Faculty

Kenneth E. Windom

Associate Professor
High Pressure/Temperature Igneous Petrology

162 Science I
Dept. of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
Phone: (515) 294-2430
Email: kewindom@iastate.edu

Education
B.A. West Georgia College, 1972
Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University, 1976
 
Research Interests
Research efforts have involved investigations of igneous and metamorphic rocks and processes, especially those that occur under pressure and temperature conditions representative of the earth's lower crust and upper mantle. An experimental laboratory capable of reproducing pressure and temperature conditions representative of approximately 100 km depth within the earth has been established with funding primarily from NSF with some matching funds from Iowa State. Using this lab, investigations have been conducted into phase equilibrium relations of important mineral assemblages under actual earth conditions. Specific problems recently under investigation are: 1) experimental and theoretical study of phase relations of high-pressure transition-metal-free pyroxenes, 2) mineral-melt equilibria in silicate systems at low and high pressures, and 3) measurement of composition of the vapor phase in equilibrium with meteoritic material at high temperatures as an indicator of the composition of the solar nebula.

Laboratory facilities have also been established to investigate physical properties of molten silicate glasses. These facilities are currently in use in a study of molten glasses analogous to those used by the U.S. Department of Energy for radioactive waste disposal. These glasses are very similar to naturally occurring lavas, and techniques used to study one are applicable to both.

In addition to laboratory studies, investigations of natural occurrences of petrologically significant rocks have been conducted. I participated in the Deep Sea Drilling Project/International Phase of Ocean Drilling as a shipboard scientist, and have collaborated on studies of continental basalts and mafic intrusives from New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Of particular note is a recently completed study with colleague Karl Seifert on the tectonic and magmatic significance of igneous rocks found in the subsurface of northwestern Iowa that are 2.9 billion years old.

Teaching
Efforts are currently being directed toward pedagogical matters, specifically toward utilizing computer-assisted learning more effectively in the geology curriculum. Collaboration with colleague Carl Jacobson has resulted in funding from NSF for this activity. We are working toward introducing computers in both those course traditionally offered as a service effort as well as courses primarily taken by geoscience majors.

Selected Refeered Publications
Windom, K. E. and Jacobson, C. E. (1996) Computer-Assisted Learning in Geology: 1. Applications in Large Introductory Classes. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs (in press)

Jacobson, C. E., and Windom, K. E. (1996) Computer-Assisted Learning in Geology: 2. Classes for Majors. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs (in press).

Pang, B., and Windom, K.E. (1994) Nuclear waste into glass: Viscosities of molten analogs of radioactive waste disposal media. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science, 101
:49-53.
Lewis, R. D., Lofgren, G. E., Franzen, H. F., and Windom, K. E. (1993) The effect of Na-rich vapor on the Na content of chondrules. Meteoritics, 28:622-628.

Windom, K.E., Van Schmus, W.R., Seifert, K.E., Wallin, E.T., and Anderson, R.R. (1993) Archean and Proterozoic tectono-magmatic activity along the southern margin of the Superior Province in northwestern Iowa, USA. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 30:1275-1285

Publications