Dr. Arthur W. Snoke

Emeritus Professor

Structural Geology & Tectonics
Office Phone: 307-223-2295
Fax Phone: (307) 766-6679

Dept. 3006
Laramie, Wyoming 82071-2000

Research Office: ESB 3014
Email: snoke@uwyo.edu

Education

Geology, PhD, Stanford University, 1972
Geology, BA, Franklin and Marshall, 1967

Research Projects

Structural and petrologic development of the Baker terrane, Blue Mountains, NE Oregon.

Crustal growth along the southern margin of Laurentia, Sierra Madre, Wyoming, and Park Range, Colorado.

Tectonic evolution of the Ruby Mountains-East Humboldt Range, Nevada.

Books

Snoke, A.W., Steidtmann, J.R., and Roberts, S.M., eds., 1993, Geology of Wyoming: Geological Survey of Wyoming Memoir No. 5, two hardback volumes and a separate map pocket, xiv + 937 p.  ISBN 1-8884589-00-6 (volume 1), ISBN 1-884589-02-2 (2 volume set); reprinted in paperback with CD in 2002.

Snoke, A.W., Tullis, J., and Todd, V.R., eds., 1998, Fault-related Rocks: A Photographic Atlas: Princeton, N. J., Princeton University Press, xv + 617 p., ISBN 0-691-01220-2

Snoke, A.W., Rowe, D.W., Yule, J.D., and Wadge, G., 2001, Petrologic and structural history of Tobago, West Indies: A fragment of the accreted Mesozoic oceanic-arc of the southern Caribbean: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 354, iv + 54 p. ISBN 0-8137-2354-X

Geologic Map of Tobago, West Indies PDF

Snoke, A.W., and Barnes, C.G., eds., 2006, Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon—A Volume in Honor of William P. Irwin: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, xiv + CD + 505 p., ISBN-13 978-0-8137-2410-2, ISBN-10 0-8137-2410-4

Miller, R.B., and Snoke, A.W., eds., 2009, Crustal cross-sections from the western North American Cordillera and elsewhere: Implications for tectonic and petrologic processes: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 456, vi + CD + 314 p. ISBN 978-0-8137-2456-0

Geologic Maps

Snoke, A. W., Rowe, D. W., Yule, J. D., and Wadge, G., 2001, Geologic map of Tobago, West Indies with explanatory notes: Geological Society of America Map and Chart Series 087, scale 1:25, 000, 1 sheet and 24p. pamphlet.

Secor, D. T., Jr., and Snoke, A. W., 2002, Geologic map of the Batesburg and Emory quadrangles, Lexington and Saluda Counties, South Carolina with explanatory notes: Geological Society of America Map and Chart Series 091, scale 1:24, 000, 1 sheet and 32p. pamphlet.

Quick, J. E., Sinigoi, S., Snoke, A. W., Kalakay, T. J., and Mayer, A., 2003, Geologic map of Ivrea zone with explanatory notes: U. S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Investigations Map I-2776, scale 1:50,000, 1 sheet and 22p. pamphlet.

Recent Publications

Howard, K. A., Wooden, J. L., Barnes, C. G., Premo, W. R., Snoke, A. W., and Lee, S.-Y., 2011, Episodic growth of a Late Cretaceous and Paleogene intrusive complex of pegmatitic leucogranite, Ruby Mountains core complex, Nevada, USA: Geosphere, v. 7, no. 5, p. 1220–1248; doi: 10.1130/GES00668.1.

Schmitt, H. H., Snoke, A. W., Helper, M. A., Hurtado, J. M., and Hodges, K. V., 2011, Motives, methods, and essential preparation for planetary field geology on the Moon and Mars, in Garry, W. B., and Bleacher, J. E., eds., Analogs for Planetary Exploration: Geological Society of America Special Paper 483, p. 1–15, doi: 10.1130/2011.2483(01)

Jones, D. S., Barnes, C. G., Premo, W. R., and Snoke, A. W., 2011 The geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Paleoproterozoic Green Mountain arc: A composite(?), bimodal, oceanic, fringing arc: Precambrian Research, v. 185, p. 231–249.

Henry, C. D., McGrew, A. J., Colgan, J. P., Snoke, A. W., and Brueseke, M. E., 2011, Timing, distribution, amount, and style of Cenozoic extension in the northern Great Basin, in Lee, J., and Evans, J. P., eds., Geologic Field Trips to the Basin and Range, Rocky Mountains, Snake River Plain, and Terranes of the U.S. Cordillera: Geological Society of America Field Trip Guide 21, p. 27–66.

Schwartz, J. J., Snoke, A. W., Cordey, F., Johnson, K., Frost, C. D., Barnes, C. G., LaMaskin, T. A., and Wooden, J., 2011, Late Jurassic magmatism, metamorphism, and deformation in the Blue Mountains Province, northeast Oregon: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 123, p. 2083–2111.

Jones, D.S., Snoke, A.W., Premo, W.R., and Chamberlain, K.R., 2010, New models for Paleoproterozoic orogenesis in the Cheyenne belt region: Evidence from the geology and U-Pb geochronology of the Big Creek Gneiss, southeastern Wyoming: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 122, p. 1877–1898.

Snoke, A.W., 2010, Musings on geologic mapping in the South Carolina Piedmont: A multidisciplinary approach: South Carolina Geology, v.47. p. 12–14.

McGrew, A.J., and Snoke, A.W., 2010, SHRIMP-RG U-Pb isotopic systematics of zircon from the Angel Lake orthogneiss, East Humboldt Range, Nevada: Is this really Archean crust?: COMMENT, Geosphere, v. 6, no. 6, doi:10.1130/GES00526.1: 2 figures.

Schwartz, J. J., Snoke, A. W., Frost, C. D., Barnes, C. G., Gromet, L. P., and Johnson, K., 2010, Analysis of the Wallowa-Baker terrane boundary: Implications for tectonic accretion in the Blue Mountains province, northeastern Oregon: Geological Society of America
Bulletin, v. 122, no. 3/4, p. 517–536; doi: 10.1130/B26493.1.

Publications (2009–2005):

Miller, R. B., and Snoke, A. W., 2009, The utility of crustal cross sections in the analysis of orogenic processes in contrasting tectonic settings, in Miller, R. B. and Snoke, A. W., eds., Crustal cross-sections from the western North American Cordillera and elsewhere: Implications for tectonic and petrologic processes: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 456. p. 1–38.

Garlick, S. R., Medaris, Jr., L. G., Snoke, A. W., Schwartz, J. J., and Swapp, S. M., 2009, Granulite- to amphibolite-facies metamorphism and penetrative deformation in a disrupted ophiolite, Kangaroo Mountain area, Klamath Mountains, California: A deep view into the basement of an accreted oceanic island arc, in Miller, R. B., and Snoke, A. W., eds., Crustal cross-sections from the western North American Cordillera and elsewhere: Implications for tectonic and petrologic processes: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 456, p. 151–186.

Sullivan, W.A., and Snoke, A.W., 2007, Comparative anatomy of core-complex development in the northeastern Great Basin, U.S.A.: Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 42, p. 1–29.

Snoke, A.W., and Barnes, C.G., 2006, The development of tectonic concepts for the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon, in Snoke, A.W., and Barnes, C.G., eds., Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon: A volume in honor of William P. Irwin: Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, p. 1–29.

Barnes, C. G., Snoke, A. W., Harper, G. D., Frost, C. D., McFadden, R. R., Bushey, J. C., and Barnes, M.A.W., 2006, Arc plutonism following regional thrusting: Petrology and geochemistry of syn- and post-Nevadan plutons in the Siskiyou Mountains, Klamath Mountain province, California, in Snoke, A. W., and Barnes, C. G., eds., Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon—A Volume in Honor of William P. Irwin: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, p. 357–376.

Bushey, J.C., Snoke, A.W., Barnes, C.G., and Frost, C.D., 2006, Geology of the Bear Mountain intrusive complex, Klamath Mountains, California, in Snoke, A.W., and Barnes, C.G., eds., Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon: A volume in honor of William P. Irwin: Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, p. 287–315.

McFadden, R.R., Snoke, A.W., and Barnes, C.G., 2006, Structural and petrologic evolution of the Bear Peak intrusive complex, Klamath Mountains, California, in Snoke, A.W., and Barnes, C.G., eds., Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon: A volume in honor of William P. Irwin: Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, p. 333–355.

Frost, C. D., Barnes, C. G., and Snoke, A. W., 2006, Nd and Sr isotopic data from argillaceous rocks of the Galice Formation and Rattlesnake Creek terrane: Evidence for the input of Precambrian sources, in Snoke, A. W., and Barnes, C. G., eds., Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon—A Volume in Honor of William P. Irwin: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, p. 103–120.

Chamberlain, K. R., Snoke, A. W., Barnes, C. G., and Bushey, J. C., 2006, New U-Pb radiometric dates of the Bear Mountain intrusive complex, Klamath Mountains, California, in Snoke, A. W., and Barnes, C. G., eds., Geological studies in the Klamath Mountains province, California and Oregon—A Volume in Honor of William P. Irwin: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 410, p. 317–332.

Snoke, A. W., 2005, Southern Cordillera, in Selley, R. C., Cocks, L.R.M., and Plimer, I. R., eds., Encyclopedia of Geology, v. 4: Academic Press, p. 48–61.

Resor, P. G., and Snoke, A. W., 2005, Laramie Peak shear system, central Laramie Mountains, Wyoming, USA: regeneration of the Archean Wyoming province during Palaeoproterozoic accretion, in Bruhn, D., and Burlini, L., eds., High-strain zones: structure and physical properties: Geological Society of London Special Publication 245, p. 81–107.

Otteman, A. S., and Snoke, A. W., 2005, Structural analysis of a Laramide-age, basement-involved, foreland fault zone, Rawlins uplift, south-central Wyoming: Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 40, p. 65–89.

Courses

GEOL4050 - Geology of Wyoming

GEOL4060 - Rocky Mountain Field Trip

GEOL4610 - Structural Geology and Tectonics

GEOL5120 - Tectonic Evolution of the North American Cordillera

GEOL5160 - Regional Tectonics

GEOL5211 - Seminar in Structural Geology and Tectonics

GEOL5660 - Microstructural Analysis of Deformed Rocks

Research Statement

I was raised in the midst of classic Appalachian Piedmont geology near Baltimore, Maryland, and my interest in the earth sciences was chiefly inspired by a group of highly stimulating teachers at Franklin and Marshall College (Lancaster, Pennsylvania). During graduate studies at Stanford University in the late 1960s, I became interested in the evolution of continental margin geology in light of the then rapidly evolving plate-tectonic paradigm. Consequently, I studied the petrogenesis and emplacement of an ophiolitic thrust sheet in the Klamath Mountains, northern California, for my doctoral dissertation research project. After the completion of my graduate studies, I worked at the U. S. Geological Survey (Menlo Park, California) as a National Research Council post-doctoral research associate and began a major project on the tectonic evolution of the Ruby Mountains, Nevada, now recognized as a Cordilleran metamorphic core complex.

Prior to coming to the University of Wyoming, I was a member of the geology faculty at the University of South Carolina between 1974 and 1984. During that period, I worked on evaporite-cored anticlines in the Tunisian Atlas, carried on extensive structural and petrologic studies in the South Carolina Piedmont, and initiated a project on the geology of Tobago, West Indies. Upon joining the UW faculty in 1984, I rekindled my interests in Cordilleran tectonics with projects in both northeastern Nevada and Wyoming and further developed the Tobago project. In the early 1990s, I became interested in lower crustal structural and petrologic processes, and these interests led to a study of the Ivrea-Verbano zone in the Southern Alps, northern Italy. My ongoing studies on the geology of Wyoming are diverse. I am presently studying the tectonic evolution of Precambrian rocks in southeastern Wyoming as well as Laramide brittle fault systems in south-central Wyoming. Another major, ongoing project concerns the structural and petrologic evolution of ancient oceanic-arc complexes and associated rocks in the Klamath Mountains, California. Recently, my graduate students and I, collaborating with other geoscientists, have extended our studies of accreted oceanic rocks to the Baker terrane of the Blue Mountains in NE Oregon.

For many years, I have had a major interest in fault rocks from all levels of the crust and even the mantle.
In summary, my students and I focus our energies on several research projects that we consider fundamental to the evolution of orogenic belts:

• extensional and contractional brittle-to-plastic fault systems
• evolution of oceanic-arc volcanic-plutonic complexes and their tectonic accretion along continental margins
• the role of basement in the deformational history of the foreland, thrust belt, and hinterland of the North American Cordillera
• structural and petrologic evolution of the middle and lower crustal rocks.

Teaching Statement

I teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses that reflect my broad interests in structural geology and tectonics. These courses range from large-scale regional tectonic synthesis to microstructural analysis of deformed rocks. My research and teaching philosophies are similar in that I enjoy integrating various techniques and strategies to problems relating to the deformation of the lithosphere. I have had the opportunity to carry on field studies in a variety of structurally complex areas of the world including the western North America Cordillera, southern Appalachians, Tobago (West Indies), Southern Alps (Italy), and Tunisian foreland. I try to integrate these personal experiences in my teaching when appropriate. I encourage all students to read primary literature (i.e., scientific journals) rather than just textbooks. Field studies have always been the centerpiece of my research approach, and I feel that geology/geophysics students commonly learn more in the field than the classroom. Thus field trips are an important component of many of my courses.