Tanya Furman

Research Summary

My research is motivated by fundamental questions of whole Earth evolution. A key geodynamic question is how large-scale mass transfer occurs between deep and shallow regions of the mantle. This question is important because the phenomena of mantle plume activity, continental rifting and plate convergence are intimately linked to the thermo-chemical structure of the deep Earth. Related questions are the extent to which the mantle preserves geochemically discrete reservoirs, and how chemical heterogeneities from the mantle are manifest in the compositions of mafic lavas. Research in East Africa, Turkey and Saudi Arabia explores the geochemical consequences of large- and small-scale lithospheric delamination associated with slab rollback and/or breakoff and lithospheric drip magmatism. Research throughout the East African Rift System evaluates models of continental break-up and the initiation of oceanic rift segmentation using structural and geochemical evidence. My work also includes study of the dynamics of volcanism and lithospheric modification in subduction environments. These volcanoes have the capacity for explosive activity that could prove fatal to millions of people, so characterizing magmatic processes and eruptive behavior is critical. My approach to these questions combines field work, geochemical analysis and microanalysis of mineral textures and compositions to determine thermal, chemical and physical properties of eruptive systems. My ultimate goal is to develop a robust model of lithospheric behavior that compares and contrasts the geochemical effects of disturbance in extensional and compressional tectonic environments.