My research project was two-fold, including both field and laboratory work.  I was a field assistant for two graduate student working with metamorphic core complexes in two different field areas.  I first worked in Naxos, Greece where there is a migmatite cored dome with a cover of schist and marble.  Field work consisted of mapping an area in the east part of the island, and collecting samples for both the graduate studentís thesis and for my own research project.  The second field area was in the Okanogan dome in northeastern Washington consisting of a gneiss dome with localized migmitization and plutonic rocks.  Field work in this area included mapping of both structural and petrologic data, and collection of samples with the goal of understanding the processes that bring migmatites to the surface.  Working in these areas allowed me to learn about both the deep, high temperature rocks in the cores of the domes and the lower temperature cover sequences.  In the field I learned how to make more accurate and detailed observations, learned organizational techniques, and was able to apply the knowledge I gained in class to rocks in the field.

 Because of the large amount of time that I spent in the field, I was only able to set up my research project, which will be completed at my home institution.  While in Naxos I collected 18 oriented samples from a sheared leucogranite that lay in contact with the migmatite core and from two mylonite zones.  If the upward movement of the core of the dome had an impact on the fabric of the rocks surrounding it, one could expect to see opposing senses of shear on opposite sides of the dome.  However, only a regional top to the north sense of shear has been noted in rocks throughout the island.  The goal of my project is to analyze shear sense in the leucogranite to determine if the fabric records a component of shear related to an upward movement of the dome.   While at the University of Minnesota I cut oriented thin sections that were perpendicular to foliation and both parallel and perpendicular to lineation.  I will analyze the shape preferred orientation of biotite and feldspar to determine if the fabric shows a component of shear related to an upward doming of the migmatite.    The results should help gain a better understanding of the processes that produced the Naxos dome and how they affect surrounding rocks.
 

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