Jonathan Snow

Professor

Focus Areas: Igneous Petrology, Isotope Geochemistry, Mid-Ocean Ridges, Tectonics
Bachelor's Degree(s): Indiana University-Bloomington - Geology
Master's Degree(s): University of Rochester - Geology
PhD: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program - Oceanography

E-mail: jesnow@lsu.edu 
Phone: 225-578-2692
Office: E337 Howe-Russell-Kniffen Geoscience Complex

 

Research Interest

The geology, physics and chemistry of the formation of the Earth's lithosphere. Early evolution of oceanic rift systems. Partial melting in the mantle and the petrogenesis of mid-ocean ridge basaltic magmas. The isotopic evolution of Nd, Sr, Pb and Os in the upper mantle. Mantle noble metal geochemistry, including Re-Os and Pt-Os isotope geochemistry. Low-temperature mantle/seawater chemical exchange at ridges. The tectonics of fracture zones, and the petrology and structure of oceanic lower crust and upper mantle exposure.

Awards & Honors

NSF Graduate Fellow
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellow
DFG (German NSF) Heisenberg Program Fellow
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Professional History

1993-1994 Poste Rouge CNRS, Nancy, France
1994-2005 Research Scientist, Max-Planck institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
2005-2008 Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, TX
2008-2014 Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, TX
2014-2019 Professor, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston, TX
2016 President, Faculty Senate, University of Houston, TX
2019-Present Professor and Chair, Department of Geology and Geophysics, LSU

Selected Publications in Scientific Journals

Gillis, K., Snow, J., Klaus, A. and Leg 345 Shipboard Scientific Party (2014) Primitive Layered Gabbros from Fast-
Spreading Lower Oceanic Crust, Nature 505, 200-207

Snow, JE, E. Hellebrand, A. von der Handt, F. Nauret, Y. Gao, H.-W. Schencke (2011) " Oblique nonvolcanic seafloor
spreading in Lena Trough, Arctic Ocean ", Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems doi:10.1029/2011GC003768

*Liu, C., J. Snow, E. Hellebrand, G. Bruegmann, A. von der Handt, A. Buechl, A. W. Hofmann (2008) Ancient, Highly
Heterogeneous Mantle beneath Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean. Nature 452:311-316. (Article).

Snow, J. and petrology group ARK XX-2 (2007) Petrology of Lena Trough and Gakkel Ridge in: G. Budéus and P. Lemke
(2007). The Expeditions ARKTIS-XX/1 and XX/2 of the Research Vessel “Polarstern” in 2004. Reports on Polar
and Marine Research 544:153-208.

*Hellebrand, E. and J. Snow (2003) Deep melting underneath the highly oblique-spreading Lena Trough (Arctic Ocean)
Earth and Planetary Science Letters 216:283-299.

Michael, P. C. Langmuir, H. Dick, J. Snow, S. Goldstein, D. Graham, K. Lehnert, G. Kurras, R. Mühe and H. Edmonds
(2003) Magmatic and amagmatic seafloor spreading at the slowest mid-ocean ridge: Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean,
Nature 423:956-961.

Jokat, W., O. Ritzmann, M. Schmidt-Aursch, S. Drachev, S. Gauger, J. Snow (2003) Geophysical evidence for reduced melt
production on the super-slow Gakkel Ridge (Arctic Ocean), Nature 423:962-965.

Edmonds, H., P.J. Michael, E.T. Baker, J.E. Snow, C. Langmuir, H.J.B. Dick, and D. Graham (2003) Abundant
hydrothermal venting on the ultra-slow spreading Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean, Nature 421:252-256

Snow, J. E. and Petrology Group, ARK VXII-2 (2002) ARK XVII/2 Petrology cruise report: Petrogenesis of magmatic and
amagmatic crust along the world’s slowest spreading mid-ocean ridge. In: Thiede, J. (ed) (2002) Cruise report, ARK XVII/2, Reports on Polar and Marine Research 421:118-164.

*Hellebrand, E. W., J.E. Snow, H. J. B. Dick and A. W. Hofmann (2001) Major and trace element coupling in global midocean
ridge melting residues, Nature 410:677-681.

Brandon, A, J. Snow, R. Walker, J. Morgan and T. D. Mock (2000) 190 Pt- 186 Os and 187 Re- 187 Os Isotope Systematics of Abyssal Peridotites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 177:319-335.

Snow, J. and Schmidt, G. (1998) Constraints on Earth accretion from noble metals in abyssal peridotite,
Nature 391: 166-169.

Snow, J. (1996) Recycling Osmium, Science 272:825.

Snow, J. and L. Reisberg, (1995) Os isotopic systematics of the MORB mantle: Results from altered abyssal peridotites,
Earth and Planetary Science Letters 136:723-733.

Snow, J. and H. Dick (1995) Pervasive Mg loss by marine weathering of peridotite, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
59:4219-3235.

Snow, J. (1995) Of Hess Crust and Layer Cake, Nature 374:413-414.

Snow, J., S. R. Hart and H. Dick (1994) Nd and Sr isotopic evidence for a link between mid-ocean-ridge basalts and
abyssal peridotites, Nature 371:57-60.

Snow, J, S. Hart and H. J. B. Dick (1993) ‘Orphan’ 87Sr in Abyssal Peridotites: Daddy was a Granite, Science 262:1861-
1863.