Research

Grants

Facilities

Teaching

Publications

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Bradley R. Hacker

Professor
Earth Science
Earth Research Institute
University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9630
34 24 47.39N    119 50 37.32W    +13 m

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1988
M.S., University of California, Davis, 1984
B.S., University of California, Davis, 1982

hacker@geol.ucsb.edu
Office: Webb 2120 (location map)
Tel: (805) 893-7952 Fax: (805) 893-2314

Research

Bradley Hacker received his BS and MS in Geology from UC Davis in 1982 and 1984, while working for Apple Computer on Macintosh and other products. He completed his doctorate in Geology at UCLA in 1988. He then spent eight years as a postdoctoral scholar and research associate at Stanford University, and as a geologist for the US Geological Survey. He joined the UCSB faculty in 1996, in the Department of Geology. Dr. Hacker is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the Geological Society of America, the Mineralogical Society of America, and the Cave Research Foundation. He, his students, and postdocs are funded by the National Science Foundation to work on exciting field, laboratory, and theoretical studies of tectonics:

  • Field Work involves integrated structural geology, metamorphic petrology, and geochronology to understand:
  • Method Development/Experimental
    • Monazite as a petrochronometer
    • Electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD)
    • Laser ablation multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA MC ICP MS)
    • Calculation of rock physical properties. Excel macro for calculating physical properties of rocks & minerals from Hacker & Abers [2004] G-cubed available here.

  • Theoretical modeling focuses on
  • Facilities

    Current graduate students

    Steven Arauza Steven Arauza: Assessing Rates and Episodes of Ultrahigh-Pressure Metamorphism Through Lu/Hf and Sm/Nd Geochronology
    Monica Erdman Monica Erdman: Seismic Anisotropy of the Basin and Range Lower Crust
    Adam Ginsburg Adam Ginsburg: UHP Tectonism of the Western Gneiss Region, U-Pb Geochronology
    Jen McGraw Jen McGraw: Growth of the Pamir Lower Crust, Thermobarometry and Garnet Geochronology
    Katherine Spencer Katherine Spencer: Exhumation and Melting of the Western Gneiss Region, Titanite Geochronology and Thermometry

    Former graduate students

    Emily Peterman Emily Peterman (Ph.D. 2009): The Development and Use of Monazite and Garnet Geochronology with Application to Tectonic Processes, Keck Lab Manager, UC Santa Cruz.
    Nicolas Barth Nicolas Barth (M.S. 2008): Strain within the Ultrahigh-Pressure Western Gneiss Region of Norway Recorded by Quartz LPOs, Ph.D. student, University of Otago.
    Andrew KylanderClark Andrew Kylander-Clark (Ph.D. 2008): Slow Subduction and Exhumation of a Thick Ultrahigh-Pressure Terrane: Western Gneiss Region, Norway, Development Engineer, UC Santa Barbara.
    Scott Johnston Scott Johnston (Ph.D. 2006): Evolution of the Nordfjord-Sogn Detachment Zone and the Exhumation of Norwegian ultrahigh-pressure rocks. Professor, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
    Josh Cole Joshua Cole (M.S. 2006): Fault-Zone Deformation and Strain Partitioning at the Brittle-Ductile Transition, SEMP Fault, Austrian Alps. Outward Bound Coordinator, Washington State.
    Matt Rioux Matt Rioux (Ph.D. 2006): The Growth and Differentiation of Arc Crust: Temporal and Geochemical Evolution of the Accreted Talkeetna Arc, South-Central Alaska. Postdoctoral scholar, MIT
    David Young Dave Young (Ph.D. 2005): Amphibolite to Ultrahigh-Pressure Transition in Western Norway. Lecturer, California State University, Fresno.
    David Root David Root (Ph.D. 2003): Zircon Geochronology of ultrahigh-pressure eclogites and exhumation of the Western Gneiss Region, southern Norway.
    Emily Walsh Emily Walsh (Ph.D. 2003): Exhumation of the Ultrahigh-Pressure/High-Pressure Terrane of the Western Gneiss Region, Norway. Professor at Cornell College.
    Luc Mehl Luc Mehl (M.S. 2002): Arc-parallel flow within the mantle wedge: Evidence from the accreted Talkeetna arc, south central Alaska.

    Postdoctoral Researchers

    Hans Vrijmoed (2010-) hard work
    Sarah Brownlee (2010-) Velocity anisotropy from electron-backscatter diffraction
    Stacia Gordon (2009-) Melting at ultrahigh pressure
    Jeremy Hourigan (2004-05) Professor, University of California, Santa Cruz
    Martin Robyr (2003-04) Researcher, University of Lausanne
    Mary Leech (2001-03) Professor, University of California, San Francisco
    Edwin Gnos (1995-96) Curator, Museum d'histoire naturelle de Geneve/University of Geneve

    Current Extramural Grants

    • National Science Foundation, Acquisition of an Electron Microprobe for UCSB Researchers and Educators
    • National Science Foundation, Collaborative Research: Using Mineral Physics to Interpret Seismic Anisotropy of Basin & Range Crust
    • National Science Foundation, Collaborative Research: EarthScope integrated investigation of Cascadia subduction zone tremor, structure and process
    • National Science Foundation, Collaborative Research: How Is Rifting Exhuming the Youngest HP/UHP Rocks on Earth?
    • National Science Foundation, Testing channel-flow models using mid-crustal rocks of North Himalayan gneiss domes
    • National Science Foundation, Collaborative Research: Melt Extraction from UHP Metasediments: Evidence and Consequences
    • National Science Foundation, How Does the Lower Crust Thicken and Grow During Continent Collisions? A Case Study of the Pamir
    • National Science Foundation, The Dynamics of UHP Tectonism: Does the Western Gneiss Region Consist of Multiple (U)HP Blocks With Different Histories?

    Expired Extramural Grants

    • National Science Foundation, 2007-08, Acquisition, of a New Electron-Imaging Facility.
    • National Science Foundation, 2006-07, Support for the Penrose Conference on Arc Crustal Genesis and Evolution; July 9-15, 2006; Valdez, Alaska
    • National Science Foundation, 2005-08 The Assembly of UHP Terranes: Was the Western Gneiss Region, Built By Sequential or Repeated (Ultra)High-Pressure Events?
    • National Science Foundation, 2003-06, Direct Observation, of Depth Variation, in Fault Zone Structure Through and Below the Seismogenic Crust
    • National Science Foundation, 2002-05, Collaborative Research: Thermal, Petrological, and Seismological Study of Subduction, Zones
    • National Science Foundation, 2001-05, Subduction, and Exhumation, of Ultrahigh-Pressure Rocks: Field and Drilling Studies in Eastern China
    • National Science Foundation, 2000-05, Geology, geochemistry, structure and physical properties of the Talkeetna arc crustal section, south central Alaska
    • National Science Foundation, 1999-02, Exhumation, of ultrahigh-pressure rocks in the Scandinavian Caledonides
    • National Science Foundation, 1998-01, Collaborative Research: The Thermal, Petrological and Seismological Structure of Subducting Oceanic Lithosphere
    • National Science Foundation, 1998-00, Collaborative Research: Petrotectonic Study of Ultrahigh-Pressure Rocks from the Kokchetav Massif, Northern Kazakhstan, and the Maksyutov Complex, South Ural Mountains, Russia
    • National Science Foundation, 1998-99, Collaborative Research: Structure of the Crust and Upper Mantle Beneath the Tibetan Plateau Interior.
    • National Science Foundation, 1995-98, Exhumation, of Ultrahigh-Pressure Rocks in the Dabie Mountains, Central China.
    • Department of Energy, 1993-96, Experimental Investigation, of Kinetics and Rheology During Diagenesis.
    • Petroleum Research Foundation, 1993-95, Experimental Investigation, of Kinetics and Rheology During Diagenesis.
    • National Science Foundation, 1992-96, Formation, of the Sole of the Oman Ophiolite.


    Teaching


    Honors

    • 2010 Fellow, American Geophysical Union
    • 2001 Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America
    • 2001 Fellow, Geological Society of America
    • 2001, 2003 Muckers Coterie Professor of the Year
    • 1997 Fellow, Cave Research Foundation


    Publications

    See Supplementary Data tables for additional data relating to articles published or in press.

    Ultrahigh-Pressure Tectonics
    Exhumation of orogen-scale coesite-, diamond-, and former-majorite bearing terranes that formed by subduction of continental crust to depths >100 km.
    symplectite