Dr. Marthe Klöcking

Observational Geodynamics

I am interested in upper mantle processes, in particular the melting of mantle rocks. My research focuses on reconstructing the depth and temperature of melt generation from the chemical composition of mafic volcanic rocks. I combine igneous geochemistry with thermodynamics, seismology, and geodynamics. In modern intraplate volcanic provinces, such as the western US and northeast Brazil, I use these multidisciplinary constraints to quantify dynamic topography and the interplay between lithospheric thickness and elevated mantle potential temperatures. Since mafic volcanic rocks have been preserved throughout Earth history, magmatic compositions from different ages can be used to assess lithospheric evolution, and its potential links to continent stability and ore formation, through time and space. My current DFG-funded project focuses on the ca. 500 - 3,000 Ma old volcanic record of Australia to unravel the spatio-temporal evolution of cratonic margins, utilising a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach that synthesises geophysical, geodynamical, geochemical and geological constraints. I am integrating geochemical modelling of volcanic compositions, including new geochemical and isotopic constraints, geological and geophysical data as well as targeted geodynamical simulations to obtain quantitative estimates of upper mantle structure, such as temperature and plate thickness, throughout Australia's geological history.

Numerical Modelling of Mantle Geochemistry

A fundamental tool in my research approach is the numerical modelling of geochemical compositions during mantle melting. I use both deterministic and probabilistic forward and inverse modelling approaches to characterise trace element partitioning, diffusion and melt aggregation. Following rigorous data screening to select only the most primitive, mantle-derived samples (i.e. avoiding major crustal or metasomatic contamination) and correcting for crystal fractionation, melt compositions in combination with thermodynamics and/or solidus-liquidus parametrisations can be used to solve for the temperature and pressure of melting generation, as well as source composition. These physical parameters are the basis for quantitatively combining geochemical and geophysical observations, and are important constraints for geodynamical simulations of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system.

Data Management in Geochemistry

I am passionate about Open Science, and FAIR data in particular. Both as a user of regional/global geochemical compilation datasets and as former manager of the GEOROC database (https://georoc.eu), my main interests lie in data aggregation and synthesis from diverse sources. One aspect of this work is the development of community standards and machine actionable vocabularies. I am further interested in data publication and the coordination of the publication workflow between researchers, publishers and domain repositories. I am an active member of the OneGeochemistry initiative for FAIR geochemical data (http://onegeochemistry.org).