All Outputs (86)

Seismic imaging of a basaltic Lesser Antilles slab from ancient tectonics (2025)
Journal Article
Yang, X., Xie, Y., Rychert, C. A., Harmon, N., Goes, S., Rietbrock, A., Lynch, L., Robertson, R., Latchman, J., Blundy, J. D., Kendall, J. M., Henstock, T. J., Wilkinson, J. J., Collier, J., Allen, R., Wilson, M., Davidson, J., Van Hunen, J., & Macpherson, C. G. (2025). Seismic imaging of a basaltic Lesser Antilles slab from ancient tectonics. Nature, 640, 697–701. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08754-0

At subduction zones, lithospheric material descends through the upper mantle to the mantle transition zone (MTZ), where it may continue to sink into the lower mantle or stagnate1,2. Several factors may be important in influencing this flow, including... Read More about Seismic imaging of a basaltic Lesser Antilles slab from ancient tectonics.

Widespread slab melting in modern subduction zones (2023)
Journal Article
Klaver, M., Yogodzinski, G., Albert, C., Camejo-Harry, M., Elburg, M., Hoernle, K., Macpherson, C., Nowell, G., Rushmer, T., Williams, H., & Millet, M. A. (2024). Widespread slab melting in modern subduction zones. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 626, Article 118544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118544

It is still a matter of intense debate to what extent partial melting of the subducting slab contributes to arc magmatism in modern subduction zones. In particular, it is difficult to differentiate between silicate melts formed by partial melting of... Read More about Widespread slab melting in modern subduction zones.

Mobility and connection among the Early Bronze Age Syrian elite (2023)
Journal Article
Stantis, C., Compton, G. S., Kharobi, A., Maaranen, N., Nowell, G. M., Macpherson, C., …Schwartz, G. M. (2023). Mobility and connection among the Early Bronze Age Syrian elite. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 51, Article 104142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.104142

The archaeological site of Umm el-Marra (in the Jabbul plain, western Syria), is a large, fortified urban center. Excavations have uncovered ten tomb structures built during the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2600–2150 BCE) that possibly contain royalty as ev... Read More about Mobility and connection among the Early Bronze Age Syrian elite.

The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour (2023)
Journal Article
Gowland, R. L., Caffell, A. C., Quade, L., Levene, A., Millard, A. R., Holst, M., Yapp, P., Delaney, S., Brown, C., Nowell, G., Macpherson, C., Shaw, H. A., Stewart, N. A., Robinson, S., Montgomery, J., & Alexander, M. M. (2023). The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour. PLoS ONE, 18(5), Article e0284970. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284970

Child labour is the most common form of child abuse in the world today, with almost half of child workers employed in hazardous industries. The large-scale employment of children during the rapid industrialisation of the late 18th and early 19th cent... Read More about The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour.

Slab to back-arc to arc: Fluid and melt pathways through the mantle wedge beneath the Lesser Antilles (2023)
Journal Article
Hicks, S. P., Bie, L., Rychert, C. A., Harmon, N., Goes, S., Rietbrock, A., Wei, S. S., Collier, J. S., Henstock, T. J., Lynch, L., Prytulak, J., Macpherson, C. G., Schlaphorst, D., Wilkinson, J. J., Blundy, J. D., Cooper, G. F., Davy, R. G., & Kendall, J.-M. (2023). Slab to back-arc to arc: Fluid and melt pathways through the mantle wedge beneath the Lesser Antilles. Science Advances, 9(5), https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add2143

Volatiles expelled from subducted plates promote melting of the overlying warm mantle, feeding arc volcanism. However, debates continue over the factors controlling melt generation and transport, and how these determine the placement of volcanoes. To... Read More about Slab to back-arc to arc: Fluid and melt pathways through the mantle wedge beneath the Lesser Antilles.

Decarbonation of subducting carbonate-bearing sediments and basalts of altered oceanic crust: Insights into recycling of CO2 through volcanic arcs (2022)
Journal Article
Arzilli, F., Burton, M., La Spina, G., Macpherson, C. G., van Keken, P. E., & McCann, J. (2023). Decarbonation of subducting carbonate-bearing sediments and basalts of altered oceanic crust: Insights into recycling of CO2 through volcanic arcs. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 602, Article 117945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117945

The geological carbon cycle has played a key role in controlling climate throughout Earth's history. For the last ∼3 billion years plate tectonics has driven subduction. Subducted slabs have transported CO2 from the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmo... Read More about Decarbonation of subducting carbonate-bearing sediments and basalts of altered oceanic crust: Insights into recycling of CO2 through volcanic arcs.

Origin and evolution of the slab fluids since subduction inception in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana: A comparison with the southeast Mariana fore-arc rift (2022)
Journal Article
Ribeiro, J., MacLeod, C., Lissenberg, J., Ryan, J., & Macpherson, C. (2022). Origin and evolution of the slab fluids since subduction inception in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana: A comparison with the southeast Mariana fore-arc rift. Chemical Geology, 601, Article 120813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.120813

Subduction zones have played a central role in exchanging volatiles (H2O, CO2, S, halogens) between the different Earth's reservoirs throughout its history. Fluids that are released as the subducted plates dehydrate are major agents that transfer the... Read More about Origin and evolution of the slab fluids since subduction inception in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana: A comparison with the southeast Mariana fore-arc rift.

The Principles of Helium Exploration (2022)
Journal Article
Danabalan, D., Gluyas, J. G., Macpherson, C. G., Abraham-James, T. H., Bluett, J. J., Barry, P. H., & Ballentine, C. J. (2022). The Principles of Helium Exploration. Petroleum Geoscience, 28(2), petgeo2021-029. https://doi.org/10.1144/petgeo2021-029

Commercial helium systems have been found to date as a serendipitous by-product of petroleum exploration. There are nevertheless significant differences in the source and migration properties of helium compared with petroleum. An understanding of the... Read More about The Principles of Helium Exploration.

Jordanian migration and mobility in the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2100–1550 BCE) at Pella (2021)
Journal Article
Stantis, C., Maaranen, N., Kharobi, A., Nowell, G. M., Macpherson, C., Schutkowski, H., & Bourke, S. (2022). Jordanian migration and mobility in the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2100–1550 BCE) at Pella. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 32(2), 339-357. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3069

The site of Pella, located in the foothills of the east Jordan valley, was a prosperous city–state throughout the Middle Bronze Age (MBA, ca. 2000–1500 BCE). As part of a widespread trading network, Pella enjoyed extensive socio-economic relationship... Read More about Jordanian migration and mobility in the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2100–1550 BCE) at Pella.

Sidon on the breadth of the wild sea: Movement and diet on the Mediterranean coast in the Middle Bronze Age (2021)
Journal Article
Stantis, C., Maaranen, N., Kharobi, A., Nowell, G. M., Macpherson, C., Doumet‐Serhal, C., & Schutkowski, H. (2022). Sidon on the breadth of the wild sea: Movement and diet on the Mediterranean coast in the Middle Bronze Age. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 177(1), 116-133. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24423

Objectives
Excavations at Sidon (Lebanon) have revealed dual identities during the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000–1600 BCE): a maritime port and center for local distribution, as well as a settlement with a heavy subsistence dependence on the extensive... Read More about Sidon on the breadth of the wild sea: Movement and diet on the Mediterranean coast in the Middle Bronze Age.

Variation in Upper Plate Crustal and Lithospheric Mantle Structure in the Greater and Lesser Antilles from Ambient Noise Tomography (2021)
Journal Article
Schlaphorst, D., Harmon, N., Kendall, J., Rychert, C., Collier, J., Rietbrock, A., Goes, S., Allen, R., Bie, L., Blundy, J., Chichester, B., Cooper, G., Davidson, J., Davy, R., Henstock, T., Hicks, S., Macpherson, C., Maunder, B., Prytulak, J., Hunen, J., …Wilson, M. (2021). Variation in Upper Plate Crustal and Lithospheric Mantle Structure in the Greater and Lesser Antilles from Ambient Noise Tomography. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 22(7), Article e2021GC009800. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gc009800

The crust and upper mantle structure of the Greater and Lesser Antilles Arc provides insights into key subduction zone processes in a unique region of slow convergence of old slow-spreading oceanic lithosphere. We use ambient noise tomography gathere... Read More about Variation in Upper Plate Crustal and Lithospheric Mantle Structure in the Greater and Lesser Antilles from Ambient Noise Tomography.

Multi-isotope evidence of population aggregation in the Natufian and scant migration during the early Neolithic of the Southern Levant (2021)
Journal Article
Santana, J., Millard, A., Ibáñez-Estevez, J. J., Bocquentin, F., Nowell, G., Peterkin, J., Macpherson, C., Muñiz, J., Anton, M., Alrousan, M., & Kafafi, Z. (2021). Multi-isotope evidence of population aggregation in the Natufian and scant migration during the early Neolithic of the Southern Levant. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article 11857. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90795-2

Human mobility and migration are thought to have played essential roles in the consolidation and expansion of sedentary villages, long-distance exchanges and transmission of ideas and practices during the Neolithic transition of the Near East. Few is... Read More about Multi-isotope evidence of population aggregation in the Natufian and scant migration during the early Neolithic of the Southern Levant.

Multi-isotopic study of diet and mobility in the northeastern Nile Delta (2021)
Journal Article
Stantis, C., Kharobi, A., Maaranen, N., Macpherson, C., Bietak, M., Prell, S., & Schutkowski, H. (2021). Multi-isotopic study of diet and mobility in the northeastern Nile Delta. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 13(6), Article 105. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01344-x

The origin of the Hyksos dynasty (c. 1638–1530 BCE) is thought to be rooted in the Near East given the architectural features and burial customs present at the site of Tell el-Dabca, identified as the capital of Hyksos rule in the Eastern Delta of Eg... Read More about Multi-isotopic study of diet and mobility in the northeastern Nile Delta.

Isotopic Compositions of Plagioclase From Plutonic Xenoliths Reveal Crustal Assimilation Below Martinique, Lesser Antilles Arc (2021)
Journal Article
Brown, J., Cooper, G., Nowell, G., Macpherson, C., Neill, I., & Prytulak, J. (2021). Isotopic Compositions of Plagioclase From Plutonic Xenoliths Reveal Crustal Assimilation Below Martinique, Lesser Antilles Arc. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9, Article 682583. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.682583

The chemical and isotopic compositions of volcanic arc lavas often show evidence for involvement of a sedimentary component during magma genesis. Determining where this sedimentary component is added to arc magmas is of vital importance for constrain... Read More about Isotopic Compositions of Plagioclase From Plutonic Xenoliths Reveal Crustal Assimilation Below Martinique, Lesser Antilles Arc.

Deciphering variable mantle sources and hydrous inputs to arc magmas in Kamchatka (2021)
Journal Article
Iveson, A. A., Humphreys, M. C., Savov, I. P., de Hoog, J. C., Turner, S. J., Churikova, T. G., Macpherson, C. G., Mather, T. A., Gordeychik, B. N., Tomanikova, L., Agostini, S., Hammond, K., Pyle, D. M., & Cooper, G. F. (2021). Deciphering variable mantle sources and hydrous inputs to arc magmas in Kamchatka. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 562, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2021.116848

The chemistry of primitive arc rocks provides a window into compositional variability in the mantle wedge, as well as slab-derived inputs to subduction-related magmatism. However, in the long-term cycling of elements between Earth's internal and exte... Read More about Deciphering variable mantle sources and hydrous inputs to arc magmas in Kamchatka.

Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc (2020)
Journal Article
Cooper, G. F., Macpherson, C. G., Blundy, J. D., Maunder, B., Allen, R. W., Goes, S., Collier, J. S., Bie, L., Harmon, N., Hicks, S. P., Iveson, A. A., Prytulak, J., Rietbrock, A., Rychert, C. A., Davidson, J. P., & team, T. V. (2020). Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc. Nature, 582, 525-529. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2407-5

Oceanic lithosphere carries volatiles, notably water, into the mantle through subduction at convergent plate boundaries. This subducted water exercises control on the production of magma, earthquakes, formation of continental crust and mineral resour... Read More about Variable water input controls evolution of the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc.

Wide‐Angle Seismic Imaging of Two Modes of Crustal Accretion in Mature Atlantic Ocean Crust (2020)
Journal Article
Davy, R., Collier, J., Henstock, T., Rietbrock, A., Goes, S., Blundy, J., Harmon, N., Rychert, C., Macpherson, C. G., Van Hunen, J., Kendall, M., Wilkinson, J., Davidson, J., Wilson, M., Cooper, G., Maunder, B., Bie, L., Hicks, S., Allen, R., Chichester, B., …Labahn, E. (2020). Wide‐Angle Seismic Imaging of Two Modes of Crustal Accretion in Mature Atlantic Ocean Crust. Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, 125(6), Article e2019JB019100. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jb019100

We present a high‐resolution 2‐D P‐wave velocity model from a 225‐km‐long active seismic profile, collected over ~60–75 Ma central Atlantic crust. The profile crosses five ridge segments separated by a transform and three nontransform offsets. All ri... Read More about Wide‐Angle Seismic Imaging of Two Modes of Crustal Accretion in Mature Atlantic Ocean Crust.

A Triassic to Jurassic arc in north Borneo: Geochronology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions and the Sabah ophiolite (2020)
Journal Article
Burton-Johnson, A., Macpherson, C., Millar, I., Whitehouse, M., Ottley, C., & Nowell, G. (2020). A Triassic to Jurassic arc in north Borneo: Geochronology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions and the Sabah ophiolite. Gondwana Research, 84, 229-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2020.03.006

New field, geochemical, and geochronological data from the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions (SVFI) of Sabah, north Borneo, shows them to be arc-derived tonalites; not windows or partial melts of a crystalline basement beneath Sabah. UPb zircon ages da... Read More about A Triassic to Jurassic arc in north Borneo: Geochronology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Segama Valley Felsic Intrusions and the Sabah ophiolite.

Upper Plate Stress Controls the Distribution of Mariana Arc Volcanoes (2020)
Journal Article
Andikagumi, H., Macpherson, C., & McCaffrey, K. (2020). Upper Plate Stress Controls the Distribution of Mariana Arc Volcanoes. Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, 125(2), Article e2019JB017391. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jb017391

We present a spatial analysis of volcano distribution and morphology in the young, intraoceanic Mariana Arc. Both the quality of fit to idealised models and the divergence from those ideals indicate that Mariana Arc volcanoes are arranged into five g... Read More about Upper Plate Stress Controls the Distribution of Mariana Arc Volcanoes.

Convergence-aligned, foreland magmatism in the Arabia? Anatolia Collision: Geochronological evidence from the Karacadağ Volcanic Complex, southeast Turkey (2019)
Journal Article
Ekici, T., & MacPherson, C. (2019). Convergence-aligned, foreland magmatism in the Arabia? Anatolia Collision: Geochronological evidence from the Karacadağ Volcanic Complex, southeast Turkey. Turkish journal of earth sciences, 28, 719-733. https://doi.org/10.3906/yer-1902-25

New 40Ar/39Ar ages are presented for volcanic rocks from the Karacadağ Volcanic Complex (KVC) in SE Anatolia. These extend the oldest age recognised for the KVC for lavas from the Siverek Phase plateau basalt back to at least 17 Ma. Our data agree wi... Read More about Convergence-aligned, foreland magmatism in the Arabia? Anatolia Collision: Geochronological evidence from the Karacadağ Volcanic Complex, southeast Turkey.