Jon Blundy
Encyclopedia
Jonathan David Blundy FRS (born 7th August 1961), is Professor of Petrology
, in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol
.
, Oxford
(B.A., 1980) and Trinity Hall
, Cambridge
(PhD, 1989) and a former Kennedy Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(1985). He was educated at St Paul's School, Brazil
, Giggleswick School
and Leeds Grammar School
, where petrologists Keith Cox
and Lawrence Wager
also studied.
Blundy is most noted for advancing the understanding of how magma
s are generated in the Earth's crust
and mantle
and of the processes that occur in volcanoes before they erupt. He undertook his PhD research at Cambridge University under the supervision of Professor Stephen Sparks on the granites of Adamello-Presanella
in the Italian Alps
. In series of seminal papers with Professor Bernard John Wood in the 1990's Blundy developed a theory of elastic strain to describe the uptake of trace elements into the crystal lattices of igneous minerals. The theory was based on high temperature and pressure experiments on molten rocks, and is now widely used to predict crystal-melt partition coefficients for use in modelling magmatic processes.
Blundy subsequently collaborated with Professor Katharine Cashman at the University of Oregon
on Mount St. Helens
volcano in the Cascade Range
of northwestern USA. Blundy and Cashman demonstrated the importance of degassing in driving the crystallisation of volatile-bearing magmas, a process that can occur without any attendant cooling. In fact, because of the release of latent heat of fusion, magmas that crystallise by decompression can actually get hotter in the process.
of the Geochemical Society
(1997), and Murchison Fund (1998) and the Bigsby Medal
of the Geological Society of London
(2005). He was a Fulbright Scholar at University of Oregon in 1998, Guest Professor at Nagoya University
in 2007 and elected as a fellow of the Royal Society
in 2008.
He won a 2011 Wolfson Research Merit Award.
He has a daughter, Lilian (born 1997), a son, Stanley (born 1994) and a step-daughter, Jennifer (born 1989).
Petrology
Petrology is the branch of geology that studies rocks, and the conditions in which rocks form....
, in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
.
Life
He is a graduate of University CollegeUniversity College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(B.A., 1980) and Trinity Hall
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(PhD, 1989) and a former Kennedy Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
(1985). He was educated at St Paul's School, Brazil
St Paul's School, Brazil
St Paul's School is a bilingual international school in São Paulo, Brazil. It offers a combination of the British national curriculum and International Baccalaureate teaching...
, Giggleswick School
Giggleswick School
Giggleswick School is an independent co-educational boarding school in Giggleswick, near Settle, North Yorkshire, England.- Early school :...
and Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school in Leeds established in 1552. In August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008....
, where petrologists Keith Cox
Keith Cox
Keith Gordon Cox FRS was a British geologist and academic at the University of Oxford. He had a particular interest in flood basalts and was regarded as one of the leading experts in this area.-Life and career:...
and Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Wager
Lawrence Rickard Wager, commonly known as Bill Wager, was a British geologist, explorer and mountaineer, described as "one of the finest geological thinkers of his generation" and best remembered for his work on the Skaergaard intrusion in Greenland, and for his attempt on Mount Everest in...
also studied.
Blundy is most noted for advancing the understanding of how magma
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
s are generated in the Earth's crust
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
and mantle
Mantle (geology)
The mantle is a part of a terrestrial planet or other rocky body large enough to have differentiation by density. The interior of the Earth, similar to the other terrestrial planets, is chemically divided into layers. The mantle is a highly viscous layer between the crust and the outer core....
and of the processes that occur in volcanoes before they erupt. He undertook his PhD research at Cambridge University under the supervision of Professor Stephen Sparks on the granites of Adamello-Presanella
Adamello-Presanella
The Adamello-Presanella Alpine group is a mountain range in the Italian Alps. It is part of the Southern Limestone Alps. It is located in the provinces of Trentino and Brescia...
in the Italian Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. In series of seminal papers with Professor Bernard John Wood in the 1990's Blundy developed a theory of elastic strain to describe the uptake of trace elements into the crystal lattices of igneous minerals. The theory was based on high temperature and pressure experiments on molten rocks, and is now widely used to predict crystal-melt partition coefficients for use in modelling magmatic processes.
Blundy subsequently collaborated with Professor Katharine Cashman at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
on Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is south of Seattle, Washington and northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a...
volcano in the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
of northwestern USA. Blundy and Cashman demonstrated the importance of degassing in driving the crystallisation of volatile-bearing magmas, a process that can occur without any attendant cooling. In fact, because of the release of latent heat of fusion, magmas that crystallise by decompression can actually get hotter in the process.
Awards
Blundy is a recipient of the F.W. Clarke MedalF.W. Clarke Medal
The F.W. Clarke Medal is an annual award presented by the Geochemical Society to an early-career scientist for a single outstanding contribution to geochemistry or cosmochemistry, published either as a single paper or a series of papers on a single topic. The award is named after Frank Wigglesworth...
of the Geochemical Society
Geochemical Society
The Geochemical Society is a nonprofit and international scientific society for the purpose of encouraging the application of chemistry to solve problems involving geology and cosmology...
(1997), and Murchison Fund (1998) and the Bigsby Medal
Bigsby Medal
The Bigsby Medal is a medal of the Geological Society of London established by John Jeremiah Bigsby. It is awarded for the study of American geology and recipients must be under 45 years of age.-Bigsby Medalists:List of Medallists...
of the Geological Society of London
Geological Society of London
The Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
(2005). He was a Fulbright Scholar at University of Oregon in 1998, Guest Professor at Nagoya University
Nagoya University
Nagoya University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:...
in 2007 and elected as a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 2008.
He won a 2011 Wolfson Research Merit Award.
Family
In 1992, he married Katharine Fawcett (rn1963), from whom he has been separated since 2004.He has a daughter, Lilian (born 1997), a son, Stanley (born 1994) and a step-daughter, Jennifer (born 1989).
External links
- Blundy's webpage at the University of Bristol
- http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=978