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Daniel Miggins

Phone: 303-236-4536

Fax: 303-236-5556

Email: dmiggins@usgs.gov

Education

» B.S. Geology, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico
» M.S. Geology, University of Colorado at Boulder

Interests

My primary interest is solving geological problems using ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology, geochemistry, and radiogenic isotopes. Most importantly, applying ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology to complex stratigraphic problems in Tertiary volcanic settings such as continental rifts, volcanic rifted margins (flood basalts), detailed volcanic stratigraphy, and timing of basin formation and duration, tephrochronology, impact events and solving various other geologic problems.

Using major, trace, and rare-earth element geochemistry and radiogenic isotopes (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, and U-Pb) to determine magmas source regions and/or the degree with which the continental crust has influenced various rock types within specific volcanic terrains.

Experience

Since 1998, I have been working in the Denver Argon Geochronology Laboratory, first as a graduate student assistant, then as a permanent employee in 2000. My primary job responsibility was the production of pure mineral separates for the lab. Additional responsibilities included maintaining the state of the art mineral separation laboratory, as well as our rock preparation and geochemistry laboratories. I began working closely with various research scientists from a variety of geologic backgrounds such as geologic mapping, volcanology, and sedimentology utilizing both the power of the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating method along with other analytical techniques such as geochemistry, radiogenic isotopes, and microprobe analysis to solve complex geologic problems.

Current Activities

I am currently involved in many projects, from both USGS funded projects to several international collaborations. My current research focuses on delineating the timing of various volcanic environments such as the northern Rio Grande Rift and southern Death Valley region, and Big Bend National Park. I am currently studying various igneous intrusions associated with the Balcones Volcanic Zone in west Texas (Uvalde county) and their association with groundwater development in the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers.

USGS Projects

Southern Death Valley - timing associated with the development of the southern Death Valley region
Middle Rio Grande Rift - timing of various tectonic and magmatic events associated with the development of the northern Rio Grande Rift
SCAMP
Edwards Aquifer Project - determining the timing of volcanic events in west Texas

International Collaborations

India - determining the timing and overall duration of volcanism associated with the Deccan Trap flood basalts and Proterozoic dikes from northern and southern India
China - using ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology to study the fluvial and lacustrine sedimentology, stratigraphy, continental paleoclimatology, and causes of the End-Permian Mass Extinction (251 Million years ago) from the Bogda Mountains, northwestern China
Australia - Using ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology to determine the timing and thermochronology of mineral deposits and mineral producing events associated with Archean gold deposits in western Australia

Selected Bibliography

Publications

Miggins, D.P., Thompson, R.A., Pillmore, C.L., Snee, L.W., and Stern, C.R., 2002, Extension and uplift of the northern Rio Grande Rift: Evidence from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, south-central Colorado and northern New Mexico, in Menzies, M.A., Klemperer, S.L., Ebinger, C.J., and Baker, J., eds., Volcanic Rifted Margins: Boulder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 362, p. 47-74

Hicks, J.F., Johnson, K.R., Obradovich, J.D., Miggins, D.P., and Tauxe, L., 2003, Magnetostatigraphy of Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) to lower Eocene strata of the Denver Basin, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Geology, v. 38, no. 1, p. 1-27

Miggins, D.P., Blome, C.D., Smith, D.V., 2003, Preliminary ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology of igneous intrusions from Uvalde County, Texas: Defining a more precise eruption history for the southern Balcones Volcanic Province, U.S. Geological Survey, Open File Report 2004-1031, p. 33

Kellogg, K.S., and Miggins, D.P., 2002 Geologic map of the Sawmill Mountain quadrangle, Kern and Ventura counties, California, U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 02-406

Miggins, D.P., 2002, Chronologic, geochemical, and isotopic framework of igneous rocks within the Raton Basin and adjacent Rio Grande Rift, south-central Colorado and northern New Mexico, Master's Thesis, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 417p

Dunbar, N.W., and Miggins, D.P., 1996, Chronology and thermal history of potassium metasomatism in the Socorro, New Mexico area: evidence from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating and fission-track analysis: New Mexico Geology, v.18, no.2, p. 50

Harrison, B., Chamberlin, R., Shearer, E., and Fall 1995 Soils Class, 1996, Correlation and relative ages of quaternary piedmont surfaces west of Socorro, New Mexico: New Mexico Geology, v.18, no.2, p. 56

Abstracts

Subbarao, K.V., Miggins, D.P., and Kumar, Anil, 2005, Importance and implication of Ar-Ar ages of alkaline and ultramafic lamprophyric dykes from the west coast of India within the Deccan Traps, Asian Oceania Geosciences Society, Abstract

Miggins, D.P., Subbarao, K.V., Snee, L.W., 2005, New ⁴⁹Ar/³⁹Ar ages for the west coast Deccan Trap Flood Basalts and related dikes in India, Asian Oceania Geosciences Society

Miggins, D.P., Snee, L.W., Pillmore, C.L., Budahn, J.R., Kunk, M.J., and Stern, C.R., 1999, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology and geochemistry of sills within the Cretaceous Pierre Shale near the Spanish Peaks in south-central Colorado, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol 31, No. 7. P.207

Snee, L.W., Miggins, D.P., Geissman, J., Reed, M., Dilles, J., Zhang, L., 1999, Thermal history of the Butte Porphyry system, Montana, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P.380

Iriondo, A., Miggins, D., Premo, W., 2003, The Aibo-type (~1.1 GA) granitic magmatism in NW Sonora, Mexico: Failed continental rifting of Rodinia?, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol.31, No. 7, P.207

Fifarek, R.H., Denny, F.B., Snee, L.W., and Miggins, D.P., 2003, Permian Igneous activity in southeastern Illinois and western Kentucky: Implications for tectonism and economic resources, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7, P.207

Miggins, D.P., Snee, L.W., Kunk, M.J., Pillmore, C.L., 2000, The magmatic evolution of the Raton Basin using ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7, P.380. 51818

Johnson, A.M., Snee, L.W., Morton, D., Hammarstrom, J., Miggins, D., Premo, W., and Yeoman, R., 2000, Structural and mineralogic changes across a buchan metamorphic gradient, peninsular ranges batholith, southern California: p-t-t and tectonic implications: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7, P.380. 51818

Pillmore, C.L., and Miggins, D.P., 2000, New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinations on the K/t boundary interval: possible constraints on the timing of the k/t event?, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P380. 51847

Thompson, R.A. 1, Fridrich, C.J., Miggins, D.P., Snee, L.W., and Fleck, R.J., 1999, Constraints on timing and rates of deformation volcanism and associated basin formation in the central Death Valley region, California and Nevada, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P.380

Miggins, D.P., Thompson, R.A., Pillmore, C.L., 2000, Initial stages of rifting in the northern Rio Grande rift: evidence from ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology from the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Geological Society of america Abstracts with programs vol. 31, No.7. P.380

Miggins, D.P., Thompson, R.A., and Pillmore, C.L., History of uplift, extension and sedimentation in the northern Rio Grande rift using ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7.P380

Pillmore, C.L., and Miggins, D.P., 2002, Continuing studies of sedimentation rates of the k/t sequence, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P380

Reynolds, M.W., and Miggins, D.P., 2002, The early Cretaceous Santiago Peak arc: A continental margin arc, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P380

Miggins, D.P., Blome, C.D., Smith, D., 2002, Preliminary ⁴⁰ar/³⁹Ar age constraints for the uvalde igneous intrusions west of San Antonio, Texas, Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P380

Reynolds, M.W., Miggins, D.P., and Snee, L.W., 2002, Age and tectonics of middle Tertiary basaltic volcanism and effects on the landscape of west-central Montana Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs vol. 31, No. 7. P380

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