About
Rebecca Lange is the Alexander N Halliday Collegiate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. She holds roles in the International Institute and Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Her research focuses on magmatic processes, including olivine-melt thermometry, Martian magmas, carbonate melt behavior, and volcanic system dynamics. Lange earned a PhD in Geology from UC Berkeley (1989).
Her work bridges experimental geochemistry and field-based studies, addressing questions about magma ascent rates, crust-mantle interactions, and volatile transport. Notable contributions include refining olivine-melt thermometers/hygrometers and elucidating mechanisms of high-silica rhyolite formation. She investigates planetary-scale processes, such as deep Earth carbon cycles and early ocean oxygenation, using multi-analytical approaches (e.g., Mössbauer spectroscopy, XANES).
- Research Themes: Magmatic volatile budgets, crystallization kinetics, crustal melt generation, planetary geochemistry.
- Key Techniques: Experimental petrology, high-pressure melting experiments, microanalytical methods, numerical modeling.
Lange's recent studies highlight rapid phenocryst growth during magma ascent, degassing-induced oxidation in magmas, and the role of basalt emplacement in forming silicic melts. Her interdisciplinary approach spans terrestrial and extraterrestrial systems, with active projects on Martian magmas and alkaline lake geochemistry.
Professional service includes roles in academic administration and steering committees. Her lab contributes to the International Institute's interdisciplinary initiatives, fostering collaborations between geosciences and global studies.
