Michael Pointon
Research Geologist
Contact: [email protected]
Michael Pointon graduated from the University of Leeds in 2005 (BSc Hons Geological Sciences) and 2006 (MSc Environmental Geochemistry). He continued his studies at the University of Dublin, Trinity College, completing a PhD in 2012. The focus of his PhD research was using high-precision U-Pb zircon geochronology to date several western European Carboniferous diagenetically altered ash layers. In addition to improving the calibration of the Carboniferous timescale, the U-Pb isotopic dates obtained from these ash layers were used to constrain the timing of the onset of major Carboniferous glaciation and the periodicity of Carboniferous glacial-interglacial cycles.
Michael joined CASP in June 2013 to work on the Circum-Arctic Provenance Database Project. He has subsequently constructed similar GIS databases of U-Pb isotopic ages for the Black Sea region and the Ural Mountains. He has also worked on the geochronology and sediment provenance of parts of Arctic Canada and the greater Caspian region. He is currently contributing to the Black Sea Project.
Latest Publications
- Uranium-lead dates from Livian (Middle Viséan) bentonites of the Namur-Dinant Basin, Belgium
- Mixed local and ultra-distal volcanic ash deposition within the Upper Cretaceous Kanguk Formation, Sverdrup Basin, Canadian Arctic Islands
- Geochemistry and origin of Carboniferous (Mississippian; Viséan) bentonites in the Namur-Dinant basin, Belgium: evidence for a Variscan volcanic source
- High-precision U-Pb zircon CA-ID-TIMS dates from western European Late Viséan bentonites