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: 53
Isotope geochemistry of early Kilauea magmas from the submarine Hilina bench: The nature of the Hilina mantle component Isotope geochemistry of early Kilauea magmas from the submarine Hilina bench: The nature of the Hilina mantle component
Submarine lavas recovered from the Hilina bench region, offshore Kilauea, Hawaii Island provide information on ancient Kilauea volcano and the geochemical components of the Hawaiian hotspot. Alkalic lavas, including nephelinite, basanite, hawaiite, and alkali basalt, dominate the earliest stage of Kilauea magmatism. Transitional basalt pillow lavas are an intermediate phase, preceding...
Authors
Jun-Ichi Kimura, Thomas W. Sisson, Natsuko Nakano, Michelle L. Coombs, Peter W. Lipman
Major-element, sulfur, and chlorine compositions of glasses from the submarine flank of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, Collected During 1998-2002 Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) Cruises Major-element, sulfur, and chlorine compositions of glasses from the submarine flank of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, Collected During 1998-2002 Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) Cruises
No abstract available.
Authors
Michelle L. Coombs, Thomas W. Sisson, Peter W. Lipman
Ultra-high chlorine in submarine Kı̄lauea glasses: Evidence for direct assimilation of brine by magma Ultra-high chlorine in submarine Kı̄lauea glasses: Evidence for direct assimilation of brine by magma
Basaltic glass grains from the submarine south flank of Kı̄lauea, Hawai′i, have Cl concentrations of 0.01–1.68 wt%, the latter being the highest Cl content yet recorded for a Hawaiian glass. The high-Cl glass grains are products of brine assimilation by tholeiite magma. The glasses are grains in a sandstone clast from bedded breccias draping the southwestern margin of Kı̄lauea’s...
Authors
Michelle L. Coombs, Thomas W. Sisson, Jun-Ichi Kimura
Pleistocene tephrostratigraphy and paleogeography of southern Puget Sound near Olympia, Washington Pleistocene tephrostratigraphy and paleogeography of southern Puget Sound near Olympia, Washington
Our detailed mapping in the south Puget Sound basin has identified two tephras that are tentatively correlated to tephras from Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier dated ca. 100-200 ka and 200 ka, respectively. This, plus the observation that fluvial and lacustrine sediments immediately underlying the Vashon Drift of latest Wisconsin age are nearly everywhere radiocarbon infinite, suggests...
Authors
Timothy J. Walsh, Michael Polenz, Robert L. Logan, Marvin A. Lanphere, Thomas W. Sisson
Ancestral submarine growth of Kïlauea Volcano and instability of its south flank Ancestral submarine growth of Kïlauea Volcano and instability of its south flank
Joint Japan-USA cruises in 1998-99 explored and sampled the previously unstudied deep offshore region south of Kilauea. Bathymetric features, dive observations, and recovered samples indicate that the 3-km-deep mid-slope bench, bounded seaward by a 2-km-high lower scarp, is underlain by massive turbidite sandstone and interbedded debris-flow breccia. Debris-flow clasts are...
Authors
Peter W. Lipman, Thomas W. Sisson, Tadahide Ui, Jiro Naka, John R. Smith
Deep-sea volcaniclastic sedimentation around the southern flank of Hawaii 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...
Authors
Jiro Naka, Toshiya Kanamatsu, Peter W. Lipman, Thomas W. Sisson, Nohiro Tsuboyama, Julia K. Morgan, John R. Smith, Tadahide Ui
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 53
Isotope geochemistry of early Kilauea magmas from the submarine Hilina bench: The nature of the Hilina mantle component Isotope geochemistry of early Kilauea magmas from the submarine Hilina bench: The nature of the Hilina mantle component
Submarine lavas recovered from the Hilina bench region, offshore Kilauea, Hawaii Island provide information on ancient Kilauea volcano and the geochemical components of the Hawaiian hotspot. Alkalic lavas, including nephelinite, basanite, hawaiite, and alkali basalt, dominate the earliest stage of Kilauea magmatism. Transitional basalt pillow lavas are an intermediate phase, preceding...
Authors
Jun-Ichi Kimura, Thomas W. Sisson, Natsuko Nakano, Michelle L. Coombs, Peter W. Lipman
Major-element, sulfur, and chlorine compositions of glasses from the submarine flank of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, Collected During 1998-2002 Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) Cruises Major-element, sulfur, and chlorine compositions of glasses from the submarine flank of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, Collected During 1998-2002 Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) Cruises
No abstract available.
Authors
Michelle L. Coombs, Thomas W. Sisson, Peter W. Lipman
Ultra-high chlorine in submarine Kı̄lauea glasses: Evidence for direct assimilation of brine by magma Ultra-high chlorine in submarine Kı̄lauea glasses: Evidence for direct assimilation of brine by magma
Basaltic glass grains from the submarine south flank of Kı̄lauea, Hawai′i, have Cl concentrations of 0.01–1.68 wt%, the latter being the highest Cl content yet recorded for a Hawaiian glass. The high-Cl glass grains are products of brine assimilation by tholeiite magma. The glasses are grains in a sandstone clast from bedded breccias draping the southwestern margin of Kı̄lauea’s...
Authors
Michelle L. Coombs, Thomas W. Sisson, Jun-Ichi Kimura
Pleistocene tephrostratigraphy and paleogeography of southern Puget Sound near Olympia, Washington Pleistocene tephrostratigraphy and paleogeography of southern Puget Sound near Olympia, Washington
Our detailed mapping in the south Puget Sound basin has identified two tephras that are tentatively correlated to tephras from Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier dated ca. 100-200 ka and 200 ka, respectively. This, plus the observation that fluvial and lacustrine sediments immediately underlying the Vashon Drift of latest Wisconsin age are nearly everywhere radiocarbon infinite, suggests...
Authors
Timothy J. Walsh, Michael Polenz, Robert L. Logan, Marvin A. Lanphere, Thomas W. Sisson
Ancestral submarine growth of Kïlauea Volcano and instability of its south flank Ancestral submarine growth of Kïlauea Volcano and instability of its south flank
Joint Japan-USA cruises in 1998-99 explored and sampled the previously unstudied deep offshore region south of Kilauea. Bathymetric features, dive observations, and recovered samples indicate that the 3-km-deep mid-slope bench, bounded seaward by a 2-km-high lower scarp, is underlain by massive turbidite sandstone and interbedded debris-flow breccia. Debris-flow clasts are...
Authors
Peter W. Lipman, Thomas W. Sisson, Tadahide Ui, Jiro Naka, John R. Smith
Deep-sea volcaniclastic sedimentation around the southern flank of Hawaii 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...
Authors
Jiro Naka, Toshiya Kanamatsu, Peter W. Lipman, Thomas W. Sisson, Nohiro Tsuboyama, Julia K. Morgan, John R. Smith, Tadahide Ui