DoctorSarah Smithies

In my research, I build conceptual models of the origin and distribution of magma, aiding our understanding of the source of geothermal energy and the distribution of igneous ore deposits. I do this by combining field observations, geochemical analyses of volcanic rocks, and thermodynamic models to understand the depth, pressure, temperature, and composition of magma before it erupted.

My current research focuses on:

• Using the composition and texture of plutonic lithics that are brought to the surface during caldera eruptions to reconstruct the dynamics of magma mush, its temporal evolution, and how magma mush generates eruptible magma.
• Data science approaches to understand regional-scale spatial and temporal trends.
• Geothermobarometry with melt and mineral compositions to track the temperature-pressure-compositional evolution of magma.