Researchers

My research in the Sonoran Desert is focused on the geological evolution of NW Mexico from its early stages in Paleoproterozoic time (~1800 Ma) to the present. What I do is general reconnaissance geological mapping in combination with rock geochemistry and geochronology (ages of rocks by isotopic means) of igneous and metamorphic lithologies to propose the geological evolution of the region. Most of my research is done in the area that includes the polygon formed by the following Sonoran towns: San Luis Rio Colorado (SLRC)-Sonoyta-Santa Ana-Benjamin Hill-Puerto Lobos-Puerto Peñasco-back to SLRC. This general and regional approach has permitted us to find an extremely rich geological record in the region, to the point of allowing deciphering one of the most interesting geological phenomena: the inception of a continental arc as a result of subduction of oceanic crust (Farallon plate) under the North America continent (North America plate). This event occurred in Permian time (~270 Ma) and we have discovered the only igneous rocks (granitoids) of that age in SW North America, just east and south of the Pinacate volcanic field in Sonora.