Kristoffer Szilas

Kristoffer Szilas

Assistant professor

ORCID: 0000-0002-5541-306X

2018 → Present: Assistant Professor, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2017: Postdoc, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Denmark  

2014 → 2016: Postdoc, Stanford University, California, USA        

2012 → 2014: Postdoc, Columbia University, New York, USA

2003 → 2012: PhD, Copenhagen University, Denmark

 

My research focuses on the petrology and geochemistry of Archaean (older than 2500 million years old) rocks from Greenland, where I have conducted fieldwork every summer for the past ten years. The research aims at modelling the relations between ultramafic and mafic-andesitic rock associations in order to better constrain the evolution of the North Atlantic Craton.
See more about my research at www.kristofferszilas.com

Current research

I'm currently working on determining the origin of enigmatic peridotite enclaves, which are found within TTG-suite orthogneiss in the Fiskefjord region. These refractory peridotite cumulates were likely co-magmatic with the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM). This research project is supported by the Villum Foundation through a "Young Investigator Grant" that runs from 2018 to 2022, and is mentioned HERE.

Another research project that I have just initiated is a study of the oldest rocks on Earth, which are located in SW Greenland. The aim is to contribute with new insights into Earth's earliest crustal evolution. By applying a palette of isotope systems (including various non-traditional) on these ancient rocks, we hope to pin-point the specific class of meteorites that represents the building blocks of Earth. This project is supported by the Carlsberg Foundation through a "Distinguished Fellowship" that runs from 2019 to 2022, and is mentioned HERE.

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Below are some M.Sc. and B.Sc. projects that I can offer students:
 
-Ruby formation in metasomatised ultramafic rocks from SW Greenland.
 
-Characterization of sulfide minerals from various Archaean mineral deposits in the Nuuk region of SW Greenland.
 
-Petrology of diamond-bearing kimberlites from the Maniitsoq region of SW, Greenland.
 
-The petrology of the Fiskenæsset Anorthosite Complex (in collaboration with Greenland Anorthosite Mining ApS).
 
-The petrology and geochemistry of Eoarchaean peridotites from south of Isua, with the aim of investigating if they represent mantle or cumulate rocks. Application of EMPA and LA-ICP-MS methods.

-Petrology and geochemistry of potentially Hadean peridotite and chromitite from the Ujaragssuit Complex, SW Greenland. Investigation of the primary, metamorphic and metasomatic stages in its four billion-year history.
 
-Mineralogical and isotope geochemical study of metasomatic processes at the interface between dunite and granitoids during high-grade metamorphism resulting in talc (in collaboration with Tonci Balic Zunic).
 
-Petrology of pseudospinifex-textured rocks from the Ammassalik region. Are they the only komatiites in Greenland?
 
-The Mesoarchaean Bjørneøen mafic-ultramafic volcanic sequence. Geochemical modelling of cumulate relations.
 
-Petrology of gabbros from South of the Skaergaard Intrusion, East Greenland.
 

All of the above projects have the potential to become journal publications, if the student is ambitious and is willing to put in the effort it would take.
Feel free to contact me at krsz@ign.ku.dk if you have any questions.

Teaching

I teach courses in Economic Geology, Structural Geology, Arctic Geoscience, Mineralogy and Metamorphic Petrology.

ID: 40444392