Degrees: B.A., Smith College; M.A., Ph.D., Harvard University.
During the past 30 years, I have taught courses for majors and non-majors
at all levels of the Geosciences curriculum. Structural Geology (GEOS 206)
is most closely rooted in my graduate training in structural geology and
tectonics, but for many years I also taught sedimentology and most recently
I have tackled global climate change in Climate Past and Future (GEOS 240).
The latter course arose from one of my research projects on ancient glacial
deposits in the Boston area that have been linked with climatic extremes
of the terminal Precambrian "Snowball
Earth." In this investigation and others, I map rock formations in
the field and determine their ages based on U/Pb isotopic ratios measured
in the Radiogenic Isotope Laboratory at MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric
and Planetary Science (Prof. S.A. Bowring, director). I also collaborate
with paleomagnetist Dr. Anne Grunow (Wellesley '81) to establish the original
paleolatitudes of rocks making up the geologic domain around Boston known
as the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone. We have recently demonstrated
that the granites and volcanic strata that form the bedrock in this area
lay off the African coast of Gondwana at about 595 million years ago, and
we are now working to track the continental drift that brought them across
the ancestral Atlantic ocean to collide with North America. Wellesley students
have been involved in many parts of this research.
Publications:
Thompson, M.D., Grunow, A.G., and Ramezani, J., 2007, Late Neoproterozoic
paleogeography of the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone: Insights from
U-Pb geochronology and paleomagnetism: Geological Society of America Bulletin,
v. 119, p. 681-696. Abstract
Thompson, M.D., and Hermes, O.D., 2003, Early Rifting in the Narragansett
Basin, Massachusetts-Rhode Island: Evidence from Late Devonian Bimodal Volcanic
Rocks: Journal of Geology, v. 111, p. 597-604. Abstract
McLaughlin, K.J., Barr, S.M., Hill, M.D., Thompson, M.D., Ramezani, J., and
Reynolds, P.H., 2003, The Moosehorn Plutonic Suite, southeastern Maine and
southwestern New Brunswick: age, petrochemistry and tectonic setting: Atlantic
Geology, v. 39, p.123-146. Abstract
Thompson, M.D., and Bowring, 2000, S.A., Age of the Squantum "tillite",
Boston Basin, Massachusetts: U-Pb zircon constraints on terminal Neoproterozoic
glaciation: American Journal of Science, v.300, p. 630-655.
Abstract
Nance, R.D., and Thompson, MD, eds., 1996, Avalonian and Related Peri-Gondwanan
Terranes of the Circum- North Atlantic: Boulder, CO, Geological Society
of America Special Paper 304, 390 p.
Thompson, MD, Hermes, O.D., Bowring, S.A., Isachsen, C.E., Besancon, J.R.,
and Kelly, K.L., 1996, Tectonostratigraphic implications of Late Proterozoic
U-Pb ages in the Avalon Zone of southeastern New England, in Nance, RD, and
Thompson, MD, eds., Avalonian and Related Peri-Gondwanan Terranes of the Circum-North
Atlantic: Boulder, CO, Geological Society of America Special Paper 304.
p. 179-191. Abstract
Grants:
| 2006 |
Rapid plate motions in Late Neoproterozoic through Cambrian time? Paleomagnetic
constraints from Avalonian terranes in southeastern New England and Nova
Scotia (Brachman Hoffman Small Grant, Wellesley College. |
| 2002 |
Collaborative Research: Stratigraphic resolution as key to tectonic
synthesis in the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone around Boston, Massachusetts
(NSF EAR-0125477; with Dr. Anne M. Grunow, Ohio State University).
|
| 2000 |
Refining the age of Neoproterozoic glaciation in the Boston Basin, Massachusetts: new
U-Pb zircon constraints on the last snowball Earth (NSF EAR-0001134). |
| 1997 |
Collaborative Research: Neoproterozoic-Lower Paleozoic evolution
of the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone around Boston, MA: Tests
from geochronology and paleomagnetism (NSF EAR-9725804; with Dr. Anne M.
Grunow, Ohio State University) |
| 1996 |
U-Pb geochronology of Squantum "Tillite" and related rocks
around Boston, MA: Implications for terminal Proterozoic glaciation
and supercontinent breakup (NSF EAR-9628520). |
Field Trip Guides:
Thompson, M.D., and Grunow, A.M., 2004, A Roxbury Review: conglomerates of
greater Boston, Massachusetts in Hanson, L.S., ed., Guidebook to field trips
in Rhode Island and Massachusetts: Salem, MA., 96th Annual Meeting of the
New England Intercollegiate Field Conference, p. C2-1 - C2-21. Guide
Selected Abstracts (student co-author starred):
Thompson, M.D., and Grunow, A.M., 2007, Paleomagnetic overprinting as evidence
of Neo-Acadian tectonism in Northern Appalachian peri-Gondwanan terranes:
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 39, no. 1, p. 69.
Abstract
Thompson, M.D., and Grunow, A.M., 2007, The geological case for Avalon off
North Africa at 595 Ma: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs,
v. 39, no. 1, p. 35. Abstract
Thompson, M.D., and Grunow, A.M., 2006, Avalon off Africa at 595 Ma and other
implications of U-Pb geochronology and paleomagnetism in Neoproterozoic rocks
around Boston, MA: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v.
38, no.7, p. 398. Abstract
Thompson, M.D., and Grunow, A.M., 2005, Neoproterozoic paleogeography of the
Southeastern New England Avalon Zone: insights from U-Pb geochronology and
paleomagnetism: Geologic Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 37,
no. 7, p. 72.
Ault*, A.K., Thompson, M.D., Grunow, A.M., and Ramezani, J., 2004, Mafic Mattapan
volcanism at Worlds End, Hingham, Massachusetts: new dimensions of arc activity
in the southeastern New England Avalong Zone: Geological Society of America
Abstracts with Programs, v. 36, no. 2, p. 130. Abstract
Morell*, Kristin D., Thompson, Margaret D., and Kaplin, J., 2004, Structural
history of the Cambridge Argillite: insights from tunnels near Deer island,
Boston Harbor, Massachusetts: Geological Society of America Abstracts with
Programs, v. 36, no. 2, p. 138. Abstract
Thompson, M.D., Grunow, A.M., and Ramezani, J., 2003, New Paleomagnetic pole
from the Late Cambrian Nahant Gabbro, Nahant, Massachusetts: implications for
drift history of the Southeastern New England Avalon Zone: Geological Society
of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 35, p. 18. Abstract
Green*, Theresa, Thompson, Margaret, and Davidson, Thomas, 2002, South
shore stratigraphy of the Boston Basin: insights from the Braintree Weymouth
Tunnel: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 34,
no. 1, p. A15. Abstract
Thompson, MD, and Bowring, S.A., 2001, U-Pb zircon geochronology of the Squantum "Tillite," Boston
Basin, eastern Massachusetts: Implications for Terminal Neoproterozoic "snowball" glaciation,
invited paper for Geological Association of Canada-Mineralogical Association
of Canada Annual Meeting, St. John, Newfoundland.
Thompson, M.D., Keefe, K.L.D., Martin, M.W., And Bowring, S.A., 2000, Maximum
depositional age of the Squantum "Tillite": Geological Society
of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 1., p. A-78.
Thompson, M.D., Hermes, OD, Martin, M.W., And Bowring, S.A., 1999, Late Devonian
rhyolite in the Narragansett Basin: Geological Society of America Abstracts
with Programs, v. 31, no. 2, p. A-73.
Scott*, J.W., Sundell, K.A. Thompson, M.D. and Bowring, S.A., 1999, High precision
U-Pb geochronology of Oligocene tuffs from the White River Formation, Douglas,
Wyoming: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 31,
no. 2, p. A66.
Thompson, M.D., 1998, Billings in Boston: Geological Society of America Abstracts
with Programs, v. 30, no. 1, p. 78.
Sarson*, J.D., and Thompson, M.D., 1998, Gabbro sill complex intruding Neoproterozoic
Cambridge Argillite, Calf Island, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts: Geological
Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 30, no. 1, p. 72.
Stevens*, L.M., Thompson, M.D., Davidek, K.L. And Bowring, S.A., 1997, Detrital
zircon geochronology of Neoproterozoic Westboro Quartzite, Saugus, MA: Geological
Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 29, no. 1, p. 82.
Thompson, M.D., 1997, Tunnels of Boston, Massachusetts: infrastructure
for water supply, sewerage, transportation and geologic mapping: Geological
Society of Canada/Mineralogical Society of Canada Abstracts Volume, v. 22,
p. A147.
Thompson, M.D., Weeks*, A.L., Davidek, K.L., And Bowring, S.A., 1996, Detrital
zircon geochronology from quartz arenite clast in Squantum "Tillite" Member
of the Roxbury Conglomerate: Whence Avalonian Boston?, Geological Society
of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 28, no. 3, p. 104.
Wellesley
Home Page | Admissions
| Science Center
Created
and maintained by Maria Raffi mraffi@wellesley.edu
date updated: November 7,
2007
