Professor Madeleine Humphreys

Professor

Affiliations
Affiliation	Telephone
Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences	+44 (0) 191 33 42343

Biography

My research is in igneous petrology, volcanology and magmatism, with a focus on understanding processes of magma storage, chemical evolution and migration within the crust using both natural materials and experimental approaches. My current research interests include (i) using crystal textures to understand and quantify magma solidification and the physical behaviour of crystal mushes, and (ii) volatiles in volcanic processes, including the timing of fluid exsolution and the enrichment and migration of metals in volcanic settings.

Current and recent research projects include:

using crystal textures combined with apatite geochemistry to interpret crystal mush behaviour in the lead-up to big eruptions (ERC Consolidator; PI)
using plagioclase crystal textures to understand mush processes in arc magmatic systems (NERC; PI)
effects of sintering on transitions in volcanic eruptive behaviour (NERC; Co-I)
defining speciation and structural environments for metals and volatiles complexes in silicate melts (in collaboration with Alex Iveson; Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship)
using apatite volatile geochemistry to interpret the formation conditions for porphyry copper mineralising systems
metal enrichment and extraction from granites

We have a very active volcanology-petrology group in Durham. Currently working in the group with me are: (i) Dr Amanda Lindoo, who is working on crystal shape in plagioclase, (ii) Dr David Colby, who is working on the behaviour of volatiles in apatite; and (iii) Dr Brenna Halverson, who is investigating porosity, permeability and crystal shape change during magma solidification.

Current PhD students include Annabelle Foster, who is working on sintering textures in obsidian (primary supervisor Fabian Wadsworth); Gemma Brown, who is working on apatite volatile geochemistry in the Canary islands; Katie Schofield, who is working on crystal textures and chemistry in plutonic rocks from the Adamello batholith, and Ella Richmond, who is investigating lithium enrichment and mobilisation in granites. I co-supervise Emily Jones (University of St Andrews, primary supervisor Will McCarthy) working on crystal mush properties at Illimaussaq, Greenland.

Current MScR students (2023-2024) are Rebecca Hughes (crystal textures and magma dynamics at Soufrière Hills volcano), Louis Chambers (zoned pumice falls in southern Tenerife, primary supervisor Rich Brown), and Will Nicholson (lithium and trace metal behaviour in the Metaketake pegmatites, NZ, primary supervisor Catriona Menzies).

Recent postdoctoral researchers include Dr Martin Mangler (now at University of Southampton), Dr Alex Iveson, now at PPNL (USA), and Dr Charline Lormand (now at University of Geneva). Recent graduate students include Dr Ceri Allgood (now at University of Lancaster), who worked on dyke propagation and flow, Dr Madeleine Stow, who worked on transition metal stable isotope fractionation in granites (primary supervisor Julie Prytulak); Dr Kris Sokól (St Andrews) who worked on fenite alteration around alkaline intrusions (primary supervisor Adrian Finch); and Eshbal Geifman (now at Trinity College, Dublin) who recently completed her MScR thesis on high-temperature plagioclase crystallisation experiments using a microscope-mounted heating stage.

I am always happy to hear from potential graduate students or post-docs interested in developing projects at Durham.