HOME

ABOUT US

SERVICES

 Axel Schmitt - Research Specialist

Volatile elements and their isotopes in hydrous magmas and hydrothermal systems

Assessing magma chamber processes from accessory mineral dating

Thermal histories and evolution of geothermally active intrusions

Magmatic degassing and eruption triggering

Anorogenic granite petrogenesis and related mineralizations at passive continental margins

1994 ‘First State Examination’ (qualification required for teaching at secondary school level in the subjects Chemistry and German) University of Giessen, Germany. Thesis title: ‘Vergleich einiger Analysenmethoden am Beispiel der Nebengesteine des Usinger Quarzganges’ (‘Comparison of several analytical methods: a case study of the host-rocks of the Usingen quartz vein’)

1995 Diploma (MSc) in Mineralogy University of Giessen, Germany. Thesis title: ‘Mineralogie und Geochemie peralkalischer Granite des Brandberg-Intrusivkomplexes/Namibia’ (‘Mineralogy and geochemistry of peralkaline granites of the Brandberg Intrusive Complex/Namibia’)

1999 Doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Germany. Thesis title: ‘Melt Generation and Magma Chamber Processes in the Purico Complex and Implications for Ignimbrite Formation in the Central Andes’

Since Oct 2003 Research Specialist, University of California, Los Angeles

Jan 2003 – Oct 2003 Research Fellow, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam

Sep 2002 – Dec 2002 Visiting Fellow, Australian National University

Sep 2000 – Sep 2002 Post Doc, University of California, Los Angeles

May 1999 – Sep 2000 Post Doc, GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam

Jan 1997 – Jun 1997 Academic Exchange Researcher, Arizona State University

1999, 2000, 2004 Lectured advanced geochemistry and petrology courses at the University of Potsdam, Germany

2001 - 2002 Co-advised undergraduate study projects in ion microprobe geochronology at University of California, Los Angeles (with Profs. Yin and Reid)

2003 and 2006 Geothermal Resources Council Best Paper Award

1999 GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam Award for excellence in Doctorate thesis

1997 Research Award from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Schmitt, A. K., Stockli, D. F., and Hausback, B. P. (2007) Reply to comment by: Lucia Capra, Claus Siebe, José Luis Macías, and Juan Manuel Espíndola, California. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 163, 102-103

Schmitt, A. K.(2007) Ion microprobe analysis of (231Pa)/(235U) and an appraisal of protactinium partitioning in igneous zircon. American Mineralogist, 92, 691-694.

Schmitt, A. K., and Vazquez, Jorge A. (2006) Alteration and remelting of nascent oceanic crust during continental rupture: Evidence from zircon geochemistry of rhyolites and xenoliths from the Salton Trough, California. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 252, 260-274

Schmitt, A. K., Stockli, D. F., and Hausback, B. P. (2006) Eruption and magma crystallization ages of Las Tres Vírgenes (Baja California) constrained by combined 230Th/238U and (U­Th)/He dating of zircon. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 158, 281-295.

Bindeman, I. N., Schmitt, A. K., and Valley, J. W. (2006) U­Pb zircon geochronology of silicic tuffs from the Timber Mountain/Oasis Valley caldera complex, Nevada: rapid generation of large volume magmas by shallow-level remelting. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology,152, 649-665.

Schmitt, A. K. (2006) Laacher See revisited: high spatial resolution zircon dating indicates rapid formation of a zoned magma chamber. Geology, 34, 597-600.

Coutand, I., Carrapa, B., Deeken, A., Schmitt, A. K., Sobel, E. R., and Strecker, M. R. (2006) Orogenic plateau formation and lateral growth of compressional basins and ranges: insights from sandstone petrography and detrital apatite fission-track thermochronology in the Angastaco Basin, NW Argentina. Basin Research, 18, 1-26.

Booth, A. L., Kolodny, Y., Chamberlain, C. P., McWilliams, M., Schmitt, A., and Wooden, J. (2006) Oxygen isotopic composition and U-Pb discordance in zircon. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 69, 4895-4904.

Axel K. Schmitt, Rolf L. Romer, and James A. Stimac (2005) Geochemistry of volcanic rocks from the Geysers geothermal area, California Coast Ranges. Lithos, 87, 80-103

Schmitt, A. K. & Simon, J. I. (2004). Boron isotopic variations in rhyolites from Long Valley, California: recycling of hydrothermally altered intrusive margins. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 146, 590-605.

Schmitt, A. K., Grove, M., Harrison T. Mark, Lovera, O., Hulen, J. & Walters, M. (2003). The Geysers - Cobb Mountain - Magma System, California (Part 1): U-Pb zircon ages of volcanic rocks, conditions of zircon crystallization and magma residence times. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta, 67, 3423–3442.

Schmitt, A. K., Grove, M., Harrison, T. Mark, Lovera, O., Hulen, J. & Walters, M. (2003). The Geysers – Cobb Mountain Magma System, California (Part 2): timescales of pluton emplacement and implications for its thermal history. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta, 67, 3443–3458.

Schmitt, A. K., Lindsay, J. M., de Silva, S. L. & Trumbull, R. B. (2002). In-situ U-Pb zircon ages of compositionally contrasting ignimbrites from La Pacana, North Chile: implications for the formation of stratified magma chambers. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 120, 43-53.

Schmitt, A. K., Trumbull, R. B., Dulski, P. & Emmermann, R. (2002). Igneous origin of REE-Nb-Zr enrichments in peralkaline granites from the Brandberg (Daureb) complex, Namibia. Economic Geology, 97, 399-413.

Schmitt, A. K., Kasemann, S., Meixner, A. & Rhede, D. (2002). Boron in central Andean ignimbrites: implications for crustal boron cycles in an active continental margin. Chemical Geology 183, 335-349.

Schmitt, A. K., de Silva, S. L., Trumbull, R. B. & Emmermann, R. (2001). Magma evolution in the Purico ignimbrite complex, N.Chile: Evidence for zoning of a dacitic magma by injection of rhyolitic melts following mafic recharge. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 140, 680-700.

Schmitt, A. K. (2001). Gas-saturated crystallization and degassing in large-volume, crystal-rich dacitic magmas from the Altiplano-Puna, northern Chile. Journal of Geophysical Research 106, No. B12, 30,561-30,578.

Schmitt, A. K., Emmermann, R., Trumbull, R. B., Bühn, B. & Henjes-Kunst, F. (2000). Petrogenesis and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology of the Brandberg complex, Namibia: evidence for a major mantle contribution in metaluminous and peralkaline granites. Journal of Petrology 41, 1207-1239.