Dr. Robert Mahon
Associate Professor
Geology and Geophysics
Education
Geology, PhD, University of Wyoming, 2017
Geology, M.S., Idaho State University, 2012
Geology, B.S., University of Montana, 2009
NCED2 Synthesis Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Arkansas, 2017-2018
Research Statement
My research seeks to understand mechanisms by which surface processes are recorded in the stratigraphic record. My group's work ranges from experimental sedimentology in flume and tank systems, to field-based studies of active sedimentary processes, to quantitative analysis of ancient sedimentary archives. My primary stratigraphic interests are in better understanding the environments in Precambrian sedimentary basins.
Opportunities
Students interested in pursuing research in the fields of surface processes and sediment transport, stratigraphic preservation, and Precambrian sedimentary geology are encouraged to reach out to discuss graduate opportunities. I also encourage prospective students to read any of our lab's publications below to see how their research interests might fit with our group's fields of study.
Laboratory
I will be constructing a 4-foot wide, 4-foot deep, 56-foot long recirculating river flume with 3D laser topography scanning and 3D turbulent flow measurement capabilities. The flume will primarily be used for fluvial sediment transport and stratigraphic preservation research but will also be capable of combined wave-current experiments with a range of sediment types. In addition the lab contains a range of field instrumentation for surface process and stratigraphic research.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Das, D., Ganti, V., Mahon, R.C. [2025], Multiscale bedform reorganization at the onset of substantial suspended sediment transport: Geophysical Research Letters, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL118066
Mahon, R.C., Hughes, C.M., Chen, H., Shaw, J.B., [2024], Ancient channel-mouth bifurcation angles on Earth and Mars: The Sedimentary Record, 22(1), https://doi.org/10.2110/001c.124824
Mahon, R.C., Ganti, V., Kelley, M., Das, D., Sanchez, V., Portocarrero, G., [2024], Lower bound on preserved flood duration in fluvial bedform stratigraphy: Geophysical Research Letters, 51(15), e2024GL109622, https://doi.org//10.1029/2024GL109622
Ganti, V., Das, D., Kelley, M., Mahon, R.C., [2024], Timescales of autogenic noise in bedform evolution and fluvial cross strata: Geophysical Research Letters, 51(11), e2024GL108965, https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108965
Smith, B.P., Mahon, R.C., Lincoln, T., Hagen, C., Olsen-Valdez, J., Magyar, J., and Trower, E. [2024], Wave dynamics and sediment transport in Great Salt Lake: A model-data comparison: Utah Geological Association Guidebook 51, Great Salt Lake and the Bonneville Basin: Geologic history and Anthropocene issues, 18pp., https://doi.org/0.31711/ugap.v51i.139
Ali, H., Sheffield, S.L., Bauer, J.E., Caballero-Gill, R.P., Gasparini, N., Libarkin, J., Gonzales, K.K., Willenbring, J., Amir-Lin, E., Cisneros, J., Desai, D., Erwin, M., Gallant, E., Gomez, K.J., Keisling, B.A., Mahon, R.C., Marín-Spiotta, E., Welcome, L. [2021], An actionable anti-racism plan for geoscience organizations. Nature Communications, 12(3794) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23936-w
Fernandes, A.M., Abeyta, A., Mahon, R.C., Martindale, R., Bergman, K.D., Jackson, C., Present, T.M., Swanson, T., Reano, D., Butler, K., Brisson, S., Mohrig, D., Johnson, C. [2020], “Enriching Lives within Sedimentary Geology”: Evaluating SEPM’s Role in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Sedimentary Record, 18(3), 4-12, https://www.sepm.org/files/183article.ly3dwq3vr5refg6g.pdf
Ashley, T.C., Mahon, R.C., Naqshband, S., Leary, K.P., McElroy, B. [2020], Probability distributions of particle hop distance and travel time over equilibrium mobile bedforms: Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, v. 125, no. 7, ESSOAR Preprint doi: 10.1002/essoar.10502734.1, article https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JF005647
Ke, W.-T., Shaw, J.B., Mahon, R.C., Cathcart, C.A. [2019], Distributary channel networks as moving boundaries: Causes and morphokinematic effects: Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 124(7), 1878-1898, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005084
Mahon, R.C. and McElroy, B. [2018], Indirect estimation of bedload flux from modern sand-bed rivers and ancient fluvial strata: Geology, 46, 579-582, https://doi.org/10.1130/G40161.1
Naqshband, S., McElroy, B., Mahon, R.C. [2017], Validating a universal model of particle transport lengths with laboratory measurements of suspended grain motions: Water Resources Research, v. 53, no. 5, p. 4106-4123, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR020024
Mahon, R.C., Shaw, J.B., Barnhart, K.R., Hobley, D.E.J., McElroy, B. [2015], Quantifying the stratigraphic completeness of delta shoreline trajectories: Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, v. 120, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JF003298
Link, P.K., Mahon, R.C., Beranek, L.P., Campbell-Stone, E.A., Lynds, R.S. [2014], Detrital zircon provenance of Pennsylvanian and Permian sandstones: Wyoming Craton, Uinta Mountains and Wood River Basin: Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 49, no. 2, p. 115-136, https://doi.org/10.2113/gsrocky.49.2.137
Mahon, R.C., Dehler, C.M., Link, P.K., Karlstrom, K.E., Gehrels, G.E. [2014], Geochronologic and stratigraphic constraints on the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic Pahrump Group, Death Valley, California: A record of the assembly, stability and breakup of Rodinia: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 126, no. 5-6, p. 652-664, https://doi.org/10.1130/B30956.1
Mahon, R.C., Dehler, C.M., Karlstrom, K.E., Link, P.K., Gehrels, G.E. [2014], Detrital zircon provenance and paleogeography of the Pahrump Group and overlying strata, Death Valley, California: Precambrian Research, v. 251, p. 102-117, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2014.06.005
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.