ALISON M. SHAW
Department of Geology and Geophysics,
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Phone: (508) 289-3775, e-mail: ashaw@whoi.edu
Academic history:
2005 - present
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA
Assistant Scientist
Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC
Post-doctoral Researcher with Dr. Erik Hauri
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, La Jolla, CA
Ph.D. in Earth Sciences/Oceanography with Dr. David Hilton
McGill University, Montreal, Canada
B.Sc. in Environmental Geosciences
2003 - 2005
1997 - 2003
1992 - 1996
Research interests:
1) Arc settings – evaluating volatile budgets and estimating absolute fluxes of various volatile
species (Central America, Kamchatka, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Izu Islands)
2) Back-arc basins – assessing the relative contributions of slab, crust, hotspot and upper mantle
components to the magma source (the Manus Basin)
3) Submarine volcanic systems – using hydrothermal fluids, melt inclusions and basaltic glasses to
understand the degassing process as well as determine the provenance of different magmas (the
Manus Basin, the Reykjanes Ridge, Pitcairn seamounts, Loihi Seamount, the Alarcon Basin,
Mariana cross-chain seamounts)
4) Volatile fluxes – estimating volcanic emissions using remote sensing and geochemical techniques
5) Magmatic degassing – evaluating the effects of composition, water content and eruption depth
Previous research experience and field-based studies:
2006 – 2008
10/06
10/05
2003 - 2005
03/03
01/02
01/01
Submarine cross chain volcanic systems: ROV-based expeditions to the Suiyo, Sumisu
and Torishima volcanic regions in collaboration with JAMSTEC and the Geological
Survey of Japan.
Kamchatka Peninsula NAI-funded expedition to Klyuchevsky and Mutnovsky
volcanoes to study gas emissions - http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/kamchatka
Southern Seamount Province of the Mariana arc: Sea-based expedition in
collaboration with JAMSTEC, U. of Texas at Dallas, Caltech, and NOAA. Collection of
rock and fluid samples using JAMSTEC’s remotely operated vehicle.
Northern Mariana and Izu Islands: Margins-funded studies of volatile fluxes in
collaboration with SIO, UNM, Boston University, the University of Tokyo and the
Geological Survey of Japan. Gas sampling, remote sensing and volcanic tephra sampling
for melt inclusion studies - http://scripps.ucsd.edu/japan and http://sio.ucsd.edu/marianas
Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica: Measurement of gas fluxes from active
volcanoes using remote sensing techniques (COSPEC)
Nicaragua: Collection of volatiles from fumaroles, hot springs, geothermal wells and
thermal waters in volcanically active regions of Nicaragua
Costa Rica: Field expedition to Costa Rican volcanoes. Volatile studies of active
volcanoes along the Costa Rica segment of the arc see www.sio.ucsd.edu/volcano
10/98 - 11/98
10/98
12/97 - 01/98
05/97 - 09/97
05/96 - 09/96
05/95 - 09/95
Alarcon Rise, Gulf of California: SIO cruise to the Gulf of California - dredging of
basaltic glass from the Alarcon Rise - a young spreading centre
Loihi Seamount, Hawaii Collection of hydrothermal vent fluids to look at the temporal
variation of CO2/3He ratios in collaboration with the University of Hawaii
Middle America Trench Seafloor mapping of oceanic crust adjacent to the Middle
America trench using multi-beam sonar to investigate outer rise faulting
Hearne Hill Property, British Columbia Field-based grass roots exploration of a
copper-gold porphyry deposit by regional and detailed mapping, drilling, and chemical
sampling as a field geologist with Booker Gold.
Timmins, Ontario Field-based gold exploration in Archean volcanics by means of
drilling and core logging as a exploration Field Geologist, Echo Bay Mines,
St. Raymond, Québec Groundwater quality and reservoir assessment studies involving
surficial geology mapping and till sampling of Quaternary glacial and marine deposits
Analytical skills:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Noble gas extraction lines and mass spectrometers (VG5400, MAP-215, quadrupole)
Construction and testing of an all-metal inlet line for a MAP-215 noble gas mass spectrometer
Devising new analytical protocols for processing hydrothermal and geothermal fluids
Development and calibration of a glass extraction line for processing and purifying CO2 samples
Stable isotope mass spectrometry (VG prism) for measuring D/H and carbon isotopes
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (Cameca 6F) for measuring volatile abundances and isotopes
Teaching and lecturing experience:
02/08 - 06/08 Geodynamics Seminar Series (WHOI)
09/06 - 12/07 Seminar in Geology and Geophysics (WHOI)
03/03 - 06/03 Earth Science (ES) 50 Environmental Perils (Prof. J. Sclater)
10/02
ES 30 The Oceans
09/01 - 12/01 ES 101 Introduction to Geology (Profs. J. Gee and J. Severinghaus)
03/01 - 06/01 ES 50 Environmental Perils (Profs. J. Sclater, K. Brown and D. Hilton)
04/00 - 06/00 ES 152 Introduction to Petrology (Profs. J. Hawkins, J. Winterer and P. Castillo)
09/99 - 12/99 ES 101 Introduction to Geology (Profs. D. Blackman and J. Gee)
01/99 - 03/99 ES 102 Introduction to Geochemistry (Profs. J. Bada and M. Kastner)
03/98 - 06/98 ES 50 Environmental Perils (Profs. J. Sclater, K. Brown and D. Hilton)
01/98 - 03/98 ES 120 Introduction to Mineralogy (Dr. C. Macpherson)
Synergistic Activities:
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Reviewer for IODP, NSF, JGR, JVGR, GCA, Island Arc and G-cubed
Invited speaker at Goldschmidt 2005, 2 invited talks at AGU 2007; Keynote speaker at both the
Central America and IBM MARGINS workshops 2007
DTM Geochemistry seminar organizer; WHOI Department seminar organizer; WHOI Women’s
Committee
Falmouth Academy Science Fair judge
Special session chair at Spring AGU, 2006; Special session conveners at Goldschmidt 2007
Development and participation in web-based field expeditions to Costa Rica (2001), the Mariana
Islands (2004), the Izu Islands (2005) and Kamchatka (2006)
Invited Talks at Research Institutions:
Princeton University (April 2003), University of Maryland (Oct. 2004), Geological Society of
Washington (Oct. 2004), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Nov. 2004), McGill University (Feb.
2005), University of Tokyo (Aug. 2005; May, 2007), Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (Dec. 2005),
and JAMSTEC (Dec. 2006), Lamont (Jan. 2008), Geophysical Laboratories (May 2008): “Volcanic CO2
fluxes and implications for deep Carbon recycling”, University of Michigan (Nov. 2008), Harvard (March
2008): "Volatiles in IBM arc magmas: new insights from melt inclusion studies" and "Earth’s deep B and
H cycles: evidence from the Manus Basin for complementary recycled reservoirs", National History
Museum (April, 2009).
Peer-reviewed publications:
A.M. Shaw, E.H. Hauri, T.P. Fischer, D.R. Hilton and K. Kelley Hydrogen isotopes in Mariana arc melt
inclusions: implications for subduction dehydration and the deep-Earth water cycle, in press
Earth Planet. Sci. Lett
T.P. Fischer, A.M. Shaw and D.R. Hilton, Gas geochemistry of volcanic and hydrothermal fluids of
Central America. In: G. Alvarado (Editor), Central America: Geology, Resources and Hazards,
(2007)
E.H. Hauri, A.M. Shaw, J. Wang, J.E Dixon, P.L. King, and C.W. Mandeville, Matrix effects in
hydrogen isotope analysis of silicate glasses by SIMS, Chem. Geol. 235 (2006) 352-365.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fisher, J.A. Walker, and G.A.M. de Leeuw Helium isotope variations in
mineral separates from Costa Rica and Nicaragua: Assessing crustal contributions, time-scale
variations and diffusion-related mechanisms, Chem. Geol., 230 (2006) 124-193.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, C.G. Macpherson, and J.M. Sinton, The C-He-Ar systematics of lavas from the
Manus back-arc basin: resolving degassing and contamination Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 68
(2004) 1837-1856.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fischer, J.A. Walker and G. Alvarado, Helium and carbon relationships in
geothermal fluids from the Central American arc in Costa Rica Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 214 (2003)
499-513.
P.R. Castillo, J.W. Hawkins, P.F. Lonsdale, D.R. Hilton, A.M. Shaw, and M. Glascock Petrology of
Alarcon Basin lavas, Gulf of California: Nascent intracontinental ocean crust, J. Geophys. Res.
107 (2002) B10, 2222.
T.P. Fischer, D.R. Hilton, M.M. Zimmer, A.M. Shaw, Z.D. Sharp, and J. Walker, Subduction and
recycling of nitrogen along the Central American Margin, Science 297 (2002) 1154-1157.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, C.G. Macpherson, and J.M. Sinton, Nucleogenic neon in high 3He/4He lavas
from the Manus back-arc basin: a new perspective on He-Ne decoupling, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.
194 (2001) 53-66.
Publications in review and in preparation:
M.C. Ray, D.R. Hilton, J. Muñoz, T.P. Fischer and A.M. Shaw, The effects of volatile recycling,
degassing and crustal contamination on the helium and carbon geochemistry of hydrothermal
fluids from the Southern Volcanic Zone of Chile, submitted to Chem. Geol.
A.M. Shaw, E.H. Hauri, T.P. Fischer, D.R. Hilton, R. Stern and T. Plank, Mariana arc fluid budgets: new
insights from melt inclusions, in prep.
A.M. Shaw, E.H. Hauri, D.R. Hilton, C.G. Macpherson, and J.M. Sinton Tracing ancient recycled water
in the Manus plume, in prep.
A.M. Shaw, Hauri, E., Tamura, Y., Ishizuka, O., Stern, R, Embley, R. Volatile Contents of NW Rota
Melt Inclusions: Insight to Explosive Submarine Arc Volcanism, in prep.
Abstracts and other publications:
Shaw, A.M. (2008) Volcanic CO2 fluxes and implications for deep Carbon recycling, Sloan Deep Carbon
Workshop, Geophysical Laboratory, Washington D.C
J. Maule, S. Leuko, P. Morrill, A. Shaw, A. Abramov, Z. Tsygankova, E. Gostev, R. Anitori, D.
Gilichinsky and A. Steele (2008) International 2006 Astrobiology Expedition to Kamchatka,
Abscicon conference, Santa Clara, CA.
Head, E.M., Wallace, P.J., Carn, S., Sims, K., Shaw, A., and Bluth, G.J.S (2008) Interpreting SO2
Degassing with Melt Inclusions: Nyamuragira Volcano, D.R. Congo (1980-2006), IAVCEI
Meeting, Iceland.
Shaw, A.M., Hauri, E.H. Hilton, D.R., Macpherson, C.G., and J.M. Sinton (2007) Earth’s deep H cycle:
H isotope evidence from the Manus Basin for complementary recycled reservoirs Eos Trans.
AGU, 88(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract DI42A-01 (invited)
Shaw, A.M., Hauri, E., Fischer, T., Hilton, Stern, R., (2007) Geochemical studies of the Izu-BoninMariana subduction system: highlights, progress and future directions Eos Trans. AGU, 88(52),
Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T44C-01 (invited)
Shaw, A.M., Hauri, E., Fischer, T., Hilton, D., Plank, T., Stern, R., Tamura, Y. (2007) Volatiles in IBM
arc magmas: new clues revealed from melt inclusion studies, NSF-Margins IBM workshop,
Honolulu, Hawaii (keynote talk)
Fischer, T. P., D.R. Hilton, Z. Sharp, E. Hauri, Shaw, A.M., K. Kazahaya and G.E. Alvarado (2007)
Volatile Sources and Transfer through the Izu-Bonin-Mariana and Central American Subduction
Factories NSF-Margins IBM workshop, Honolulu, Hawaii
Hilton, D.R., Fischer, T. P., Shaw, A.M., E. Hauri, and K. Kazahaya (2007) Contrasting the CO2-He
isotope and relative abundance systematics of the Central American and IBM arcs, NSF-Margins
IBM workshop, Honolulu, Hawaii
A.M. Shaw, E.H. Hauri, R.J. Stern, J. Hawkins, (2007) How well do trace element proxies predict slab
fluid behavior? Goldschmidt Cologne, Germany Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., v.71, Issue 15,
Supplement 1, A924
Hauri, E., Shaw, A.M., and A. E. Saal, (2007) Giant Impacts, Late Veneers and the Gradual Hydration of
the Earth’s Mantle by Subduction, Goldschmidt Cologne, Germany Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta.,
v.71, Issue 15, Supplement 1, A386
Shaw, A.M., D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fischer and E.H. Hauri, (2007) Volatile fluxes at arc volcanoes:
comparing different techniques and evaluating mass balance, NSF-Margins Central America
workshop, Costa Rica (keynote talk)
Shaw, A.M., Hauri, E, Tamura, Y, Ishizuka, O., Stern, R, Embley, R. (2006) Volatile Contents of NW
Rota Melt Inclusions: Insight to Explosive Submarine Arc Volcanism Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52),
Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V52B-05
Tamura, Y, Ishizuka, O., Shaw, A., Stern, R, Embley, R., Kawabata, H., Shukuno, H., Tani, K., Chang,
Q. (2006) Torishima And NW Rota-1: A Petrological Contrast Between The Izu-Bonin And
Mariana Arcs Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V51F-07
Mitchell, E., Fischer, T. Hilton, D., Hauri, E., Shaw, A., Kazahaya, K. (2006) Volatile Sources and
Fluxes Through the Central American and Izu-Bonin-Mariana Subduction Factories Eos Trans.
AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V52B-04
Hilton, D.R., Fischer, T., Shaw, A., Hauri, E., Walker, J. (2006) Contrasting the CO2-He Isotope and
Relative Abundance Systematics of the Central American and IBM Arcs Eos Trans. AGU,
87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V52B-07
Fischer, T., Burnard, P., Marty, B., Palhol, F, Mangasini, F., Shaw, A.M. (2006) The 2005 and 2006
eruptions of Ol Doinyo Lengai: assessing deep and shallow processes at an active carbonatite
volcano using volatile chemistry and fluxes Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract
V14B-04
Shaw, A.M., Hauri, E.H. Hilton, D.R., Macpherson, C.G., and J.M. Sinton H isotopes of Manus Basin
glasses: a unique perspective on mantle plumes and recycling processes Goldschmidt conference
2006, Melbourne, Australia.
Hilton, D.R., Fischer, T.P., Hauri, E.H. and A.M. Shaw. Controls on the He-C systematics of the IzuBonin-Marianas (IBM) subduction zone Goldschmidt conference 2006, Melbourne, Australia.
Shaw, A.M., Hauri, E.H., Fischer, T.P. and D.R. Hilton (2006) Evaluating the extent of C cycling
through a cold subduction zone: new clues from Izu-Bonin melt inclusions Eos Trans. AGU,
87(36), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract V34A-05
Stern, R.J., P. Fryer, S. Klemperer, T. Plank, N. Takahashi, D. Wiens, A. Shaw. Perspectives on the
Andean arc from the Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system in the Western Pacific. Backbone of the
Americas meeting - Patagonia to Alaska, Abstract 2006.
Fischer, Hilton, Shaw, Hauri, Kazahaya, Mitchell, Shimizu, de Moor. Tracing slab inputs along the IzuBonin-Marianas subduction zone: results from volatile emissions (2005) Eos Trans. AGU,
86(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T44A-08
Hauri, E.H., Gaetani, G. A., Shaw, A.M., Kelley, K., Saal, A.E. The Ins and Outs of Water in the Earth’s
Mantle, (2005) Eos Trans. AGU, 86(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V22A-04
A.M. Shaw, E.H. Hauri, Kelley, K., T. Fischer, D. Hilton, R. J. Stern, J. Hawkins and T. Plank (2005) ,
Hydrogen isotope variations in Mariana Arc melt inclusions Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., v.69,
A631, (invited talk).
Fischer, T.P., Hilton, D.R., Elkins, L., Shaw, A.M. , Zimmer, M., Takahata, N., Sano, Y. Central America
arc volatiles: Along- and across- arc variations Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., v.69, A630 (2005).
A.M. Shaw, E.H. Hauri, D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fischer, R. J. Stern, J. Wade and T. Plank Insights into arc fluid
budgets from Mariana melt inclusions, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta., v.68, A45 (2004).
Hilton, D.R., Fischer, T.P., Shaw, A.M., De Leeuw, G.A.M. and Walker, J.A The CO2-He isotope and
relative abundance systematics of the Central American arc Penrose Meeting, Mexico 2004.
Shaw, A.M., Hilton, D., Fischer, T. and Walker, J. Helium variations in mineral separates from Cerro
Negro, Nicaragua: Assessing short time-scale variations. EOS Trans. AGU 84 F1545, 2003.
G.A.M. de Leeuw, D.R. Hilton, A.M. Shaw, B.J. Murton, R.N. Taylor, Testing binary mixing models for
lavas erupted along the Reykjanes Ridge: insights from C-He relationships, Eos Trans. AGU,
83(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V52A-1274, 2002
L. Elkins, D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fischer, A. Shaw, W. Strauch, Z. Sharp, Sediment Underplating Beneath
Central America: Insights From N-He, δ15N Systematics of Volatile Discharges in Nicaragua Eos
Trans. AGU, 83(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V21B-1209, 2002
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fischer, J. Walker, Unravelling the C systematics of the Central American
volcanic output. Abstract submitted to: Twelfth Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, August
2002.
T.P. Fischer, Hilton, D.R., Shaw, A.M., Zimmer, M.M. and Sharp, Z.D. A subduction zone barrier for
sediment-derived nitrogen. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. 66 p A235, 2002.
T.P. Fischer, M.M. Zimmer, D.R. Hilton, A.M. Shaw, B. I. Cameron, J. A. Walker and E. Molina The
relationship between the signature of subducted sediments in volcanic gases and volatile flux
along the Central American Volcanic Arc. Eos Trans. AGU, Spring Meet. Suppl., Abstract V52A09, 2002.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, T.P. Fischer, M.M. Zimmer, G. Alvarado, Helium and carbon relationships in
geothermal fluids from the Central American arc in Costa Rica, Eos Trans. AGU, 82(47), Fall
Meet. Suppl., Abstract V21C-0993, 2001
D.R. Hilton, A.M. Shaw, T.P. Fischer, Helium-Carbon Relationships in Geothermal Fluids of Guatemala:
Mapping the Subducted Sedimentary Component, Eos Trans. AGU, 82(47), Fall Meet. Suppl.,
Abstract V11B-09, 2001
M.M. Zimmer, T.P. Fischer, D.R. Hilton, A.M. Shaw, Z.D. Sharp, G. Alvarado, Volatile Chemistry and
Fluxes Along the Costa Rican Segment of the Central American Volcanic Arc Eos Trans. AGU,
82(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V21C-0994, 2001
A.M. Shaw, Volcanoes offer inside information, Ocean Watch column in The San Diego Union Tribune
(Jan. 10, 2001)
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, C.G. Macpherson, and J.M. Sinton Evidence for Nucleogenic Neon in High
3
He/4He Lavas from the Manus Back-arc Basin. Abstract submitted to: Tenth Annual V.M.
Goldschmidt Conference, September 2000.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, C.G. Macpherson, and J.M. Sinton. Constraining Volcanic CO2 Fluxes: the
Importance of CO2/3He Ratios. Abstract submitted to: Iceland Summer School on Plume-Ridge
Interactions, August 2000.
A.M. Shaw, D.R. Hilton, C.G. Macpherson, and J.M. Sinton. The carbon dioxide/helium-3 systematics of
plume-, mid-ocean-ridge basalt, and arc-type lavas from the Manus back-arc basin. Abstract in:
Ninth Annual V.M. Goldschmidt Conference, p268. LPI Contribution No. 971, Lunar and
Planetary Institute, Houston, August 1999.