We're back with another installment of the Department Seminar Series, this time, with a special MUN alumnus who is on the AGS/GA Speaker Tour, Dr. Jillian Kendrick who is now a professor at St. Mary's University. Please find the details of her talk below, and a poster with the details attached. 

 

Where: Earth Science Building (Alexandrer Murray) Room 4065

When: Thursday November 13, 2025 12-1pm

Light refreshments will be available at the seminar.

 

Title: What is at the bottom of Archean crust?

Abstract: The Archean Eon (4 Ga to 2.5 Ga) was a critical period in Earth’s history. During this time, the planet saw the start of plate tectonics, rise of continents, and evolution of primitive life forms. The only evidence remaining of these important milestones is in rocks of the crust, the outermost layer of the Earth, however preserved Archean crust is limited. Most currently exposed Archean rocks were formed in the upper crust and provide crucial insights into surficial and shallow-level processes but contain limited information on larger-scale tectonic processes and sources of felsic magmatism. Although the deepest levels of Earth’s crust are largely inaccessible, they hold the key to understanding how continents were constructed from the Archean to today. Indirect methods have been developed to shed light on unexposed deep crust, such as those based on geophysical data. However, ancient deep crust can be directly observed in high-grade metamorphic terranes, which are sporadically exposed around the world. In this talk, I will showcase a rare and spectacular example of Archean deep crust known as the Kapuskasing Structural Zone, located in northern Ontario. These rocks preserve evidence of key early Earth processes, including crustal melting, which may have been responsible for the formation of most Archean continental crust. Questions remain unanswered, however, surrounding the nature of this deep crust and the clues it may hold to understanding the evolution of early Earth.

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Location: ER-4065

Date and Time: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM (NST)

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