IRES: TRACK 1: RUI: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE PERMO-TRIASSIC CHOIYOI SILICIC LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCE: REGIONAL VOLCANIC FRAMEWORK AND POTENTIAL IMPACT ON GLOBAL CLIMATE

San Diego State University Foundation, San Diego CA

Investigators

Abstract

The role of volcanism in global climate change and mass extinction events is a controversial topic in geology and biology. A clear temporal linkage has been established between basaltic large igneous provinces and mass extinction events in the Late Devonian (~364 Ma), Middle Permian (259 Ma), Late Permian (248 Ma) and Late Triassic (~206 Ma). These large volcanic events are suspected to cause global warming and marine anoxia due to high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Conversely, the role of silicic large igneous provinces and resultant acid rain, ozone depletion, sulphate aerosols and ocean Fe fertilization in mass extinction events has not been assessed. The Permo-Triassic Choiyoi Group of Argentina-Chile is a major high-latitude silicic large igneous province that has a strike length of > 2000 km and a volume equivalent to >125 Yellowstone calderas erupting essentially simultaneously. Choiyoi magmatism overlaps with several major early Permian climatic events including Olsen?s extinction (~272 Ma) and the Kamura cooling event (~262 Ma). This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) proposal offers an innovative immersion experience designed to engage three cohorts of undergraduate and graduate students over three years in a hypothesis-driven, field-intensive research project investigating the linkage between silicic large igneous provinces (SLIPS) and global climatic change. This project will advance science by providing an assessment of the potential role of silicic volcanism in climate change, foster international collaboration between U.S. and Argentinian research teams, promote education through the intentional mentoring of three cohorts of graduate and undergraduate students and increase diversity in the geosciences by inclusion of students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. Both the Department of Geosciences at SDSU and in the Department of Geology at UW-Eau Claire are committed to expanding diversity within the geosciences and are actively recruiting students from underrepresented groups into STEM fields. An accurate reconstruction of Choiyoi magmatic activity and its relation to climatic change requires an integration of stratigraphic, structural, geochronologic, petrologic, isotopic, geochemical, and thermochronologic data from several focus areas within the magmatic province. Three focus areas will be targeted within the southern, central and northern portions of the magmatic province that will be addressed sequentially over the three year duration of the project. There are five major emphases within each focus area, including 1) stratigraphy/volcanic facies; 2) petrology, including mineral chemistry and fluid inclusion analysis; 3) U/Pb zircon geochronology and Hf analyses; 4) major, trace and REE geochemistry; 5) structural analysis, including thermochronology. The south-central Andes are an ideal natural laboratory to study this system due to 1) exposure and accessibility; 2) established geologic framework; 3) availability of highly-qualified mentors; 4) access to analytical facilities in U.S. and Argentina; and, 5) experience of co-PIs in both regional geology and student experiential activities. This investigation evaluates the potential relationship between the spatial and temporal evolution of a silicic large igneous complex and global climatic change and provides an ideal opportunity to engage students in hypothesis-driven scientific research. This project involve three cohorts of five (5) students conducting hypothesis-driven, field intensive research in the south-central Andes under the mentorship of a highly qualified team of U.S. and Argentinian mentors. Student researchers will conduct fieldwork within integrated teams consisting of 2-3 student researchers and 1-2 mentors, with the composition of the teams rotating on a regular basis Student collaborators (3 M.Sc., 9 B.Sc.) will be involved in all aspects of field and laboratory analyses, including stratigraphic studies, volcanology, geochronology, geochemistry, and isotopic analyses at UW-Eau Claire, SDSU, U. Arizona and U. Colorado-Boulder. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.