Project Team
Students
Jalen Scott
Earth Sciences
Penn State York, Penn State University Park
Audrey Yin
Environmental Sciences, Computer Sciences
University of Virginia
Faculty Mentors
Tanya Furman
Penn State University Park
Department of Geosciences
Project
https://sites.psu.edu/mcreu/files/formidable/2/2023-07-25/Jalens-MCREU-Poster.pdf
Project Video
Project Abstract
The Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone is a NW-SE trending mountain belt located north of the Zagros Mountains that form the geographic axis of Iran. This region contains the geological history of the Tethys Ocean from its formation until its removal by subduction under the Eurasian plate over 35 million years ago. To understand the magmatic evolution of this area, we studied petrology, mineral chemistry, and bulk rock composition of 30 samples from four field areas. The rocks range in composition from mafic to felsic, with 50-70 wt.% SiO2. Mafic lavas contain ~15% crystals of pyroxene, amphibole, and ilmenite, while the evolved lavas contain plagioclase, orthoclase, and biotite. The chemical compositions of the rocks define two series, one that follows an expected trend containing low alkali contents (Na2O + K2O), and one that has unusually high alkali contents. The two volcanic series record crystallization of the observed minerals from individual magma batches. These data tell us that the geodynamic setting for these rocks does not record uniform conditions of mantle melting. By studying this area, we discover more information about the history of a major ancient ocean, as well as documenting the conditions of fractionation and magmatic evolution over time.
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