Dr. Timothy Peters

Postdoctoral Fellow
E-mail:[email protected]

The Center for Lunar Science and Exploration
The Lunar and Planetary Institute, USRA
3600 Bay Area Blvd
Houston, Texas 77058, USA

Planetary radiogenic isotope geochemist

Vanderbilt University: Ph.D. (2012)
Royal Holloway, University of London: MSc. (2005)
Royal Holloway, University of London: BSc. (2004)

I am a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Astromaterials Research Office at NASA Johnson Space Center and The Universities Space Research Association Lunar and Planetary Institute.

I have an extensive background in the application of bulk rock and in-situ mineral radiogenic and trace element geochemistry to issues associated with mantle melting, basalt petrogenesis, metamorphic and igneous petrology, mountain building and crustal recycling, and hydrothermal and metasomatic processes.

My research is centered upon the formation and evolution of geochemical reservoirs in Terrestrial planets, specifically Earth and Mars. I am particularly interested in exploring:

The temporal relationship between crustal formation and mantle differentiation during planetary evolution using radiogenic isotopes.
The role of volatile and metasomatic components on the redistribution of geochemical components between planetary reservoirs (i.e. Crust, Mantle, Core, etc).
How the contrasting plate tectonic regimes between Earth and Mars can be used to better understand the probability and distribution of other potentially habitable planets throughout the universe.

I am currently involved with a NASA funded research project¹ that aims to measure the abundance of volatile components (H, C, S, Cl, and F) and Pb isotope composition of olivine-hosted melt inclusions in Martian basaltic meteorites [SNC; shergottite, nakhlite, chassignite], using in situ ion microprobe analyses. My role is to collaborate with researchers in the University of California Los Angeles Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Laboratory² (CAMECA ims-1270) to measure the in-situ micron-scale Pb isotope composition of selected melt inclusions.

Through the integration of volatile abundances and Pb isotopes we aim to:

Significantly expand our knowledge of the diversity of Martian crust-mantle geochemical reservoirs.
Investigate of the origin of these reservoirs that reflect the planetary differentiation processes of early Mars.
Provide critical constraints on the nature and evolution of the Martian atmosphere and probably hydrosphere.

¹ Olivine-hosted melt inclusions in Martian meteorites: the search for primordial volatile abundances and lead isotopic source components of Martian magmas. NASA Mars Fundamental Research Program grant awarded to Dr. Tomohiro Usui.
² http://sims.ess.ucla.edu/

Professional organization membership:

Geochemical Society
American Geophysical Union
The Geological Society of America
The Meteoritical Society

Publications:

Peters, T.J. Ayers, J.C. (in-prep). Experimental synthesis and trace-element partitioning between Zircon (ZrSiO4) and hydrothermal fluids at High-Pressure (1.5 GPa) and High-Temperatures (800-900°C).
Peters, T.J. Ayers, J.C. Gao, S. Liu, X-M. (In-Prep). Zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic constraints on fluid reactions in the lower crust provided by a retrograded Ultra-high-pressure tonalitic orthogneiss from the Luotian Dome, Central China.
Ayers J.C., Zhang L., Peters T. (2012). Solubility of zircon and baddeleyite in neutral to alkaline aqueous fluids at upper crustal conditions. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Volume 96, 1 November 2012, Pages 18–28
Peters, T.J. Ayers, J.C. Gao, S. Liu, X-M. (2012). The origin and response of zircon in eclogite to metamorphism during the multi-stage evolution of the Huwan Shear Zone, China: Insights from Lu-Hf-U-Pb isotopic and trace-element geochemistry. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2012.05.008.
Peters, T.J,. Menzies, M., Thirlwall, M., Kyle. P., (2008). Zuni-Bandera volcanism, Rio Grande, USA – melt formation in garnet- and spinel- facies mantle straddling the asthenosphere-lithosphere boundary. Lithos. Vol 102, 1–2, pp 295-315. 10.1016/j.lithos.2007.08.006

Abstracts and Posters:

Ayers, J C, Zhang, L, Luo, Y, Peters, T J, (2012), Zircon and baddeleyite solubility in alkaline aqueous fluids, Goldschmidt Conference 2012. Montréal, Canada
Peters, T J, Ayers J C, (2010), Experimental measurement of trace-element partitioning between zircon and hydrothermal fluids at High Pressure (1.5 GPa) metamorphic conditions. Fall 2010 Meeting San Francisco, U.S.A
Peters, T J, Ayers J C (2010), Preliminary report on the experimental measurement of trace-element partitioning between zircon and hydrothermal metamorphic fluids at High/Ultra-High Pressure conditions. Goldschmidt Conference 2010. Knoxville TN, U.S.A
Peters, T J, Ayers J C, Gao S, Liu X-M, (2009), The response of zircon in eclogite to metamorphism during the multi-stage evolution of the Huwan Shear Zone, China: Insights from Lu-Hf-U-Pb isotopic and trace-element geochemistry. Section V27 AGU. Fall 2009 Meeting San Francisco, U.S.A
Peters, T J, Ayers J C (2009), Experimental investigation into the partitioning behavior of hydrothermal zircon (ZrSiO4) at 1.5 to 3.5 GPa: Tracing metamorphic fluids and deep-crustal evolution processes during High/Ultra-High pressure metamorphism. EURISPET-Granada: High-pressure metamorphism and subduction zones. Granada, Spain
Miller, C F, Miller, J S, Claiborne, L L, Gualda, G A R, Peters, T J, (2008), Generating high-silica rhyolites: Plutonic and volcanic perspectives from the Colorado River Region, Nevada-Arizona, USA: abstracts, IAVCEI 2008, General Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Miller, C.F., J.S. Miller, L.L. Claiborne, G.A.R. Gualda and T.J. Peters, (2008), Highly-evolved silicic magmas: Volcanic vs. plutonic conundrums. Goldschmidt Conference Abstracts A629. Vancouver, Canada.
Peters, T,. Menzies, M., Thirlwall, M., Kyle. P., (2006). Zuni-Bandera volcanism, Rio Grande, USA – melt formation in garnet- and spinel- facies mantle straddling the asthenosphere-lithosphere boundary. “International Conference on Continental Volcanism” IAVCEI 2006, May 14–18, Guangzhou, China