Current Research

From an orbit high above the surface of Venus, the Magellan spacecraft gathered a wealth of information about the planet's surface including radar images, gravity, altimetry and emissivity data. I use these data sets to map the geology of large magmatic centers, called "intratessera flood-lava basins (ITBs)". ITBs show up in radar images as relatively undeformed radar-dark patches surrounded by radar-bright, highly deformed tessera terrain and represent smooth lava flows emplaced within local topographic lows. ITBs are common on crustal plateaus, sub-continent-sized regions of thick, folded and fractured crust. Tellus Regio (left), one of seven crustal plateau on Venus, hosts many ITBs. I have mapped in detail a particular Tellus ITB, the waffle basin. Temporal relationships at the waffle basin indicate that waffle basin volcanism occured during Tellus' formation.

It is widely belived that ITBs relatively young features superimposed on crustal plateau tectonic fabric. However, my work shows that at least some ITBs represent volcanism that accompanied plateau formation. If other ITBs also occurred during crustal plateau formation as I suspect, they provide a critical constraint for modeling crustal plateau evolution: models must account for widespread volcanism during plateau formation. I am currently mapping other Tellus ITBs to determined their timing relative to crustal plateau tectonism. Abundant volcanism during crustal plateau construction is consistent with the upwelling model for plateau formation. In contrast, abundant crustal plateau volcanism would not be expected in a downwelling environment.

My research requires that I draw from a broad range of geological disciplines including structural geology, tectonics, volcanology, remote sensing, geomorphology and geodynamics.

Previous Experience

I received a B. S. geology degree from the University of North Carolina. As an undergraduate, I mapped a portion of a major shear zone in the Blue Ridge of North Carolina and examined the rock fabric to determine shear zone kinematics. After graduating from UNC, I worked as a geologicst for Law Engineering and Environmental Services, Raleigh where I managed geotechnical exploration programs for North Carolina Department of Transportation bridge foundation investigations. I was responsible for aquiring all necessary surface and subsurface data and for generating geotechnical reports including text and graphics.