Chris Ballentine

Research Interests

Research projects in my group fall into two areas: Earth and Planetary Science and Crustal Fluid Systems. Our understanding of how the Earth gained its atmoshere, oceans and volatile elements within the mantle remain a fundamental science challenge. Projects will investigate key mantle systems that record the geochemical evolution and interaction between the deep mantle and surface over planetary history. Fluids in the continental crust form mineral deposits, hydrocarbon reserves, and drinking water supplies. Water rock reactions provide the energy for deep microbial biomes, isolated on planetary timescales. Projects in this area will focus on a topical science question that can range from energy/mineral resources to tracing the processes controlling the migration and chemistry of critical carbon rich fluids in the deep crystalline basement. Projects in both fields will use noble gas isotope tracers as the first line tool to define the fluid processes occuring in the systems studied.

Follow this link to current DPhil topics in Earth Sciences

Personal Research Keywords

volatile origins, mantle structure and evolution, geochemistry, crustal fluid systems, geological carbon cycle