesozoic petrotectonic development of the Sawyers Bar suprasubduction-zone arc, central Klamath Mountains, northern California: Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull.., v. 111, p. 1217-1232.

Ernst, W. G., 1999, Metamorphism, partial preservation, and exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure belts: The Island Arc, v. 8, p. 125-153.

Ahmed, Z., and Ernst, W. G., 1999, Island-arc related, back-arc basinal, and ocean-island components of the Bela ophiolite-mélange complex, Pakistan: Int. Geol. Rev., v. 41, p. 739-763.

Ernst, W. G., 1999, H2O and ultrahigh-pressure subsolidus phase relations for mafic and ultramafic systems: Int. Geol. Rev., v. 41, p. 886-894.

Liou, J. G., and Ernst, W. G., 1999, International Workshop on Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphism and Exhumation: Episodes, v. 22, p. 46

Van de Ven, C., Ernst, W. G., and Lyon, R. J. P., 1999, Early mineralogical results from AVIRIS data over the White-Inyo Mountains: Jet Propulsion Laboratory AVIRIS Earth Sci. Applications Workshop, Feb. 8-11, 1999, p. 413-422.

Leech, M. L., and Ernst, W. G., 2000, Petrotectonic evolution of the high- to ultrahigh-pressure Maksyutov Complex, Karayanova area, south Ural Mountains, Russia: structural and oxygen isotopic constraints: Lithos, v. 52, p. 235-252.

Ernst, W. G., 2000, Continental collision, mountain building, and diamonds in the rough: Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., v. 144, p. 1-32.

Ernst, W. G. (ed.), 2000, Earth Systems: Processes and Issues: Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, U. K., 566p. (also: Preface, Chaps. 3-6, 25, and 33).

Ernst, W.G., and Coleman, R. G. (eds.), 2000, Tectonic Studies of Asia and the Pacific Rim—A Tribute to Benjamin M. Page (1911-1997): International Book Series, Volume 3, Geol. Soc. America, Boulder, CO, and Bellwether Publishing Ltd, Columbia, MD, 328 p.

Ernst, W.G., and Liou, J. G. (eds.), 2000, Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphism and Geodynamics in Collision-Type Orogenic Belts: International Book Series, Volume 4, Geol. Soc. America, Boulder, CO, and Bellwether Publishing Ltd, Columbia, MD, 292 p.

Leech, M. L., and Ernst, W. G., 2000, Petrotectonic evolution of the high- to ultrahigh-pressure Maksyutov Complex, Karayanova area, south Ural Mountains, Russia: structural and oxygen isotopic constraints: Lithos, v. 52, p. 235-252.

Banno, S., Shibakusa, H., Enami, M., Wang, C. L., and Ernst, W. G., 2000, Chemical fine structure of Franciscan jadeitic pyroxene from Ward Creek, Cazadero area, California: Amer. Mineral., v. 85, p. 1795-1798.

Ernst, W. G., in press, Alpine versus Pacific orogeny, and deep crustal processes: Tectonophysics, v.

Ernst, W. G., in press, Subduction, ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism, and regurgitation of buoyant crustal slices—implications for arcs and continental growth: p-- in Processes and Consequences of Deep Subduction: Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, D. Rubie and R. van der. Hilst, (eds.).

Van de Ven, C., Ernst, W. G., Lyon, R. J. P., and Strawa, A.W., in press, Analysis of the relationships between geologic substrate and vegetation in the White-Inyo Mountains of eastern California: Jet Propulsion Laboratory AVIRIS Earth Sci. Applications Workshop, Feb. 23-25, 2000, p.--

Ernst, W. G., in review, Petrochemical contrasts in igneous rocks of the Mount Barcroft area: implications for arc evolution, central White Mountains, easternmost California: Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., v.

Ernst, W. G., and Rumble, D., in review, Mineral and bulk-rock oxygen isotopic study of the Mount Barcroft complex, central White Mountains, eastern California:

Ernst, W. G., Jones, R. E., and Van de Ven, C., in press, Geologic map (1:24,000) of the Barcroft composite pluton, central White Mountains, eastern California: structure, mineral parageneses, and tectonic evolution: Calif. Div. Mines and Geol., Map Sheet --, accompanying text -- p.

last updated 1/04/01