Mineralogy and Petrology
Sarah E. Mazza
Assistant Professor
Department of Geosciences
Lab Updates:
Summer 2023: After a spring sabbatical devoted to writing and sample preparation, I had the opportunity to work at LLNL as a visiting scientist and collected exciting new Zn and W isotopic data!
In preparation for Fall 2023: I have several projects for all levels of undergraduate students in the works including continued analysis of mafic sediments from Bermuda, petrographic surveys of both Bermuda and New Hampshire samples to support ongoing projects, and whole rock analysis of basalts from Lassen National Park.
Recent Publications and Press Releases
New Science Communication Article published in The Science Breaker!
Tracing dehydration and melting of the subducted slab with tungsten isotopes in arc lavas
• The W stable isotope composition of bulk earth is equal to chondritic values.
• Cold, fluid-rich subduction zones have heavy W stable isotope compositions.
• Hot, dry subduction zones have light W stable isotope compositions.
• Tungsten stable isotopes have the potential to be used as a tracer for slab dehydration.
Sampling the Volatile Rich Transition Zone beneath Bermuda
Cool Scientific Discoveries from Friends and Colleagues:
The Solar System. Dinosaurs. Donkey Kong. What is the missing link? Surprisingly enough, it's meteorites. They explain our past, constructed our present, and could define our future.
Fun, pop-science book on Meteorites by friend and colleague Greg Brennecka.
https://www.harperacademic.com/book/9780063078956/impact/
“The significant reorganization of the early solar system due to giant planet migration has hampered our understanding of where planetary bodies formed,” said Jan Render, LLNL postdoc and lead author of the paper. “And by looking at the makeup of meteorites from the asteroid belt, we were able to determine that their parent bodies must have accreted from materials from very different locations in the early solar system.”