Petrology podcasts

Torgeir Andersen explains how continental rocks in western Norway were dragged roughly 100 kilometres into the mantle during the collision of Baltica and Laurentia, and then returned to the surface. Coesite inclusions provide evidence of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism. The conversation examines subduction, slab break-off, exhumation and whether isolated diamond-bearing rocks record local overpressure rather than greater burial depth.

Hosted by Oliver Strimpel

Keith Klepeis explains how magma travels from deep crustal sources into the upper crust and crystallizes into plutons. Observations from southern Fiordland in New Zealand reveal the resulting structures and constrain their origin and evolution. The discussion links magma transport with the three-dimensional organization of intrusive rocks.

Jiří Žák reconstructs the Cadomian and Variscan mountain-building episodes preserved in central European geology. He connects continental movements and supercontinent assembly with surviving metamorphic and volcanic rocks, granites and deformation structures. Field studies and zircon geochronology help recover the history of heavily eroded mountain belts.

Renée Tamblyn examines when and how thick, silica-rich continents emerged from Earth’s early magma-ocean state. The discussion compares gradual growth with episodic formation and explores the role of water released from hydrated minerals in oceanic lithosphere. It also considers hydrogen production by early geological processes and its possible relevance to life.

Henrik Svensen discusses rocks and geological processes operating over different timescales. Conversation in Norwegian.