Dr. Desmond Moser

Zircon & Accessory Phase Laboratory

Desmond MoserProfessor
Ph.D. Queen's University, 1993
Office: BGS 1070
Chair's Office: BGS 1028
Labs: BGS 1000C, 1059
Phone: (519) 661-2111 x.84214
Fax: (519) 661-3198
Email: desmond.moser@uwo.ca

Research Interests

Dr. Desmond Moser conducts solid Earth and planetary science research using 深夜福利站’s nationally unique Zircon and Accessory Phase Laboratory (ZAPLab) to examine the age and evolution of ancient planetary crusts. His diverse team of student trainees gains skills in integrating mapping and petrographic analysis with nano-scale analysis techniques such as electron diffraction and atom probe tomography (microstructural geochronology). Non-Indigenous trainees gain awareness and respect of Indigenous peoples’ relationships with lands and waters, and appropriate ways to partner in Indigenous research.

Selected Publications

  • Moser, DE, Arcuri, GA, Reinhard, DA , White, LF, Darling, JR, Barker, IR, Larson, DJ, Irving, AJ, McCubbin, FM, Tait, KT, Roszjar, J, Wittmann, A, Davis, C (2019) Decline of giant impacts on Mars by 4.48 billion years ago and an early opportunity for habitability. Nature Geoscience 12 (7), 522-52
  • Arcuri, GA; Moser, DE; Reinhard, DA; Langelier, B; Larson, DJ; (2020) Impact-triggered nanoscale Pb clustering and Pb loss domains in Archean zircon. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 175: 1-13
  • White, LF, Darling, JR, Moser, DE, Reinhard, D., Prosa, T.J., Bullen, D, Olson, D, Larson, DJ (2017) Atomic-scale age resoultion of planetary events. Nature. Commun. 8, 15597 doi: 10.1038/ncommus15597
  • Moser, D.E., Chamberlain K, Schmitt A, Tait K, Darling J, Barker I, Hyde B. (2013) Solving the Martian meteorite age conundrum using micro-baddeleyite and launch-generated zircon, Nature, 499, 454-457
  • Moser, DE, Cupelli, CL, Barker, I, Flowers, RM, Bowman, JR, Wooden, J, Hart, R, (2011) New zircon shock phenomena and their use for dating and reconstruction of large impact structures revealed by electron nanobeam (EBSD, CL, EDS) and isotopic U-Pb and (U-Th)/He analysis of the Vredefort dome. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences (Thomas Krogh special volume); 48: 117-139
  • Moser, DE, Flowers, R, and Hart, RJ (2001) Birth of the Kaapvaal tectosphere 3.08 billion years ago. Science, 291: 465-468.Moser, D.E. (1997) Dating the shock wave and thermal imprint of the giant Vredefort impact, South Africa. Geology, 25:7-10.0

Courses 

  • Earth Sciences 3023Y/ Indigenous Studies 4023Y: A Field Course in Land Healing and Responsibility
  • Earth Sciences 3315B: Metamorphic Petrology
  • Earth Sciences 3350Y: Advanced Field Mapping Techniques
  • Geology 9559: Microstructural Geochronology of Planetary and Resource Evolution

Future Students

Current Projects Available:

  1. Response of deep-crustal zircon to large meteorite impacts (e.g. Vredefort, Sudbury)
  2. EBSD and U-Pb dating of meteorites, particularly planetary achondrites (e.g. martian, lunar)
  3. Zircon response to dynamic and passive fission events in the crust
  4. The evolution of early to late Archean cratons and their mineral deposits (e.g., Churchill Province, Nunavut)