Research | Heather Kirkpatrick

The tectonic geomorphology of Eastern Tibet

I use cosmogenic nuclide measurements from quartz in eastern Tibet river sediments and various datasets and tools including SRTM 90m SRTM digital elevation models (SRTM DEM), TRMM precipitation data, lithology maps, vegetation data, ArcGIS, and TopoToolbox for Matlab, among other tools, to understand the topographic development of eastern Tibet. Click here for our recent paper published in Geology.

Zr isotopic variations in zircon

I am developing measurements of Zr isotope fractionation in zircon on the Cameca ims1290 and applying this measurement to terrestrial magmatic systems. Previously, Zr isotopes have mostly been measured using techniques that require a sample to be dissolved. I am developing it as an in-situ measurement which will consume less sample and be much faster. Click here, here, or here for conference abstracts related to this work. I also received a GSA Student Research Grant to fund a portion of this work.

Geochemistry of early Earth

There are 13 sites on Earth that contain zircons (a type of mineral) older than ~4 billion years old. By analyzing these minerals, we can begin to understand their formation environment and the environment of early Earth. I am analyzing accessory minerals from Western Australia using the two ion probes and a scanning electrion microscope (SEM) with EDAX at UCLA. Please click here for a recent paper which examines the potential of a geodynamo during the Hadean. I received a GSA student research grant to fund a portion of this work.

Conference Presentations and Publications

Papers

Borlina, C.S., Weiss, B.P., Lima, E.A., Tang, F., Taylor, R.J.M., Einsle, J.F., Harrison, R.J., Fu, R.R., Bell, E.A., Alexander, E.W., Kirkpatrick, H.M., Wielicki, M.M., Harrison, T.M., Ramezani, J., and Maloof, A.C., 2020, Science Advances: Questioning the Evidence for a Hadean-Eoarchean Dynamo, v.6 no. 15, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aav9634.
Kirkpatrick, H.M., Moon, S., Yin, A., and Harrison, T.M., 2020, Geology: Impact of fault damage on eastern Tibet topography: https://doi.org/10.1130/G48179.1.

Conference Abstracts

Kirkpatrick H, Harrison M, Liu M-C, Bell E, Tissot F & Ibañez-Mejia M (2020), δ94/90Zr Variations in Granites, Goldschmidt Abstracts, 2020 1325.
Kirkpatrick, H., T.M. Harrison, M.-C.- Liu, E.A. Bell, F. Tissot, and M. Ibanez-Mejia (2019), Zr Isotope Variations in Zircon as an Indicator of Magmatic Differentiation, Abstract V51E-0090 will be presented at 2019 Fall Meeting, AGU, Washington. D.C. (poster)
Kirkpatrick H., Harrison T.M., Liu M.-C., Tissot F. & Ibanez-Mejia M (2019), In situ d94/90Zr Variations in Zircon, Goldschmidt Abstracts, 2019 1696 (poster and flash talk)
Kirkpatrick, H. and S. Moon (2018), Analyzing Lithologic and Tectonic Controls on Erosion Rates in the Min Shan Region of Eastern Tibet, Abstract T23B-0350 presented at 2018 Fall Meeting, AGU, Washington. D.C., 10-14. (poster)
Borlina, C.S., B.P. Weiss, E.A. Lima, F. Tang, r. Taylor, J.F. Einsle, R.J. Harrison, R.R. Fu, E.A. Bell, E. Alexander, H. Kirkpatrick, M.M. Wielicki, T.M. Harrison, J. Ramezani, A. Maloof. (2018), Revisiting the Evidence for a Hadean-Eoarchean Dynamo, Abstract GP32A-08 presented at 2018 Fall Meeting, AGU, Washington, D.C., 10-14 Dec.
Kirkpatrick, H., S. Moon, T.M. Harrison, A. Yin. (2018), Quantifying 10Be-derived Erosion Rates from the Min Shan in the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, presented at 2018 Southern California Geomorphology Symposium, Pasadena, CA. 5 May 2018. (talk)
Kirkpatrick, H., S. Moon, T.M. Harrison, A. Yin. (2017), Quantifying 10Be-derived Erosion Rates from the Min Shan in the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau, Abstract T44B-03 presented at 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, L.A., 11-15 Dec. (talk)
Borlina, C.S., B.P. Weiss, E.A. Lima, R.R. Fu, E.A. Bell, E. Alexander, H. Kirkpatrick, M.M. Wielicki, T.M. Harrison, J. Ramezani, R. Harrison, J.F. Einsle. (2017), Paleomagnetism of Hadean to Neoarchean Detrital Zircons from the Jack Hills, Western Australia, Abstract DI33B-0417 presented at 2017 Fall Meeting, AGU, New Orleans, L.A., 11-15 Dec.

Analytical Skills

Matlab (intermediate: 3 years)
ArcGIS (advanced: 4 years)
Tescan Vega-3 XMU variable-pressure (VP) Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with EDAX energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS) system (advanced: 3.5 years)
Cameca ims1270 ion microprobe (3.5 years’ experience)
Cameca ims1290 ion microprobe (3.5 years’ experience)
Jeol JXA-8200 Superprobe (user)
Sample preparation including rock crushing, chemical leaching, density separation, mineral identification, and mount preparation (advanced: 3 years)