معرفی
Megan E. Newcombe is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on experimental petrology and volcanology, particularly the controls on volcanic eruptive styles on Earth and other planetary bodies, and the quantification of volatile sources and fluxes in planetary interiors. She leads the Planetary Volcanism Laboratory, which investigates magma dynamics, volatile behavior, and planetary processes.
Dr. Newcombe holds a Ph.D. in Geology from the California Institute of Technology (2016). Her work integrates laboratory experiments, field studies, and analytical techniques such as micro-CT imaging, isotope analysis, and melt inclusion studies to understand magma storage, ascent, and eruption mechanisms. She has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2023) for her research on magma ascent chronometry using water-in-feldspar crystal clocks.
Her research interests include:
- Hydrogen and water dynamics in magmas and planetary materials
- Volcanic eruption styles and their links to magma composition
- Experimental studies of volatile partitioning in minerals and melts
- Planetary volatile delivery and storage mechanisms
Dr. Newcombe’s recent work explores the role of volatiles in driving explosive eruptions, the geochemical evolution of planetary interiors, and the application of crystal chronometry techniques to reconstruct volcanic histories. She collaborates with international teams on projects ranging from terrestrial volcanoes like Redoubt and Cerro Machín to lunar and Martian geology.
Notable contributions include studies of the 2009 Redoubt eruption’s water content, the dynamics of superhydrous magmas in Colombia, and the reconstruction of volatile histories in chondritic meteorites. Her lab emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining field data with experimental petrology to address fundamental questions in planetary science.
