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Subduction Zone Fluids and Their Role in Crustal Evolution

Date: 10/30/2025 (Thursday)

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Location: Geology 1707

Presented By: Elizabeth Cottrell* – TBA

Abstract:
Fluids released from subducting slabs play a critical role in driving magmatism, metamorphism, and chemical differentiation in Earth’s crust. In this talk, I will present new geochemical and experimental data that constrain how fluid compositions evolve under high-pressure conditions in subduction zones. These results shed light on the sources of arc magmas, the mobility of trace elements, and the feedbacks between fluid flow and crustal melting. Understanding these processes helps clarify the role of fluids in the evolution of continental crust and the global geochemical cycle.