Thomas Winslow Sisson, PhD
I am a research geologist with the USGS Volcano Science Center. I have spent many years working on the geologic history and volcano hazards of Mount Rainier. My research interests include experimental petrology and volatile solubility of magmas.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.S. UC Santa Barbara
B.S. Stanford University
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 48
Deep-sea volcaniclastic sedimentation around the southern flank of Hawaii
Most slopes of the Hilina slump are steep, but local small benches, mantled by volcaniclastic sand and fine sediments, were sampled in 1998-1999 with ROV KAIKO and DSRV SHINKAI 6500. Most surficial glass sands on the Hilina slump have compositions of subaerially erupted Kilauea lava, which fragmented and quenched as they entered the sea. Samples from the base of the Puna Ridge contain both subaeri
Authors
Jiro Naka, Toshiya Kanamatsu, Peter W. Lipman, Thomas W. Sisson, Nohiro Tsuboyama, Julia K. Morgan, John R. Smith, Tadahide Ui
Submarine alkalic through tholeiitic shield-stage development of Kïlauea volcano, Hawai’i
The submarine Hilina region exposes a succession of magma compositions spanning the juvenile "Lō‘ihi" through tholeiitic shield stages of Kïlauea volcano. Early products, preserved as glass grains and clasts in volcaniclastic rocks of the 3000 m deep Hilina bench, include nephelinite, basanite, phonotephrite, hawaiite, alkali basalt, transitional basalt, and rare alkali-poor Mauna Loa-like tholeii
Authors
Thomas W. Sisson, Peter W. Lipman, J. Naka
Tectono-magmatic processes investigated at deep-water flanks of Hawaiian volcanoes
Hawaiian volcanoes are exceptional examples of intraplate hotspot volcanism. Hotspot volcanoes, which frequently host large eruptions and related earthquakes, flank‐failure landslides, and associated tsunamis, can present severe hazards to populated regions. Many studies have focused on subaerial parts of Hawaiian volcanoes, but the deep‐water flanks of the edifices, which can reach 5700 m below s
Authors
J. Naka, E Takahasi, D. Clague, Takeshi Hanyu, E. Herrero-Bervera, J. Ishibashi, Osamu Ishizuka, K. Johnson, T. Kanamatsu, I. Kaneoka, Peter W. Lipman, A. Malahoff, Gary M. McMurtry, B. Midson, Jeff Moore, J. Morgan, T. Naganuma, K Nakajima, T Oomori, Aaron Pietruszka, Satake Kenji, David R. Sherrod, Tsugio Shibata, K Shinozaki, Thomas W. Sisson, John R. Smith, S. Takarada, C. Thomber, Frank A. Trusdell, Nohiro Tsuboyama, T. Ui, Susumu Umino, K. Uto, H. Yokose
Gas-driven filter pressing in magmas
Most silicic and some mafic magmas expand via second boiling if they crystallize at depths of about 10 km or less. The buildup of gas pressure due to second boiling can be relieved by expulsion of melt out of the region of crystallization, and this process of gas-driven filter pressing assists the crystallization differentiation of magmas. For gas-driven filter pressing to be effective, the region
Authors
Thomas W. Sisson, Charles R. Bacon
A mass proportion method for calculating melting reactions and application to melting of model upper mantle lherzolite
We present a method for calculating quantitative melting reactions in systems with multiple solid solutions that accounts for changes in the mass proportions of phases between two points at different temperatures along a melting curve. This method can be applied to any data set that defines the phase proportions along a melting curve. The method yields the net change in mass proportion of all phas
Authors
Michael J. Walter, Thomas W. Sisson, Dean C. Presnall
History and hazards of Mount Rainier, Washington
Mount Rainier is an active volcano that first erupted about half a million years ago. Because of Rainier's great height (14,410 feet above sea level) and northerly location, glaciers have cut deeply into its lavas, making it appear deceptively older than it actually is. Mount Rainier is known to have erupted as recently as in the 1840s, and large eruptions took place as recently as about 1,000 and
Authors
Thomas W. Sisson
Geologic road guide to Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks, central Sierra Nevada, California
No abstract available.
Authors
James Gregory Moore, Warren J. Nokleberg, Thomas W. Sisson
Geologic map of the Giant Forest quadrangle, Tulare County, California
No abstract available.
Authors
Thomas W. Sisson, James Gregory Moore
Garnet/high-silica rhyolite trace element partition coefficients measured by ion microprobe
Garnet/liquid trace element partition coefficients have been measured in situ by ion microprobe in a rhyolite from Monache Mountain, California. Partition coefficients are reported for La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Er, Yb, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Sr, Y, and Zr. The in situ analyses avoid the problem of contamination of the garnet phase by trace element-rich accessory minerals encountered in traditional bulk phenocry
Authors
Thomas W. Sisson, Charles R. Bacon
Triple Divide Peak quadrangle, Fresno and Tulare counties, California— Analytic data
No abstract available.
Authors
Thomas W. Sisson
Geologic map of the Triple Divide Peak quadrangle, Tulare County, California
No abstract available.
Authors
James Gregory Moore, Thomas W. Sisson
Geologic map of the Kern Peak quadrangle, Tulare County, California
No abstract available.
Authors
James Gregory Moore, Thomas W. Sisson
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 48
Deep-sea volcaniclastic sedimentation around the southern flank of Hawaii
Most slopes of the Hilina slump are steep, but local small benches, mantled by volcaniclastic sand and fine sediments, were sampled in 1998-1999 with ROV KAIKO and DSRV SHINKAI 6500. Most surficial glass sands on the Hilina slump have compositions of subaerially erupted Kilauea lava, which fragmented and quenched as they entered the sea. Samples from the base of the Puna Ridge contain both subaeriAuthorsJiro Naka, Toshiya Kanamatsu, Peter W. Lipman, Thomas W. Sisson, Nohiro Tsuboyama, Julia K. Morgan, John R. Smith, Tadahide UiSubmarine alkalic through tholeiitic shield-stage development of Kïlauea volcano, Hawai’i
The submarine Hilina region exposes a succession of magma compositions spanning the juvenile "Lō‘ihi" through tholeiitic shield stages of Kïlauea volcano. Early products, preserved as glass grains and clasts in volcaniclastic rocks of the 3000 m deep Hilina bench, include nephelinite, basanite, phonotephrite, hawaiite, alkali basalt, transitional basalt, and rare alkali-poor Mauna Loa-like tholeiiAuthorsThomas W. Sisson, Peter W. Lipman, J. NakaTectono-magmatic processes investigated at deep-water flanks of Hawaiian volcanoes
Hawaiian volcanoes are exceptional examples of intraplate hotspot volcanism. Hotspot volcanoes, which frequently host large eruptions and related earthquakes, flank‐failure landslides, and associated tsunamis, can present severe hazards to populated regions. Many studies have focused on subaerial parts of Hawaiian volcanoes, but the deep‐water flanks of the edifices, which can reach 5700 m below sAuthorsJ. Naka, E Takahasi, D. Clague, Takeshi Hanyu, E. Herrero-Bervera, J. Ishibashi, Osamu Ishizuka, K. Johnson, T. Kanamatsu, I. Kaneoka, Peter W. Lipman, A. Malahoff, Gary M. McMurtry, B. Midson, Jeff Moore, J. Morgan, T. Naganuma, K Nakajima, T Oomori, Aaron Pietruszka, Satake Kenji, David R. Sherrod, Tsugio Shibata, K Shinozaki, Thomas W. Sisson, John R. Smith, S. Takarada, C. Thomber, Frank A. Trusdell, Nohiro Tsuboyama, T. Ui, Susumu Umino, K. Uto, H. YokoseGas-driven filter pressing in magmas
Most silicic and some mafic magmas expand via second boiling if they crystallize at depths of about 10 km or less. The buildup of gas pressure due to second boiling can be relieved by expulsion of melt out of the region of crystallization, and this process of gas-driven filter pressing assists the crystallization differentiation of magmas. For gas-driven filter pressing to be effective, the regionAuthorsThomas W. Sisson, Charles R. BaconA mass proportion method for calculating melting reactions and application to melting of model upper mantle lherzolite
We present a method for calculating quantitative melting reactions in systems with multiple solid solutions that accounts for changes in the mass proportions of phases between two points at different temperatures along a melting curve. This method can be applied to any data set that defines the phase proportions along a melting curve. The method yields the net change in mass proportion of all phasAuthorsMichael J. Walter, Thomas W. Sisson, Dean C. PresnallHistory and hazards of Mount Rainier, Washington
Mount Rainier is an active volcano that first erupted about half a million years ago. Because of Rainier's great height (14,410 feet above sea level) and northerly location, glaciers have cut deeply into its lavas, making it appear deceptively older than it actually is. Mount Rainier is known to have erupted as recently as in the 1840s, and large eruptions took place as recently as about 1,000 andAuthorsThomas W. SissonGeologic road guide to Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks, central Sierra Nevada, California
No abstract available.AuthorsJames Gregory Moore, Warren J. Nokleberg, Thomas W. SissonGeologic map of the Giant Forest quadrangle, Tulare County, California
No abstract available.AuthorsThomas W. Sisson, James Gregory MooreGarnet/high-silica rhyolite trace element partition coefficients measured by ion microprobe
Garnet/liquid trace element partition coefficients have been measured in situ by ion microprobe in a rhyolite from Monache Mountain, California. Partition coefficients are reported for La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Dy, Er, Yb, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Sr, Y, and Zr. The in situ analyses avoid the problem of contamination of the garnet phase by trace element-rich accessory minerals encountered in traditional bulk phenocryAuthorsThomas W. Sisson, Charles R. BaconTriple Divide Peak quadrangle, Fresno and Tulare counties, California— Analytic data
No abstract available.AuthorsThomas W. SissonGeologic map of the Triple Divide Peak quadrangle, Tulare County, California
No abstract available.AuthorsJames Gregory Moore, Thomas W. SissonGeologic map of the Kern Peak quadrangle, Tulare County, California
No abstract available.AuthorsJames Gregory Moore, Thomas W. Sisson