Research Statement

The formation of continental crust has involved complex tectonic processes, many of which have evolved through time. By combining U-Pb geochronology and thermochronology with structural mapping and analysis, metamorphic study, thermobarometry, and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic studies, the detailed tectonic histories of select critical regions can be unraveled and the secular evolution of tectonic processes can be evaluated. As a complement to these broad goals, I have investigated the behavior of isotopic systems during metamorphism and continue to develop reliable methods to directly date deformation and metamorphism and to determine cooling histories.

Recent and current investigations include:

• The Proterozoic tectonic history of the southeastern Wyoming Province, the origin and development of the Proterozoic Mojave-Yavapai boundary in northwestern Arizona;
• The age and tectonic significance of a Mid-Proterozoic magmatic complex in the southern Belt basin;
• The Archean tectonic history of the Ferris Mountains in central Wyoming; and
• Mesozoic metamorphism and extension in the Basin and Range Province in northeastern Nevada.

My interest in developing reliable methods to date metamorphism and deformation directly has led to studies of metamorphic zircon, sphene, apatite, garnet, rutile and monazite.

Current projects

• Investigating the utility of U-Pb ages of sphene from a high-grade, Proterozoic mylonite zone;
• Using a high temperature contact aureole to investigate growth, recrystallization and diffusion effects on U-Pb sphene ages during multiple metamorphic events;
• Applying ion microprobe mass spectrometry to distinguish age domains from diffusion fronts in sphene; and
• Investigating the role of micro-inclusions of zircon and monazite in garnet geochronology.

A key aspect to these efforts is the integration of isotopic data with microtextural analysis and determinations of the mineral-producing metamorphic reactions.

Selected Publications

Jikai Ding^{a, b,} *, Shihong Zhang^a, *, Hanqing Zhao^a, David A.D. Evans^b, Kevin R. Chamberlain^c, Meinan Shi^a, Haiyan Li^a, Tianshui Yang^a, Huaichun Wu^a, Richard E. Ernst , 2025, Stepwise breakup of supercontinent Nuna: A synthesis with new ca. 1236 Ma paleomagnetic data from the North China craton: Geology, v. 53, p. 562–566, https://doi .org /10 .1130 /G53039 .1

Claudia G. Richbourg¹, Lily J. Jackson^2,3, Kevin R. Chamberlain², Ian M. Miller⁴, Kirk R. Johnson⁵, Ellen D. Currano, 2025, Leaf functional traits, insect herbivory and fungal damage on early Eocene leaf compression fossils, Dolus Hill, WY. American Journal of Botany, online May 6, 2025.  (http://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.70033) 

Bruna Maria Borba de Carvalho, Brian Cousens; Kevin Chamberlain; Chris Hunter; Richard Ernst, 2025, New U-Pb baddeleyite ages and geochemistry of mafic rocks of Matthews Ridge, NW Guyana: Extension of the Paleoproterozoic Avanavero Large Igneous Province. Lithos https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2025.107982

Garza, H.K., Catlos, E.J., Brookfield, M.E., Malkowski, M.A., Chamberlain, K.R., Loewy, S.L. and Stockli, D.F., 2024. Detrital U-Pb ages for the first well-preserved vascular plant Cooksonia from the UK and Irish macrofossil record. Geological Magazine, 161, p.e19.

Ding, J., Rogers, C., Ulf Söderlund^{d, e}, David A.D. Evans^a, Zheng Gong^{a, f}, Richard E. Ernst^c, Kevin Chamberlain^g, Taylor Kilian, 2024, Paleomagnetic evidence for Neoarchean plate mobilism. Nat Commun 15, 10814. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55117-w

Lingang Xu^{1, 2}, Andrey Bekker^{3, 4}, Kevin Chamberlain⁵, Bernd Lehmann⁶, Jingwen Mao^{1, 2}, Hao Yan¹, 2024, Termination of Sturtian glaciation due to multiple volcanic eruptions, Earth-Science Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104826

Aleksandr D. Savelev^a, Andrey K. Khudoley^a, Sergey V. Malyshev^a, Kevin R. Chamberlain^b, Richard E. Ernst^c,d, Anna A. Pazukhina^a, Andrei V. Prokopiev^e, Ulf Söderlund^f, Olga Yu. Lebedeva^g, H. El Bilali^c , 2024, 980-970 Ma Sette-Daban event of the Siberian Craton: new geochronological and geochemical data, relationship to LIP and potential connection with other LIPs. International Geology Review, 66(20), 3606–3629. DOI: 10.1080/00206814.2024.2349899.

White, L.F., Moser, D.E., Darling, J.R., Rider-Stokes, B.G., Hyde, B., Tait, K.T., Chamberlain, K., Schmitt, A.K., Dunlop, J. and Anand, M., 2024. Accessory mineral microstructure and chronology reveals no evidence for late heavy bombardment on the asteroid 4-Vesta. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 636, p.118694.

Daniel Condon, Blair Schoene, Mark Schmitz, Urs Schaltegger, Ryan Ickert, Yuri Amelin, Lars Augland, Kevin Chamberlain, Drew Coleman, James Connelly, Fernando Corfu, James Crowley, Joshua Davies, Steven Denyszyn, Michael Eddy, Larry Heaman, Magdalena Huyskens, Sean Gaynor, Sandra Kamo, Jennifer Kasbohm, C. Brenhin Keller, Scott MacLennan, Noah McLean, Stephen Noble, Maria Ovtcharova, André Paul, Jahandar Ramezani, Matthew Rioux, Diana Sahy, James Scoates, Dawid Szymanowski, Simon Tapster, Marion Tichomirowa, Corey Wall, Jörn-Frederik Wotzlaw, Chuan Yang, and Qingzhu Yin. 2024, Recommendations for the Reporting and Interpretation of Isotope Dilution U-Pb Geochronological Information. GSA Bulletin (2024) https://doi.org/10.1130/B37321.1

Aleksandr Pasenko, Aleksandr D. Savelev^a, Andrey K. Khudoley^a, Sergey V. Malyshev^a, Kevin R. Chamberlain, 2023-2024, Age, Composition, and Paleomagnetism of Dolerite–Gabbro Dolerite Intrusions of the Western Slope of the Anabar Massif: The Issue of Vendian Magmatism in the Region. ISSN 1028-334X, Doklady Earth Sciences, 2024. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2024. DOI: 10.1134/S1028334X2360278X. English: ISSN 1028-334X, Doklady Earth Sciences, 2024, Vol. 514, Part 2, pp. 228–233. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2024.

Garza HK, Catlos EJ, Chamberlain KR, Suarez SE, Brookfield ME, Stockli DF, and Batchelor RA, 2023, How old is the Ordovician–Silurian boundary at Dob’s Linn, Scotland? Integrating LA-ICP-MS and CA-IDTIMS U-Pb zircon dates. Geological Magazine https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756823000717

Axel K Schmitt, Allen Kennedy, Kevin Chamberlain, 2024, Ion microprobe accessory mineral geochronology in Methods and Applications of Geochronology, eds. Greg Shellnutt, Steven Denyszyn, Kenshi Suga, Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-443-18803-9, Chapter 3: p.53-103 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-18803-9.00015-8

James B. Chapman¹, Cody Pridmore², Kevin Chamberlain², Gordon Haxel^3,4, Mihai Ducea, 2023, Himalayan-like crustal melting and differentiation in the southern North American Cordilleran anatectic belt during the Laramide orogeny: Coyote Mountains, Arizona. J Pet. p.egad075. 64, 1-21.

Cláudia T. Augustin, James E. Mungall, Maria E. Schutesky, Kevin Chamberlain, Richard E. Ernst, 2023, U-Pb in-situ SIMS Baddeleyite dates and Thermodynamic modeling in Mangabal Complex: indications for asthenospheric mantle influence in the formation of layered intrusions at the end of the evolution of the Brasília orogen. Gondwana Research. June.

Srivastava, R.K., Chamberlain, K.R., Samal, A.K. and Ernst, R.E., 2022. A new ca. 1.73 Ga mafic magmatic event in the Indian Shield: Evidence from an in-situ SIMS U-Pb baddeleyite date and geochemistry of the mafic intrusions within the Gwalior basin, Bundelkhand craton. Precambrian Research, 377, p.106696. DOI: 10.1016/j.precamres.2022.106696

Mammone, N., Bekker, A., Chamberlain, K. and Kuznetsov, A.B., 2022. Testing the early Paleoproterozoic connection of the Superior and Wyoming cratons with geochronology and geochemistry. Precambrian Research, 381, p.106818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2022.106818

Hepeng Tian, Majie Fan, Victor Valencia, Kevin Chamberlain, Lowell Waite, Robert J. Stern, Matthew Locke, 2022, Rapid early Permian tectonic reorganization of Laurentia’s plate margins: evidence from volcanic tuffs in the Permian Basin, USA. Gondwana Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2022.07.003