معرفی
Kari M. Cooper is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Davis. She serves as the Scientific Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Plasma Mass Spectrometry, where she leads advanced geochemical research using state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Her work bridges volcanology, petrology, and climate science through innovative applications of U-series disequilibria and diffusion chronometry.
Her research focuses on the thermal and temporal evolution of magmatic systems beneath volcanoes. She specializes in interpreting chemical and isotopic records preserved in volcanic crystals—particularly zircon and olivine—to reconstruct the timescales of magma storage, mixing, and eruption. A central theme of her work is the concept of 'cold storage,' where magmas reside mostly below critical rheological temperatures, challenging traditional views of long-lived molten reservoirs. She has led groundbreaking studies at Mount Hood, Tarawera, Lassen, and Yellowstone, combining U-series dating with diffusion modeling to constrain pre-eruptive conditions.
Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating multiple chronometers and geochemical proxies to build comprehensive models of magma reservoir dynamics. These works span disciplines including geochronology, petrology, isotope geochemistry, and paleoclimatology, with increasing emphasis on quantitative modeling and cross-system comparisons. She frequently employs NanoSIMS and other high-resolution analytical tools to extract crystal-scale histories.
Notable scientific honors include:
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2017)
- Geological Society of America Fellow (2015)
Dr. Cooper actively mentors PhD students and collaborates with researchers across institutions such as Oregon State University, University of Canterbury, and Berkeley Geochronology Center. She has secured significant funding from the National Science Foundation, including projects under the GeoPRISMS and climate programs. Her advising spans topics from magma dynamics to U-series dating of carbonates for paleoclimate reconstruction.
She leads or co-leads several interdisciplinary research groups focused on magmatic processes and analytical geochemistry. Her lab develops and applies novel methods in diffusion chronometry and U-series geochronology, often in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Center for Plasma Mass Spectrometry. These teams integrate fieldwork, microanalytical data, and theoretical models to address fundamental questions in Earth sciences.
