Dr Andrew McCaig

Profile

Biography

I was born in Sheffield, England and have a BA (Natural Sciences) from Cambridge, an MSc from the University of Western Ontario and gained a PhD from Cambridge in 1983 working on shear zones in the Pyrenees. After a brief period as a lecturer at Dundee University I have been at Leeds since 1984.

Research interests

My research is in the fields of structural geology, tectonics and geochemistry, and for many years I worked on fluid flow in shear zones and thrust faults in the Pyrenees and Alps, using isotopes and fluid inclusions to trace fluid pathways and the SEM to constrain permeability generation mechanisms at the micro scale. For the last ten years I have been interested in ocean floor hydrothermal systems and detachment faulting at slow spreading ridges, sailing on cruise JR63 to the 15N area of the Atlantic and on IODP leg 304 which started the deepest hole so far drilled in young (< 2 million years) ocean floor. I have strong collaborative links with the hydrothermal modelling group at the Institute de Physique du Globe in Paris and am an Adjunct Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Current projects

• A major NERC-supported project starting in 2011 is investigating the thermal evolution of oceanic core complexes, linking this to hydrothermal circulation and the tectonics of the recently discovered 'detachment mode' of seafloor spreading at slow-spreading ridges.
• I am a co-proponent on an IODP proposal currently being evaluated 'Serpentinization and life: Biogeochemistry and tectono-magmatic processes in young mafic and ultramafic seafloor'. If this gets approved we will drill a series of 50-100 m long cores in the top of the Atlantis Massif near the Lost City hydrothermal field, using a sea bottom corer.
• An ongoing project is looking at mechanisms of fluid flow in the oceanic crust and in particular permeability generated by metamorphic reactions. This project makes use of brand new SEM and electron probe equipment at Leeds

Teaching

I teach in all years of the undergraduate programme, including geological maps in first and second years, and Plate Tectonics in first and third years. I also lead a field mapping training course to NW Scotland and regularly supervise student field projects in the Pyrenees.

Other roles

I am recruitment and marketing co-ordinator for the School and also help with admissions to the MSc in Structural Geology with Geophysics. I am a member of the University Senate. In the past I have been Earth Sciences Admissions Tutor and was Deputy Head of School for four years up till the end of 2009.

I was born in Sheffield, England and have a BA (Natural Sciences) from Cambridge, an MSc from the University of Western Ontario and gained a PhD from Cambridge in 1983 working on shear zones in the Pyrenees. After a brief period as a lecturer at Dundee University I have been at Leeds since 1984.

Research interests

My research is in the fields of structural geology, tectonics and geochemistry, and for many years I worked on fluid flow in shear zones and thrust faults in the Pyrenees and Alps, using isotopes and fluid inclusions to trace fluid pathways and the SEM to constrain permeability generation mechanisms at the micro scale. For the last ten years I have been interested in ocean floor hydrothermal systems and detachment faulting at slow spreading ridges, sailing on cruise JR63 to the 15N area of the Atlantic and on IODP leg 304 which started the deepest hole so far drilled in young (< 2 million years) ocean floor. I have strong collaborative links with the hydrothermal modelling group at the Institute de Physique du Globe in Paris and am an Adjunct Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Current projects

• A NERC-supported project is investigating the thermal evolution of oceanic core complexes, linking this to hydrothermal circulation and the tectonics of the recently discovered 'detachment mode' of seafloor spreading at slow-spreading ridges.
• I took part in IODP Expedition 345 to Hess Deep in the East Pacific ocean, and am engaged in studying fault-related alteration in the gabbroic lower crustal rocks we collected, using Sr, O and B isotopes.
• I am a scientist and co-proponent on IODP Expedition 357, http://www.eso.ecord.org/expeditions/357/357.php This aims to drill a series of 50-100 m long cores in the top of the Atlantis Massif near the Lost City hydrothermal field, using a sea bottom corer.
• An ongoing project is looking at mechanisms of fluid flow in the oceanic crust and in particular permeability generated by metamorphic reactions. This project makes use of new SEM and electron probe equipment at Leeds

Teaching

I teach tectonics, geological maps and structural geology at various levels in the undergraduate programme. I also lead a final year field course to Cyprus and regularly supervise student field projects in the Pyrenees.

Other roles

I am recruitment and marketing co-ordinator for the School and manage the extremly successful year abroad programmes in the School, which I was instrumental in setting up 15 years ago. I am a member of the University Senate. In the past I have been Earth Sciences Admissions Tutor and was Deputy Head of School for four years up till the end of 2009. I am a member of the NERC Peer Review which evaluates research proposals from British scientists in Earth and Environmental Science

Research groups and institutes

• Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics