Sedimentary Geology

Sedimentology and stratigraphy of continental, coastal and shallow marine clastic depositional systems. 
Chris Fielding and his students examine stratigraphic stacking patterns in modern and ancient glacial, fluvial, coastal plain and shallow marine successions in order to ascertain environments of deposition, controls on stratigraphic architecture, and petroleum system characteristics. The Fielding lab is currently undertaking field-based studies in western and midwest USA, Atlantic Canada, eastern Australia, and Antarctica.

Carbonate sedimentology, geochemistry, and Earth systems history. 
Tracy Frank and her students examine the sedimentology, petrography, and isotope geochemistry of marine carbonates to examine past changes in climate, the oceans, and depositional environments. Projects combine field and laboratory work. The Frank lab is currently undertaking field-based studies in the central and southwest USA, Australia, and Antarctica. These efforts are complemented by studies of drillcores obtained by he Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, ANDRILL, and petroleum companies.

Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating of sands. 
Richard Kettler uses instrumentation in the Optically Stimulated Luminescence Laboratory to determine the burial age of sand grains in a wide-range of eolian, beach, fluvial and glacio-fluvial deposits.

Sedimentology, stratigraphy, surficial processes and landscape evolution. 
Matt Joeckel and his students examine the stratigraphy, sedimentology, and geochemistry of Paleozoic and Mesozoic strata to ascertain long-term changes in climate and environment in the central US. Paleosols provide a particular focus of study. Current field-based efforts are focused in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Utah.

Geochemistry of iron, carbon, sulfur, and organic molecules. 
Richard Kettler and his students examine the geochemistry of iron, carbon, sulfur, and organic molecules to explore such diverse topics as the biogeochemistry of thermoacidophilic microbes, the chemistry of meteorite parent bodies, and the origin of life. Other efforts involve examining the Fe-C-S chemistry of rocks to investigate how factors like diagenesis and ocean chemistry control the distribution of ore deposits.