Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Experimental and Metamorphic Petrology
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Contact Information:

Tel.: (518) 276 - 2674
mullet@rpi.edu

Education:

Ph.D. (2007) – Université de Lausanne , Switzerland
Diploma (2003) – Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz , Germany

Research Areas:

My research focuses on the kinetics of geochemical and petrologic processes on different scales, ranging from entire contact aureoles over outcrop scale, and down to the scale of single grains. Field mapping of these various scales, is a fundamental tool to understand structural and textural relationships providing the basis for most investigations. Field areas include the Alps (Adamello massif) as well as the Ubehebe Peak contact aureole ( USA ).

Ongoing research experimentally investigates the surface kinetics of minerals under metamorphic conditions. This study aims to constrain specific reaction rates and shed light on actual surface processes during metamorphic reactions in siliceous carbonates. Another important part of my research is my laboratory work which includes a combination of various geochemical analyses (chemical-, isotope, and trace element compositions), and statistical treatment of spatial data (X-ray tomography). I use numerical models together with phase petrology and thermodynamic calculations to advance our understanding of the complex interaction of the processes, generating rock textures.

Selected Publications:

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., Vennemann T.W. (2004): Metastable mineral growth in contact aureoles. Geology, v.32, no.9, p. 821-824

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., and Roselle G.T. (in review): Forward modeling of the effects of mixed volatile reaction, volume diffusion and formation of submicroscopic exsolution lamellae on calcite-dolomite thermometry. Submitted to American Mineralogist by Feb07.

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., and Bowman J.R. (manuscript): Crystal size distributions (CSD) of periclase in contact metamorphic dolomite marbles from the southern Adamello massif, Italy. To be submitted to Journal of Petrology by June07

Manuscripts:

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Person M.A., Foster C.T., and Bowman J.R. (in prep): Forward modeling on fluid infiltration driven nucleation and growth in one dimension.

Person M.A., Baumgartner L.P., Müller T. (in prep): Reactive transport and isotope exchange during contact metamorphism

Abstracts:

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., Roselle G.T. (2006): Quantitative forward modeling on the effect of growth, diffusion and exsolution on calcite-dolomite thermometry data. Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V42A-04

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., Roselle G.T. (2006): Modelling the effect of growth, diffusion and exsolution during contact metamorphism on measured calcite-dolomite temperatures. Bern, 4th SGM meeting 2006

Baumgartner L.P., Müller T., Putlitz B., Robyr M., Skora S., Wohlers A. (2006): The use of computed x-ray micro-tomography in deciphering growth kinetics. 19th General meeting of the International Mineralogical Association, Kobe

Baumgartner L.P., Müller T., Skora S., Mahlen N., Johnson C.M., Foster C.T. (2006): Mineral growth in high and low pressure metamorphic rocks. 19th General meeting of the International Mineralogical Association, Kobe

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., and Bowman J.R. (2006): Crystal size distribution (CSD) of periclase in contact metamorphic dolomite marbles from the southern Adamello Massif , Italy . Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 8, 8370, 2006

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., and Roselle G.T. (2005): Evidence for prograde olivine porphyroblasts growth using calcite-dolomite thermometry in the Ubehebe Peak contact aureole. GSA Abstracts with Programs Vol. 37, No. 7, 2005

Baumgartner L.P., Müller T., Putlitz B., Robyr M., Skora S., Wohlers A. (2004): Applications and limits of Computed Micro X-ray Tomography in petrology. Lausanne, 2nd SGM meeting 2004

Müller T. and Baumgartner L.P. (2004): Interpreting calcite-dolomite thermometry data in contact aureoles. Lausanne, 2nd SGM meeting 2004

Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., Müller T., Skora S., Vennemann T.W. (2004): Reaction rate limiting mechanisms during contact metamorphism. GSA Abstracts with Programs Vol. 36, No. 6, 2004

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., Vennemann T.W. (2004): Far from equilibrium mineral growth in contact metamorphic aureoles. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 6, 5949, 2004

Baumgartner L.P., Foster C.T., Müller T., Vennemann T.W. (2003): Reaction mechanism in siliceous dolomite contact aureoles: Tabular olivine growth. GSA Abstracts with Programs Vol. 35, No. 6, September 2003

Müller T., Baumgartner L.P., Vennemann T.W. (2003): Small-scale isotope disequilibrium between metamorphic olivines and carbonate in siliceous dolomites. Basel, 1st SGM meeting 2003

Müller T., Michel J., Baumgartner L.P., Passchier C.W. (2003): Structural consequences of the emplacement of the Ubehebe Peak intrusion, Death Valley, California. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 5, 13682, 2003

Baumgartner L.P., Wohlers A., and Müller T. (2003): Micro-X-ray computed Tomography of natural and experimental melt segregations and other geological materials with small absorption contrasts. Geophysical research Abstracts, Vol. 5, 12360, 2003