
Professor Tim Elliott
B.A.(Cantab.), Ph.D.(Open)
Expertise
I am an isotope geochemist who studies planetary formation and evolution. Specific interests range from modern geological processes to meteorite cosmochemistry, using an approach that focusses on high precision isotope analyses.
Current positions
Professor
School of Earth Sciences
Contact
Press and media
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Research interests
My research focuses on the chemical evolution of the Earth and other rocky bodies. I am interested in the history of the solar nebula, planetary formation and differentiation, sampling of the hidden Earth via melts, interaction of the deep and surface terrestrial reservoirs and how this has influenced the surface environment.
My tools of choice are dominantly isotopic, in tandem with elemental abundance measurements and judicious application of petrology and fieldwork. I have developed measurements of novel isotopic systems and am enthused by the new vistas of isotopic determination offered by plasma mass-spectrometry and their combination with collision cells.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
AH/Z505808/1 AHRC Centre for Chemical Characterisation in Heritage Science (C3HS) at the University of Bristol (RICHeS Access Fund)
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/04/2026 to 31/03/2031
AH/Z505808/1 AHRC Centre for Chemical Characterisation in Heritage Science (C3HS) at the University of Bristol
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/09/2024 to 31/08/2026
Characterising the agents of major solar system isotopic heterogeneity
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/04/2024 to 31/03/2027
Ke Zhu MSCA PF: Constraining the origin of chondrules and tracking the early Solar System history using vanadium, chromium and magnesium isotopes
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/05/2023 to 30/04/2025
Planetary Science at Bristol
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Earth SciencesDates
01/04/2021 to 31/03/2025
Thesis supervisions
Tracing crustal recycling and mantle mixing using novel stable isotopes
Supervisors
The tungsten isotopic evolution of the silicate Earth
Supervisors
Novel Records of Continental Growth from Multi-collector, Collision Cell Mass Spectrometry
Supervisors
Evolution of the Archean mantle
Supervisors
The timing and duration of Archean ‘porphyry-type’ deposits
Supervisors
Tracking Solar Nebula Evolution with the Analysis of Single Chondrules
Supervisors
Tracking terrestrial mantle mixing using W isotope measurements
Supervisors
Vestiges of earliest crust
Supervisors
The titanium isotopic composition of stardust and other meteoritic components
Supervisors
Hydrochemistry and Environmental isotopes in a mixed carbonate-evaporite system aquifer, Qatar
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
01/06/2026Lunar mantle differentiation and Earth–Moon similarity constrained by Ni stable isotopes
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Assessing the timing of deep ocean oxygenation from uranium elemental and isotopic compositions of ophiolites
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Comparing Geochemical and Geodynamical Models of Plume and Ridge Mantle Source Composition
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Constraints from uranium and molybdenum isotope ratios on the origin of enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Coupled strontium-calcium isotopes in Archean anorthosites reveal a late start for mantle depletion
Nature Communications



