Sarah Morse

PhD Candidate

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Advisor: Dr. J Ryan Thigpen

I am a broadly trained field geologist with a specialization in structural geology, including geologic mapping and cross section construction, and igneous and metamorphic petrology. I employ an in situ petrotectonic approach to study plate tectonic processes, including geologic mapping and field work combined with an assessment of thin section petrologic relationships, electron microprobe analysis, element partitioning and paragenesis, laser ablation split stream geochronology, and isochemical pseudosection modeling.

My past field areas were in the Sierra Nevada Mountains (California) and the Wet Mountains (Colorado). I am currently working in the Northern Highlands, Scotland.

Contact Information

SarahMorse@uky.edu

108C

Education

University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
[Class of 2023]
• Master of Geology
• Specialization in Structural Geology, Plate Tectonics, Precambrian Geology, Metamorphic Petrology

University of Nebraska – Omaha
[Class of 2021]
• Bachelor of Science
• Geology Major: Specialization in Structural Geology and Plate Tectonics; Geography Minor

Research Interests

Structural Geology
Plate tectonics
Metamorphic Petrology
Geochronology

Affiliations

Earth & Environmental Sciences

Personal Website
LinkedIn
ORCID
Research Gate

Selected Publications

Selected Publications:

Prolonged high-temperature Caledonian metamorphism in the southern part of the Northern Highlands terrane, Scotland, indicated by integrated monazite and xenotime laser ablation split-stream petrochronology and thermometry.

Morse, S., Thigpen, J.R., Mako, C., Law, R.D., Moecher, D.P., Spencer, B., Davis, E.F., Goldsby, R.C. (2026)

The Northern Highlands terrane (NHT) of Scotland preserves a complex Neoproterozoic–Paleozoic tectono-metamorphic evolution. Work over the past three decades has helped constrain the timing and conditions of metamorphism in the northern NHT, yet parts of the southern NHT remain less well-constrained. New petrochronological analyses (accessory phase geochronology, monazite–xenotime (Mnz–Xtm) and garnet–biotite (Grt–Bt) thermometry, microstructural analysis) of the high-grade Sgurr Beag Thrust sheet in the southern NHT provide significant constraints on the thermal and deformational history. Monazite inclusions in garnet cores and inner rims yield two age populations: an ∼750–720 Ma population correlated with the Knoydartian (840–720 Ma) orogeny and an ∼680–600 Ma population provisionally linked to a regional hydrothermal event. A third event ranging from ∼465 to 435 Ma, peaking at ∼450 Ma, is recorded by monazite and xenotime in garnet inner rims and the matrix. Paragenetic fabric relationships between garnet, monazite and xenotime indicate at least two distinct phases of post-450 Ma garnet growth, and associated Mnz–Xtm and Grt–Bt thermometry yields 640–680°C conditions. These data suggest a continuous and prolonged high-temperature orogenic event that contrasts with traditional interpretations of distinct Grampian and Scandian events or simple Scandian re-working of older Grampian and/or Knoydartian metamorphic assemblages.

Constraining High Temperature Deformation and Metamorphism in the Southern Wet Mountains, Colorado, USA: Implications for the Regional Extent of the Picuris Orogeny.

Morse, S., Dumond, G., Shaulis, B. (2023)

University of Arkansas Master's Thesis

The Wet Mountains of Colorado are underlain by exhumed Proterozoic metamorphic rock that lies north of the recently identified 1.46 to 1.40 Ga Picuris orogen in northern New Mexico. The Picuris orogen is inferred to have formed in response to a Mesoproterozoic (ca. 1.49-1.40 Ga) contractional to transpressional event extrapolated to be regional in extent. It has been proposed that the Picuris orogen composes the westernmost tectonic segment of the Pinware-Baraboo-Picuris orogen that formed along an evolving convergent margin that becomes younger from northeast to southwest. This study is focused on the record of high temperature deformation, metamorphism, and plutonism in the southern Wet Mountains interpreted as a consequence of Mesoproterozoic tectonism related to the Picuris orogeny. Geochronology results yielded two populations: ~ 1.45 Ga age of crystallization for granitic intrusions and ~ 1.7 Ga date for a metasedimentary rock. P-T thermobarometric results for a Grt + Sil + Crd + Bt + Kfs + Pl + Qtz migmatite yielded inferred peak conditions of > 0.6 GPa and > 700^oC. These results suggest that the Picuris Orogeny was the deformative and metamorphic event that displaced sediments to > 0.6 GPa and caused a regional overprinting of foliation throughout the Wet Mountains.