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M.E. (PAT) BICKFORD |
PROFESSOR EMERITUSPETROLOGY |
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Department of Earth Sciences Office: 306 Heroy Geology Laboratory Phone: 315.443.9290 |
Pat is a petrologist and isotope geochemist. Most of his work has been in the U-Pb zircon geochronology of Paleo- and Meso- Proterozoic rocks, although he has also worked on the Early Tertiary Idaho batholith and the Jurassic Smartville Complex of the northern Sierra Nevada, California. Between 1962 and about 1970 he mostly did Rb-Sr whole rock studies of Paleoproterozoic rocks from Colorado and Mesoproterozoic rocks of the St. Francois Mountains of southeastern Missouri. In 1972 he began U-Pb zircon studies of the St. Francois Mountains rocks, and, using cores and cuttings from oil well drilling, soon extended this work to the buried basement of the midcontinent region. Leaving the Proterozoic, in 1978 he worked in the Idaho batholith, studying zircons with inherited cores, monazite U-Pb systematics, and common Pb in feldspars. In 1981 he returned to Colorado to study the Paleoproterozoic rocks of the Gunnison region by U-Pb zircon methods.
Pat served as Editor of Geology Magazine from 1987 until 1990 when he moved to Syracuse to be Chairman of the (then) Department of Geology.
In 1983 he began geochronological studies of the Early Proterozoic Trans-Hudson orogen in northern Saskatchewan, Canada and then began using Sm Nd systematics and common Pb isotopic data from feldspars in post orogenic pegmatites and leucogranite sheets to identify and characterize Archean lower crustal rocks that lie below thrust sheets and nappes of the ca. 1850 Ma Hudsonian orogenic rocks. This work continues, and has been especially fruitful over the intervening decade or so.
Upon reaching age 65 in August, 1997, Pat retired from teaching. However, he remains active in research and has been appointed Research Professor. In 1994 Pat was funded by NSF to study the "Grenvillian" (ca. 1250-1040 Ma) rocks exposed in the Van Horn area of far west Texas, In 1998 he was funded by NSF to study the thermochronology of the Trans-Hudson orogen, a collaboration with Matt Heizler, Kent Condie, and Shari Kelley of New Mexico Tech, and, in a second major grant, to return to Colorado to investigate the possibility that supposed Paleoproterozoic "accreted arcs" are actually the products of rift-melting of pre-existing crust. In 1999 he was funded by USGS to study the age of volcanic rocks in the Marquette Range Supergroup of northern Michigan. The results of this study were published in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences in 2001. A grant, funded in January 2002, supported a major U-Pb zircon, monazite, and titanite study of anorthosite massifs and anatectic melts in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, a study done in collaboration with Syracuse graduate student Matt Heumann, Jim McLelland, Colgate University, and John Valley, University of Wisconsin. Papers were published in 2004 (direct dating of anorthosites) and 2006 (mechanisms and timing of anatexis).
More recently, Pat has completed a major SHRIMP study of the ancient (ca. 3.5 Ga) gneisses exposed in the Minnesota River Valley. This work was published in the January 2006 issue of the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America. In 2006 Pat was appointed Science Editor for Books by the Geological Society of America.
Inquiries from colleagues, potential students, and others interested in Pat's research will always be welcome.
Ph.D., Geology (chemistry minor), University of Illinois, 1960
M.S., Geology, University of Illinois, 1958
B.A., Carleton College, 1954
Chairman and Jessie Page Heroy Professor, 1990-1993; Professor, 1993-1997, Professor Emeritus and Research Professor,1997-Present Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse University
Assistant Professor, 1964-1967; Associate Professor, 1967-1972; Professor, 1972-1989, Department of Geology, University of Kansas
Assistant Research Geophysicist, 1963-1964, University of California, Los Angeles
Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, 1960-1964, San Fernando State College (now California State University, Northridge)
U. S. Army, 1954-1957
Geological Society of America (Fellow)
Mineralogical Society of America (Fellow)
Geological Association of Canada (Fellow)
* Bickford, M.E., Collerson, K.D., Lewry, J.F., Van Schmus, W.R., and Chiarenzelli, J.R., 1990, Proterozoic Collisional Tectonism in the Trans-Hudson Orogen, Saskatchewan: Geology, 18, p. 14-18.
* Cullers, R. L., Griffin, T., Bickford, M. E., and Anderson, J. L., 1992, Origin and chemical evolution of the 1360 Ma San Isabel batholith, Wet Mountains, Colorado: A mid-crustal granite of anorogenic affinities: Bulletin Geological Society of America, 104, p. 316-328.
* Sultan, M., Bickford, M. E., El Kaliouby, B., and Arvidson, R. E., 1992, Common Pb systematics of Precambrian granitic rocks of the Nubian Shield (Egypt) and tectonic implications: Bulletin Geological Society of America, 104, p. 456-470.
* Meyer, M. T., Bickford, M. E., and Lewry, J. F., 1992, The Wathaman batholith: an Early Proterozoic continental arc in the Trans-Hudson orogenic belt, Canada: Bulletin Geological Society of America, 104, p. 1073-1085.
* Bickford, M. E., Collerson, K. D., and Lewry, J. F., 1992, Pegmatites and leucogranites as probes of crust beneath allochthonous orogenic rocks in the Glennie and La Ronge Domains, in Saskatchewan Energy and Mines Summary of Investigations 1992, Miscellaneous Report 92-4, p. 124-129.
* Mock, T. D., and Bickford, M. E., 1992, Field and isotopic study of late, undeformed pegmatites and leucogranites in the Glennie Domain and the Hanson Lake Block, in Saskatchewan Energy and Mines Summary of Investigations 1992, Miscellaneous Report 92-4, p. 124-129.
* Crocker, C. H., Collerson, K. D., Lewry, J. F., and Bickford, M.E., 1993, Sm-Nd, U-Pb, and Rb-Sr geochronology and lithostructural relationships in the southwestern Rae province: constraints on crustal assembly in the western Canadian shield: Precambrian Research, 61, p. 27-50.
* Van Schmus, W. R. and Bickford, M. E., 1993, Introduction, in W. R. Van Schmus and M. E. Bickford, eds., Chapter 4, Transcontinental Proterozoic Provinces, Precambrian Volume, Decade of North American Geology (DNAG), Geological Society of America, p. 172-176.
* Reed, J. C., Jr., Bickford, M. E., and Tweto, O., 1993, Proterozoic accretionary terranes of Colorado and southern Wyoming, in W. R. Van Schmus and M. E. Bickford, eds., Chapter 4, Transcontinental Proterozoic Provinces, Decade of North American Geology (DNAG), Geological Society of America, p. 211-228.
* Van Schmus, W. R., Bickford, M. E., Sims, P. K., Anderson, R. R., Shearer, C. K., and Treves, S. B., 1993, Proterozoic geology of the western midcontinent basement, in W. R. Van Schmus and M. E. Bickford, eds., Chapter 4, Transcontinental Proterozoic Provinces, Decade of North American Geology (DNAG), Geological Society of America, p. 239-259.
* Lidiak, E. G., Bickford, M. E., and Kisvarsanyi, E. B., 1993, Proterozoic geology of the eastern midcontinent basement, in W. R. Van Schmus and M. E. Bickford, eds., Chapter 4, Transcontinental Proterozoic Provinces, Precambrian Volume, Decade of North American Geology (DNAG), Geological Society of America, p. 259-270.
* Van Schmus, W. R., Bickford, M. E., and Condie, K. C., 1993, Early Proterozoic crustal evolution, in W. R. Van Schmus and M. E. Bickford, eds., Chapter 4, Transcontinental Proterozoic Provinces, Precambrian Volume, Decade of North American Geology (DNAG), Geological Society of America, p.271-281.
* Bickford, M. E. and Anderson, J. L., 1993, Middle Proterozoic magmatism, in W. R. Van Schmus and M. E. Bickford, eds., Chapter 4, Transcontinental Proterozoic Provinces, Precambrian Volume, Decade of North American Geology (DNAG), Geological Society of America, p. 281-292.
* Cullers, R. L., Stone, J., Anderson, J. L., Sassarini, N., and Bickford, M. E., 1993, Petrogenesis of Mesoproterozoic Oak Creek and West McCoy Gulch plutons, Colorado: an example of cummulate unmixing of a mid-crustual, two-mica granite of anorogenic affinity. Precambrian Research, 62, p. 139-169.
* Mock, T. D., Bickford, M. E., Collerson, K. D.,and Stratton,D.L., 1993, Common lead studies in the La Ronge and Glennie domains and in the Hanson Lake block, in Saskatchewan Energy and Mines Summary of Investigations 1993, Miscellaneous Report 93-4, p. 92-96.
* Nordgulen, O., Bickford, M. E., Nissen, A. L., and Wortman, G.L., 1993. U-Pb ages from the Bindal Batholith, and the tectonic history of Helgeland nappe complex, Scandinavian Caledonides: Journal of the Geological Society of London, 150, pt. 4, p. 771-783.
* Abbruzzi, Jeffrey, Kay, Suzanne M., and Bickford, Marion E., 1993, Implications for the nature of the Precordilleran basement from Precambrian xenoliths in Miocene volcanic rocks, San Juan Province, Argentina: XII Congreso Geologica Argentino y II Congreso de Explotacion de Hidrocarburos, Actas Tomo III, p. 331-339.
* Bickford, M. E., Collerson, K. D., and Lewry, J. F., 1994, Crustal history of the Rae and Hearne Provinces,southwestern Canadian shield, Saskatchewan: Constraints from geochronologic and isotopic data: Precambrian Research, 68, p. 1-21.
* Pittenger, Michelle A., Marsaglia, Kathleen M., and Bickford, M. E., 1994, Depositional history of the middle Proterozoic Castner marble and basal Mundy breccia, Franklin mountains, west Texas: Journal of Sedimentary Research, B64, p. 282 297.
* Van Schmus, W. R., Bickford, M. E., and Turek, A., 1996, Proterozoic geology of the east-central midcontinent basement, in Basement and Basins of Eastern North America, B. van der Pluijm and P. Catacosinos, eds.: Geological Society of America Special paper 308, p 7-31.
* Shannon, W. M., Barnes, C. G., and Bickford, M. E., 1997, Grenville magmatism in west Texas: petrology and geochemistry of the Red Bluff granite suite: Journal of Petrology, v. 38, p. 1279-1305.
* Acaster, Martin, and Bickford, M. E., 1999, Geochronology and geochemistry of Putnam-Nashoba terrane metavolcanic and plutonic rocks, eastern Massachusetts: constraints on the early Paleozoic evolution of eastern North America: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 111, p. 240?25.
* Orrell, S. E.,Bickford, M. E., and Lewry, J. F., 1999, Crustal evolution and age of thermotectonic reworking in the western hinterland of the Trans-Hudson orogen, northern Saskatchewan: Precambrian Research, v. 95, p. 187-223.
* Siegel, D. I., Bickford, M. E., and Orrell, S. E., 2000, Leachate, marine, and bedrock water sources in the Fresh Kills Landfill, Staten Island, New York: constraints on an environmental problem from Pb and Sr isotopic and other geochemical data: Applied Geochemistry, v. 15, p. 493-500.
* Bickford, M. E.,. Soegaard, Kristian, Nielsen, K. C., and McLelland, Jonathan M., 2000, Geology and geochronology of Grenville-age rocks in the Van Horn and Franklin Mountains area, west Texas: implications for the tectonic evolution of Lurentia during the Grenville: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 112, p. 1134-1148.
* Bickford, M. E., Hamilton, M. A., Wortman, G. L., and Hill, B. M., 2001, Archean rocks in the southern Rottenstone Domain: significance for the evolution of the Trans-Hudson orogen: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 38, p. 1017-1025.
* Hill, B. M., and Bickford, M. E., 2001, Paleoproterozoic rocks of central Colorado: accreted arcs or extended older crust?: Geology, v. 29, p. 1015-1018..
* Schneider, D. A., Bickford, M. E., Cannon, W. F., Schulz, K. J., and Hamilton, M. A., 2002, Timing of Marquette Range Supergroup deposition and Penokean collision-related basin formation, southern Lake Superior region: implications for Paleoproterozoic tectonic reconstruction: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, in press.
* Bickford, M. E., and Day, Howard W., 2002, Tectonic setting of the Jurassic Smartville and Slate Creek complexes, northern Sierra Nevada, California: Evidence from zircon geochronology and common Pb isotopic compositions: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, in press.
* Schneider, D. A., Bickford, M. E., Cannon, W. F., Schulz, K. J., and Hamilton, M. A., 2002, Timing of Marquette Range Supergroup deposition and Penokean collision-related basin formation, southern Lake Superior region: implications for Paleoproterozoic tectonic reconstruction: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 39, p. 999-1012.
* Rayner, N.M., Stern,R.A.,and Bickford, M.E., 2005, Tectonic implications of new SHRIMP and TIMS U-Pb geochronology of rocks from the Sask Craton, Peter Lake Domain, and Hearne margin, Trans-Hudson orogen, Saskatchewan: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 42, in press.
* Bickford, M. E., Mock, T. D., Steinhart, W. E., III 1, Collerson, K. D., and Lewry, J. F., 2005, Origin of the Archean Sask Craton and its Extent Within the Trans-Hudson Orogen: Evidence from Pb and Nd Isotopic Compositions of Basement Rocks and Post-Orogenic Intrusions: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 42, p. 659-684.
* Day, Howard W., and Bickford, M. E., 2004, Tectonic setting of the Jurassic Smartville and Slate Creek complexes, northern Sierra Nevada, California: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 116, p. 1515-1528..
* McLelland, J. M., Bickford, M. E., Hill, B. M., Clechenko, C. C., Valley, J. C., and Hamilton, M. A., 2004, Direct dating of Adirondack massif anorthosite by U-Pb SHRIMP analysis of igneous zircon: implications for AMCG complexes: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 116, p. 1299-1317.
* Bickford, M. E., Wooden, J. L., and Bauer, R. L., 2006, SHRIMP study of zircons from Early Archean rocks in the Minnesota River Valley: Implications for the tectonic history of the Superior Province: Bulletin Geological Society of America, in press.
* Selleck, B. W., McLelland, J. M., and Bickford, M. E., 2005, Granite emplacement during tectonic denudation: the Adirondack example: Geology, in press.
Heumann, M. J., Bickford, M. E., Hill, Barbara M., McLelland, J. M., Selleck, B. W., and Jercinovic, M. J., 2006, Timing of Anatexis in Metapelites from the Adirondack Lowlands and Southern Highlands: a Manifestation of the Shawinigan Orogeny and Subsequent AMCG Magmatism: Geological Society of America Bulletin, in press
Attoh, Kodjopa, Evans, M. J., and Bickford, M. E., 2006, Geochemistry of an ultramafic-rodingite rock association in the Paleoproterozoic Dixcove greenstone belt, southwestern Ghana: Journal of Asfrican Earth Sciences, v. 45, p. 333-346.
1991 Wehren Engineering, Middletown, NY: "Geochemical Controls Over Heavy Metal Contamination in Ground Water Associated with the Fresh Kills Landfill": (Co-Investigator with D. I. Siegel) $87,805.
1991 National Science Foundation: "Collaborative Research: Evolution and Assembley of Archean and Lower Proterozoic Elements in the Trans-Hudson Orogen, Saskatchewan": (with K. Collerson, University of California, Santa Cruz), $91,000.
1993 National Science Foundation: "Acquisition of an X-Ray Fluorescence Emmission Spectrometer (XRF) and Ancillary Apparatus," $83,500 (S.D. Samson, Co-Principal Investigator).
1994 National Science Foundation: "Collaborative Research: Timing and Correlation of Tectonic Events In Grenville-Age Province, Trans-Pecos, Texas" (Kent Nielson and Kristian Soegaard, University of Texas at Dallas, Collaborators.),$59,000.
1995 National Science Foundation: "Distribution and Isotopic Character of Archean Basement within the Early Proterozoic Trans-Hudson Orogen, Saskatchewan: Implications for Tectonic Interpretation," $75,000.
1998, National Science Foundation: "The Paleoproterozoic of Central Colorado: Accreted Arcs or Rifted Older Crust", $105,456.
1998, National Science Foundation: Collaborative Research: How An Orogen Became A Craton: Thermochronologic History of the Trans-Hudson Orogen, Canada, $106,691.
1999, U.S.Geological Survey: Geochronological Investigations in the Marquette Range Supergroup, northern Michigan, $25,767.
2002, National Science Foundation: Collaborative Research: Crystallization ages and Thermal Histories of Adirondack Anorthosites and Anatectites: Implications for Anorthosite Emplacement and Thermal Contributions to Regional High-Grade Metamorphism, $129,925 (James Mclelland, Colgate University, and John Valley, University of Wisconsin, Co-Investigators; Valley separately funded for $80,601)
New SHRIMP Age Data for the Gneisses of the Minnesota River?Valley: Implications of PaleoArchean Rocks on the North ?and South Margins of the Superior Craton. Download 65 Mb pdf file
Modified 9/13/07 MMC