Ron Frost, Carol Frost, and Susan Swapp have an NSF grant to study the Archean gneisses in the Tetons and are looking for an outstanding Ph.D. student

Contact:

Ron Frost: rfrost@uwyo.edu
Carol Frost: frost@uwyo.edu
Susan Swapp: swapp@uwyo.edu

Download Graduate Student Application
(Word) (PDF)
 
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The northern Teton Range contains some of the oldest (ca. 2.67 Ga) high P granulites (P ~ 12 kbar, T ~ 950°C) in the world, as such the record one of the oldest Himalayan orogenies on Earth.  We plan to describe the nature, timing, and evolution of this orogeny.
The southern Tetons are dominated by the Mt. Owen Qtz. Monzonite, whereas the northern Tetons are underlain by the gneisses into which the Mt. Owen was intruded.  The high P granulites are found in the Moose Basin area (ruled area on the map) in the northern part of the range.

 

 

 

Difference between the Moose Basin gneiss and the eastern Layered gneiss.

Moose Basin gneiss. has abundant pelitic rocks interlayered with mafic gneiss.

 

 

 

Eastern layered gneiss is largely a metagreywacke (a garnetiferous bi-plag-q gneiss.)

 

 
Major questions we hope to solve:

1. What were the peak T and P conditions of metamorphism?

2. What was the decompression history?

3. What are the contact relations between the Webb Canyon gneiss and the rest of the layered gneiss?

4. What is the significance of the Webb Canyon gneiss? 

A Ph.D. project could involve some or all of the following:

1. Geochronology

2. Nd and Sr geochemistry

3. Thermobarometry

4. Structural Geology 
In addition, the project will involve extensive field mapping in gnarly country with 4,000 to 5,000 feet of relief, nasty bushwacking, grizzly bears and wolves. A solid mountaineering background will be very helpful.