Olivier Bachmann
  Associate Professor
  Office: JHN-435
     ESS Mailing Address
  Phone: 206-543-7615
  Fax: 206-543-0489 (shared)
  Email: baolivie @ ethz.ch
  Homepage: http://faculty.washington.edu/bachmano

  Research Groups: Petrology/Mineralogy/Geochemistry, Volcanology

Areas of Interest:
Igneous Petrology and Volcanology of large silicic systems.

Education:
Ph.D., Volcanology-Petrology-Geochronology, University of Geneva, 2000
M.S., Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, 1997

Current Research Interests:
My main research interests are in physical volcanology and igneous petrology of evolved magmatic systems. I am particularly fascinated by large caldera-forming events (now commonly referred to as "Supervolcanoes" since a popular BBC/Discovery Channel dramatization introduced the term to the general public -- and to the scientific community). I have used many different techniques to address issues related to the eruptive dynamics and magmatic evolution (both rates and processes) of these giant eruptions and like to integrate data from geochemistry and geophysics to develop models that are consistent with both realms.

Presently, my students and I are working on projects in several magmatic provinces around the world, including the South Aegean Arc (Greece), the Southern Volcanic Zone (Chile) and the San Juan Volcanic Field (Colorado). All these projects involve a fair share of field work, but also require the use of sophisticated geochemical and modeling tools (at the University of Washington and elsewhere).

Graduate Students:
(at the University of Geneva)

• Wim Degruyter (Ph.D): Characterization of juvenile pyroclasts from the Kos-Nisyros Volcanic Complex (Aegean Arc, Greece).
• Andrea Parmigiani (Ph.D): Modeling volcanic phenomena by Lattice-Boltzmann methods (in co-direction with prof. Bastien Chopard, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Geneva).
• Caroline Bouvet de Maisonneuve (M.Sc.): Eruptive mechanisms of large explosive eruptions: a textural study of Kos Plateau Tuff pumices (Aegean Arc, Greece).    (Ph.D): Volcanology an magmatic evolution of evolved magmas in Llaima Volcano, Southern Volcanic Zone, Chile. (in co-direction with prof. Michael Dungan, Dept. of Mineralogy, University of Geneva).
• Julie Bourquin (M.Sc): Volatile quantification in quartz-hosted melt inclusions from the Kos Plateau Tuff (Aegean Arc, Greece) by Raman, FTIR, and SIMS techniques.
• Cedric Schnyder (M.Sc): Magmatic evolution of the pre-Kos Plateau Tuff deposits, (Aegean Arc, Greece).
• Alexandra Nowak (M.Sc): Magmatic evolution of the Quaternary rhyolites in the Kos-Nisyros Volcanic Complex (Aegean Arc, Greece).
• Celine Longchamp (M.Sc): Recent pyroclastic deposits of the Kos-Nisyros Volcanic Complex (Aegean Arc, Greece): field description and models of eruptive dynamics (in co-direction with prof. Costanza Bonadonna, Dept. of Mineralogy, University of Geneva).

Selected Publications:

Huber C, Bachmann O, Manga M (2010) Two competing effects of volatiles on heat transfer in crystal-rich magmas: thermal insulation versus reactivation. Journal of Petrology

Bachmann O, Wallace PJ, Bourquin J (2009) The melt inclusion record from the rhyolitic Kos Plateau Tuff (Aegean Arc). Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, DOI 10.1007/s00410-009-0423-4 

Bachmann, O. & Bergantz, G. W. (2008).  Rhyolites and their Source Mushes across Tectonic Settings. Journal of Petrology 49, 2277 - 2285.

Bachmann, O., Oberli, F., Dungan, M.A., Meier, M., Mundil, R. and Fischer H. (2007): 40Ar/39Ar and U-Pb dating of the Fish Canyon magmatic system, San Juan Volcanic field, Colorado: evidence for an extended crystallization history. Chemical Geology 236, 134-166

Bachmann, O., Charlier, B.L.A., Lowenstern, J.B., (2007): Zircon crystallization and recycling in the magma chamber of the rhyolitic Kos Plateau Tuff (Aegean Arc). Geology 35(1), 73-76

Bachmann, O., and Bergantz, G.W., (2004): On the origin of crystal-poor rhyolites: extracted from batholithic crystal mushes, Journal of Petrology 45 (8), 1565-1582.