Nick Barber 🌋
@volcannick.bsky.social
Asst Professor, geoscientist, volcanophile
magma, metals, and minerals 🌋🪨🛰️Philadelphian 🦅, father, husband. he/him. www.volcannick.com
Opinions my own
magma, metals, and minerals 🌋🪨🛰️Philadelphian 🦅, father, husband. he/him. www.volcannick.com
Opinions my own
I'm giving my vote to tetrahedrite!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
November 4, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I'm giving my vote to tetrahedrite!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
Good news for those following the egregious suspension of Dr Dixon at UNC - he’s back in the classroom! You can read his update here.
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
October 4, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Good news for those following the egregious suspension of Dr Dixon at UNC - he’s back in the classroom! You can read his update here.
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
More on my shoshonites - Bawean is less than a million years old yet it’s hundreds of km from the arc front and 600 km above the Sunda slab.
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
October 3, 2025 at 3:30 AM
More on my shoshonites - Bawean is less than a million years old yet it’s hundreds of km from the arc front and 600 km above the Sunda slab.
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
Today, I begin a new geology series called Tethys Truther Thursday ⚒️
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
August 28, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Today, I begin a new geology series called Tethys Truther Thursday ⚒️
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
Very belated #ThinSectionThursday ⚒️🪨🧪
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
August 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Very belated #ThinSectionThursday ⚒️🪨🧪
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
A different kind of #ThinSectionThursday today ⚒️:
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
July 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A different kind of #ThinSectionThursday today ⚒️:
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
Scotland is amazing! I always have a soft spot for Arran - such superb geology outcropping along the whole coast, and Drumadoon sill is a sight to see!
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
July 27, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Scotland is amazing! I always have a soft spot for Arran - such superb geology outcropping along the whole coast, and Drumadoon sill is a sight to see!
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
Happy #ThinSectionThursday all! Today's entry is a 2.5x view of scoria from Mt. Ijen's 1817 CE phreatomagmatic eruption 🌋. This is the most crystal rich entry in the eruption sequence; multiple crystal populations present, composed of plag >> 2 pyr > ol. Note: this thin section is 50 μm thick!
July 24, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Happy #ThinSectionThursday all! Today's entry is a 2.5x view of scoria from Mt. Ijen's 1817 CE phreatomagmatic eruption 🌋. This is the most crystal rich entry in the eruption sequence; multiple crystal populations present, composed of plag >> 2 pyr > ol. Note: this thin section is 50 μm thick!
So it depends on depths you are talking about. For most volcanic processes, we care about fluids when the exsolve from the magma.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
June 30, 2025 at 8:55 PM
So it depends on depths you are talking about. For most volcanic processes, we care about fluids when the exsolve from the magma.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
What a great start to #IAVCEI2025. Pictured below - the coffee break!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
June 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
What a great start to #IAVCEI2025. Pictured below - the coffee break!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
Day 2 - we are up and away with SAR data! I've been able to access interferograms for the first time thanks to Edna Dualeh's excellent practical.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
June 29, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Day 2 - we are up and away with SAR data! I've been able to access interferograms for the first time thanks to Edna Dualeh's excellent practical.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
Uplifting and inspiring #NoKings protest in the heart of the Blue Ridge.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
June 14, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Uplifting and inspiring #NoKings protest in the heart of the Blue Ridge.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
Instead, cites this modeling study from 5 years ago, which quantifies the amount of CO2 drawn down by EWR on cropland!
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
June 9, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Instead, cites this modeling study from 5 years ago, which quantifies the amount of CO2 drawn down by EWR on cropland!
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
You either die a Herbie or live long enough to see yourself become a Gritty
June 7, 2025 at 11:10 PM
You either die a Herbie or live long enough to see yourself become a Gritty
Not sure if this is known widely yet, or what the implication is (outright cancellation or reorganization) but the EAR-IF program has also been archived.
June 4, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Not sure if this is known widely yet, or what the implication is (outright cancellation or reorganization) but the EAR-IF program has also been archived.
Madison Myers is sharing her groups recent work on melt embayments as acceleration measures!!
May 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Madison Myers is sharing her groups recent work on melt embayments as acceleration measures!!
Flash talk time! Geoff Abers & Adam Kent talked about imaging the famous Cashman magma mush cartoon
May 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Flash talk time! Geoff Abers & Adam Kent talked about imaging the famous Cashman magma mush cartoon
Day 1 of the “COMMUNITY RESEARCH PRIORITIZATION FOR VOLCANOES ACROSS THE
ALASKA-ALEUTIAN ARC” workshop!
Cant wait for all the fun and exciting science over the next few days!
ALASKA-ALEUTIAN ARC” workshop!
Cant wait for all the fun and exciting science over the next few days!
May 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Day 1 of the “COMMUNITY RESEARCH PRIORITIZATION FOR VOLCANOES ACROSS THE
ALASKA-ALEUTIAN ARC” workshop!
Cant wait for all the fun and exciting science over the next few days!
ALASKA-ALEUTIAN ARC” workshop!
Cant wait for all the fun and exciting science over the next few days!
For record of what I said earlier, and links to the charts in question, see below.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
May 22, 2025 at 8:03 PM
For record of what I said earlier, and links to the charts in question, see below.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Social media highlight for me: getting the notification my newest follower is @philadelphiaeagles.bsky.social
To celebrate: some photos of my wife and I celebrating SB52 win.
I am wielding a small pot - i brought it to clang and get the crowd going.
The 2nd picture speaks for itself 🦅
To celebrate: some photos of my wife and I celebrating SB52 win.
I am wielding a small pot - i brought it to clang and get the crowd going.
The 2nd picture speaks for itself 🦅
May 21, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Social media highlight for me: getting the notification my newest follower is @philadelphiaeagles.bsky.social
To celebrate: some photos of my wife and I celebrating SB52 win.
I am wielding a small pot - i brought it to clang and get the crowd going.
The 2nd picture speaks for itself 🦅
To celebrate: some photos of my wife and I celebrating SB52 win.
I am wielding a small pot - i brought it to clang and get the crowd going.
The 2nd picture speaks for itself 🦅
Also: another place with an oceanward very eruptive volcano: Semeru, Indonesia.
May 19, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Also: another place with an oceanward very eruptive volcano: Semeru, Indonesia.
He’s already cooking, throwing shade at modern academia, and I haven’t even left the preface yet lol.
“…science was presented as an integral part of the gorgeous tapestry of human knowledge.”
“…teachers were valued for their teaching, their ability to inform and inspire the next generation.”
“…science was presented as an integral part of the gorgeous tapestry of human knowledge.”
“…teachers were valued for their teaching, their ability to inform and inspire the next generation.”
May 18, 2025 at 6:55 PM
He’s already cooking, throwing shade at modern academia, and I haven’t even left the preface yet lol.
“…science was presented as an integral part of the gorgeous tapestry of human knowledge.”
“…teachers were valued for their teaching, their ability to inform and inspire the next generation.”
“…science was presented as an integral part of the gorgeous tapestry of human knowledge.”
“…teachers were valued for their teaching, their ability to inform and inspire the next generation.”
Finally getting around to reading Carl Sagan’s last published book before his death “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark.”
Sagan is a childhood hero of mine. So for folks interested, I’ll be posting snippets I find inspiring or insightful.
Sagan is a childhood hero of mine. So for folks interested, I’ll be posting snippets I find inspiring or insightful.
May 18, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Finally getting around to reading Carl Sagan’s last published book before his death “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark.”
Sagan is a childhood hero of mine. So for folks interested, I’ll be posting snippets I find inspiring or insightful.
Sagan is a childhood hero of mine. So for folks interested, I’ll be posting snippets I find inspiring or insightful.
Me hearing my lessons on thermodynamics breed cadres of Maoist’s:
March 15, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Me hearing my lessons on thermodynamics breed cadres of Maoist’s: