
Dr Joel Rodney
PhD, MSc
Expertise
I am an isotope geochemist interested in understanding the long term chemical evolution of Earths mantle. My work focuses on using novel stable isotopes to investigate crustal recycling and mantle chemical heterogeneity.
Current positions
Senior Research Associate
School of Earth Sciences
Contact
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Biography
I moved to Bristol in 2019 to start a PhD in mantle isotope geochemistry. My research primarilly focused on using novel stable isotopes to investigate the processes of crustal recycling and the generation of chemical heterogeneity in the mantle. The main "stable" isotope systems I worked with were, Uranium, Molybdenum, and Potassium. I worked on a variety of geologic samples to tackle various research questions, such as the onset of deep ocean oxygenation; alteration of the oceanic crust; global variations in MORB; N-MORB vs E-MORB geochemistry; subduction zone processing.
I am now a postdoctoral research focusing on expanding our database of global MORB measurments to investigate the degree of chemical heterogeneity in the upper mantle. My work is part of a larger project, MC2 - Mantle convection constrained, which aims to use geochemial and geophysical constraints to develop geodynamic models of mantle convection over the past one billion years.
Research interests
My research focuses on measuring novel stable isotope systems to investigate the long term chemical evolution of the Earths mantle.
Research areas
I am interested understanding the geochemical processes involved during crustal recycling and how chemical heterogeneity in the mantle is created, preserved and destroyed. I measure high precision stable isotope ratios of elements such as Uranium, Molybdenum, and Potassium in various geological materials to tackle these research questions. Current research topics include: the onset of deep ocean oxygenation; alteration of the oceanic crust; global variations in MORB; N-MORB vs E-MORB geochemistry; subduction zone processing; method development of emerging isotope systems.
Publications
Recent publications
Thesis
Tracing crustal recycling and mantle mixing using novel stable isotopes
Supervisors
Award date
03/10/2023