Professional Background

My research and teaching interests are in the fields of igneous petrology and volcanology. Since joining the faculty at UNLV in 1980, I have concentrated on the study of small volume basalt systems, ash-flow tuff stratigraphy and calderas in central Nevada, and magmatism during regional extension. Much of my earlier work was done in the Lake Mead area of Nevada and Arizona and involved mapping, tectonic reconstruction, and geochemistry.  From the early 1990s to the present, my projects have taken me worldwide including work in Antarctica, Mexico, and Russia.  Additionally, we extended our work to Yellowstone National Park, the Lava Mountains of southern California, and volcanic fields in Utah, Arizona, and central Nevada.  Before coming to Nevada, I worked and did research in Wisconsin, focusing my efforts on the study of Precambrian anorogenic rhyolites and granites. Since 1986, I have been involved with volcanic hazard studies for the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. This work produced new models for the formation of intraplate volcanoes that indicate deep melting of relatively hot mantle to produce basaltic magma.  This idea is very controversial, but recent depth of melting calculations, geophysical models, and tomographic data support the model.  Mentoring graduate students is the most rewarding aspect of my work at UNLV. My students integrate field, geochemical, geochronological, and geophysical data to solve problems about the origin and evolution of magmatic systems. For basaltic systems, our work concentrates on determining the nature and depth of the mantle source. We collaborate with scientists at other universities, the US Geological Survey, and state geological surveys on many of these projects.  Although igneous petrology and volcanology take most of my time, I am also interested in planetary geology.  One of my Ph.D. students (Audrey Rager) is working on a project dealing with rock fragmentation during crater formation and its implication for Mars.  I am grateful that my work has been recognized by UNLV by receiving the Outstanding Researcher Award in the College of Sciences for 1999 and the Harry Reid Nevada Star Award for excellence in research in 2006.  I think that UNLV is an excellent choice for graduate work. Our location in one of the most geologically exciting areas of North America, our excellent faculty, and analytical equipment to support most research projects are some of the reasons to consider UNLV for graduate school.

Educational Background

• Ph.D., University of New Mexico, 1970
• M.S., University of New Mexico, 1968
• B.S., Wayne State University, 1965

Professional Society Memberships

•Geological Society of America (Fellow)
•American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
•American Geophysical Union
•Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science
•Geological Society of Nevada
•IAVCEI
•Mineralogical Society of America
•Phi Kappa Phi

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Teaching

I teach graduate and undergraduate courses related to volcanology and igneous petrology. In the last several years, I have taught the following courses:

Undergraduate:
• GEOL 426 - Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
• Field Geology

Graduate:
• GEOL 710 - Igneous Petrology
• GEOL 742 - Volcanology Seminar

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Research

I am involved in a wide range of research projects and collaborate with colleagues and students at UNLV and at other universities.  Here is a brief list of some of those projects:

The origin of volcanism in intraplate settings.  Pliocene-Recent basaltic volcanism in the southern Basin and Range Province in Nevada, Utah and Arizona is not related to subduction or mantle plumes and occurs after the major pulse of extension.  Research combining field, geochemical, and geophysical studies suggests that mantle processes control the location, timing and volume of volcanism.  This research uses modern geobarometers to calculate melting depths and recent tomographic images to relate melting depths to areas of potentially hot areas of the mantle. Cooperative work with Dr. Clint Conrad and his colleagues at the University of Hawaii-Manoa have shown that upwelling mantle may be generated by shearing and small viscosity variations in the mantle. This process known as “Shear Driven Upwelling” is a unique way of inducing mantle melting and magmatism.  

Pliocene to Recent calc-alkaline volcanism in western Utah (with Racheal Johnsen).  One of the most puzzling attributes of volcanism in western Utah is the presence of abundant subalkaline volcanic units.  In most other volcanic fields in an intraplate tectonic setting — and in particular in the Basin and Range Province — alkali basalt is the dominant eruptive product with little, if any, calc-alkaline intermediate or silicic rocks.  The chemical characteristics of both BRD and MP, while unlike typical intraplate volcanism, are similar to those of continental rift zones like the Rio Grande Rift on the east side of the Colorado Plateau.  In a recent paper by Racheal Johnsen, Robert Biek (Utah Geological Survey), and me, we suggest that recent subalkaline volcanism at the eastern margin of the Basin and Range Province may be signaling the initiation of a rift along the western margin of the Colorado Plateau, similar to the Rio Grande Rift.

Linked volcanic-plutonic complexes. The study of an igneous system is limited by exposure and preservation of the rock record. In most cases, only a portion of the system is exposed (i.e., volcanic or plutonic) and therefore only part of the magmatic history can be studied. Based on work done over the past 20 years, we interpret the River Mountains volcanic section of southern Nevada and the Wilson Ridge Pluton in northwestern Arizona as volcanic and plutonic segments of the same igneous system. The connection between the River Mountains volcanic section and the Wilson Ridge pluton is based on structure, lithology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and geochronology. This study is being done by Ph.D. student Denise Honn.

Fragmentation of rock and pedestal craters on Mars. Many of the craters on Mars may have formed in a water rich regolith and bedrock. The effect of water on the nature of the ejecta blanket about many craters and the way that the target rock fragments during impact is an important question.  Ph.D. student, Audrey Rager, is studying the nature of rock fragmentation by performing experiments at high temperature and pressure using the unique shock tube equipment at Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) in Munich, Germany.  Donald Dingwell and Betty Scheu at LMU are helping with this work.

Ash-flow stratigraphy and the location of volcanic centers in central Nevada. Over the past several years, UNLV graduate students have worked in the Kawich, Reveille, and Quinn Canyon Ranges with the purpose of characterizing volcanic stratigraphy and locating source calderas. Denise Honn located five calderas in the Kawich Range, Matt McKelvey identified a caldera in the southern Reveille Range, and Christi Emery is currently working on the ash-flow tuff stratigraphy in the southern Quinn Canyon Range.

Other projects of interest.  The petrogenesis of Mutnovsky Volcano in Kamchatka, Russia with Adam Simon and Kelly Robertson, and Russian colleagues Alexey Kiryukhin and Oleg Selyangin.

Mantle dynamics and water content across the western United States and its relationship to magmatism. This work is being done in cooperation with Terry Plank at Columbia University.

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Selected Research Publications

Smith, E., Honn, D., and Johnsen, R., 2010, Volcanoes of the McCullough Range, southern Nevada, in Umhoefer, P.J., Beard, L.S., and Lamb, M.A., eds., Miocene Tectonics of the Lake Mead Region, Central Basin and Range: Geological Society of America Special Paper 463, p. 203–219, doi: 10.1130/2010.2463(09). -- PDF --

(IN PRESS) Johnsen, Racheal, Smith, E.I., Biek, R., 2010, Intraplate volcanism in the Black Rock Desert and Markagunt Plateau, Utah: Utah Geological Association Volume.

Conrad, C.P., Wu, Benjun, Smith, E.I., Bianco, Todd, Tibbetts, Ashley, 2010, Shear-Driven Upwelling Induced by Lateral Viscosity Variations and Asthenospheric Shear: A Mechanism for Intraplate Volcanism: Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, doi: 10:1016/j.pepi2009.10.101. -- PDF --

Honn, D.K. and Smith, E.I., 2008, The mid-Miocene Wilson Ridge Pluton and River Mountains Volcanic Section, Lake Mead Area of Nevada and Arizona: Linking a Volcanic and Plutonic Section, in Duebenforfer, E.M., and Smith , E.I., Geological Society of America Field Guide II: Field Guide to Plutons, Volcanoes, Faults, Reefs, Dinosaurs,and Possible Glaciation in Selected Areas of Arizona, California, and Nevada: Geological Society of America Field Guide 11, p. 1-20.

Smith, E.I., Conrad, C.P., Plank, T., Tibbetts, A., Keenan, D., 2008, Testing Models for Basaltic Volcanism: Implications for Yucca Mountain, Nevada: American Nuclear Society, Proceedings of the 12th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference, p. 157-164.

Ho, C.-H., Smith, E.I., and Keenan, D.L., 2006, Hazard Area and Probability of Volcanic Disruption of the Proposed High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository at Yucca Mountain: Bulletin of Volcanology, v. 69, no. 2, p. 117-123.

Smith, E.I. and Bennett, K., 2006, The Panther Creek Volcano, Yellowstone National Park: Yellowstone Science, v. 14, no. 1, p. 5-12.

Smith, E.I. and Keenan, D.L., 2005, Yucca Mountain Could Face Greater Volcanic Threat: EOS, Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, v. 86, no. 35, p. 317.

Smith, E.I., Sánchez, A., Keenan, D.L., Monastero, F.C., 2002, Stratigraphy and Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks in the Lava Mountains, California: Implications for the Miocene Development of the Garlock Fault, in Allen Glazner, J.D. Walker, and John Bartley, Geologic Evolution of the Central Mojave Desert and Southern Basin and Range: Geological Society of America Memoir 195, p. 151-160. -- PDF --

Keenan, D.L. and Smith, E.I., 2002, Geological Map of the Western Lava Mountains Volcano: Zipped Adobe pdf file to accompany the article: Smith, E.I., Sánchez, A., Keenan, D.L., Monastero, F.C., 2002, Stratigraphy and Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks in the Lava Mountains, California: Implications for the Miocene Development of the Garlock Fault, in Allen Glazner, J.D. Walker, and John Bartley, Geologic Evolution of the Central Mojave Desert and Southern Basin and Range: Geological Society of America Memoir 195, p. 151-160.

Smith, E.I., Keenan, D.L., and Plank, T., 2002, Episodic Volcanism and Hot Mantle: Implications for Volcanic Hazard Studies at the Proposed Nuclear Waste Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada: GSA Today, v. 12, no. 4, p. 4-11. -- PDF --

Wang, K., Plank, T., Walker, J.D., and Smith, E.I., 2001, A Mantle Melting Profile Across the Basin and Range, Southwestern USA: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 107, no. B1, 10.1029/2001JB000209. -- PDF --

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Students

My students are involved in a wide variety of interesting projects in volcanology, igneous petrology, and planetary geology. Here are 10 of the most recent projects:

•Audrey Rager (Ph.D.), Fragmentation of Martian regolith and the formation of pedestal craters (work in progress).

•Denise Honn (Ph.D.), Linking a volcanic-plutonic system in the River Mountains and Wilson Ridge Pluton (work in progress).

•Racheal Johnsen (Ph.D.), Calc-Alkaline and Tholeiitic volcanism from subduction to post-extension: a study of three volcanic fields (work in progress).

•Christi Emery (M.S.), Volcanology of the southern Quinn Canyon Range, central Nevada (work in progress).

•Ashley Tibbetts, 2010, Petrogenesis of the Greenwater Range, comparison to the Crater Flat Volcanic Field, and implications for hazard assessment [M.S. thesis]: Las Vegas, University of Nevada, 141 p.

•Matt McKelvey, 2007, Geology of the southern Reveille Range, Nye County, Nevada [M.S. thesis]: Las Vegas, University of Nevada, 97 p.

•Kristeen Bennett, 2006, Petrogenesis of Pleistocene basalts in the Norris-Mammoth Corridor, Yellowstone National Park [MS thesis]: Las Vegas, University of Nevada, 120 p.

•Shara Leavitt, 2006, Volcanology and petrogenesis of the Navajo Lake Volcanic Field, Utah [MS thesis]: Las Vegas, University of Nevada, 94 p.

•Denise Honn, 2005, Nested Calderas of the northern Kawich Range, central Nevada  [MS thesis]: Las Vegas, University of Nevada, 92 p.

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