Dr. Aurélie Germa

Associate Professor & Undergraduate Director for Geology

Contact

Office: SCA 511
Phone: (813) 974-4974
Email

Education

2008 PhD in Volcanology. Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France.
2005 MSc in Volcanology. Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France.
2004 Maîtrise in Volcanology (eq. 1st year Master). Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
2003 BSc in Earth Sciences. Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
2002 BA in Earth and Planetary Sciences. Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.

Teaching

Undergraduate

  • Solid Earth: Mineralogy, Petrology, Geochemistry
  • Advanced Petrology
  • Introduction to Physical Geology
  • Physical Volcanology
  • Undergraduate research
  • Independent study
  • Field mapping methods & Volcanology
  • Topics in geochemistry
  • Hazards of the Earth’s surface

Graduate

  • Geochronology
  • Volcanic Petrology / Mathematics of Magmatic processes
  • Mineralogy, Petrology, Geochemistry
  • Topics in geochemistry
  • Topics in volcanology
  • Topics in Igneous & Metamorphic petrology

Graduate Students

Erica Fancher (MS).
John Henson (Ms) Co-Advisor.
Abigail Martens (PhD).
Danielle Molisee (PhD). Co-advisor.
Osvaldo Meireles (PhD). Co-advisor.

RESEARCH

Research Area

Volcanology, igneous petrology and geochemistry.

Research Description

My main research interest is to investigate the long-term evolution of volcanic fields. I am using radiometric dating methods to evaluate the eruptive history of active volcanoes; igneous petrology along with whole-rock and mineral major and trace elements geochemistry to quantify the evolution of magma composition and petrogenetic processes; and geomorphology to calculate construction and destruction rates of volcanic edifices.

Awards

  • Acquisition of a Laser system to upgrade our current Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer. USF Strategic Investment Pool (SIP) Awards, $143,300. (2024)
  • Acquisition of a 4K high accuracy digital microscope, NSF IF 2040066 (PI). $126,390. (2021-2023)
  • High precision potassium determination for modernization of K/Ar dating. Cooperative agreement with USGS Andrew Calvert (California Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge). $25,000. (2020-2025)
  • Magma sources and differentiation processes inferred from experimental petrology and microprobe analyses. USF New Researcher Grant, $9,429. (2016)
  • Dynamic statistical models to improve long-term volcanic hazard assessments, NSF EAR 1347899 (PI). $229,352. (2014-2018)

Journals

  • Martens A., Germa A., Atlas A., Charbonnier S., Quidelleur X (2024). Magma storage conditions over the past 4 Ma on Martinique Island, Lesser Antilles. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal research. 10.1016/J.JVOLGEORES.2023.107972.
  • Atlas Z., Germa A., Boss B., Meireles O., Ward A., Ryan J. (2022). Variable element enrichment sources and contributions to volcanic rocks along the Lesser Antilles Island Arc. Front. Earth Sci. 10:782179. doi: 10.3389/feart.2022.782179.
  • Germa A., D. Koebli, P. Wetmore, Z. Atlas, A. Arias, I. Savov, M. Diez, V. Greaves, E. Gallant (2020). Crystallization and segregation of syenite in shallow mafic sills: insights from the San Rafael subvolcanic field, Utah. Journal of Petrology, Volume 61, Issue 9. doi.org/10.1093/petrology/egaa092.
  • Gueugneau V.; K. Kelfoun; S.J. Charbonnier; A. Germa; G. Carazzo (2020). Dynamic and Impacts of the May 8th, 1902 Pyroclastic Current at Mount Pelée (Martinique): New Insights from Numerical Modelling. Frontiers in Earth Science. 8:279. doi: 10.3389/feart.2020.00279.
  • Connor C., L. Connor, A. Germa, J. Richardson, M. Bebbington, E. Gallant, A. Saballos (2019). How to estimate the probable locations of future volcanic vents using kernel density estimation. Statistics in Volcanology: Vol. 4: 1-25. DOI: 10.5038/2163-338X.4.3.
  • Germa A., C. Perry, X. Quidelleur, A. Calvert, M. Clynne, C. Connor, L. Connor, R. Malservisi, S. Charbonnier (2019). Temporal relationship between the Lassen Volcanic Center and mafic regional volcanism. Bulletin of Volcanology 81:38. doi.org/10.1007/s00445-019-1296-7.
  • Deng F., C. Connor, R. Malservisi, L. Connor, J. White, A. Germa (2017). A Geophysical Model for the Origin of Volcano Vent Clusters in a Colorado Plateau Volcanic Field. Journal of Geophysical research: Solid Earth 122, 8910– 8924. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014434.
  • Tanty C., J. Carlut, J.-P. Valet and A. Germa (2015). Paleosecular variation recorded by 9 ka to 2.5 Ma old lavas from Martinique Island. New evidence for the La Palma aborted reversal ~ 617 ka ago. Geophysical Journal International 200 (2): 917-934.
  • Germa A., P. Lahitte, and X. Quidelleur (2015). Construction and destruction of Mont Pelée volcano: volumes and rates constrained from a geomorphological model of evolution. Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface, 120, 1206– 1226. Doi:10.1002/2014JF003355.
  • Germa A., L.J. Connor, E. Cañon-Tapia, N. Le Corvec (2013). Tectonic and magmatic controls on the location of post-subduction monogenetic volcanoes in Baja California, Mexico, revealed through spatial analysis of eruptive vents. Bulletin of Volcanology 75:782 (14 p).
  • Charbonnier S.J., A. Germa, C.B. Connor, R. Gertisser, K. Preece, J.-C. Komorowski, F. Lavigne, T. Dixon, L. Connor (2013). Evaluation of the impacts of the 2010 pyroclastic density currents at Merapi volcano from high-resolution satellite imagery, field investigations and numerical simulations. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 261: 295-315.
  • Labanieh S., C. Chauvel, A. Germa and X. Quidelleur (2012). Martinique: a clear case for sediment melting and slab dehydration as a function of distance to the trench. Journal of Petrology 53 (12): 2441-2464., 2012. Doi:10.1093/petrology/egs055.
  • Kiyosugi K., C. Connor, P. Wetmore, B. Ferwerda, A. Germa, L. Connor and A. Hintz (2012). Relationship between dike and volcanic conduit distribution in a highly eroded monogenetic volcanic field: San Rafael, Utah, USA. Geology v. 40, p. 695-698, doi:10.1130/G33074.1.
  • Germa A., X. Quidelleur, S. Labanieh, C. Chauvel and P. Lahitte (2011). The volcanic evolution of Martinique Island: insights from K-Ar dating into the Lesser Antilles arc migration since the Oligocene. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 208 (3-4), Pages 122-135.
  • Germa A., X. Quidelleur, P. Lahitte, S. Labanieh and C. Chauvel (2011). The K-Ar Cassignol-Gillot technique applied to western Martinique lavas: A record of Lesser Antilles arc activity from 2 Ma to Mount Pelee volcanism

Other

Director of the School of Geosciences Undergraduate Program (2022 – current)
President of Sigma Xi USF Chapter (2022 – 2024)