Overview

After receiving his PhD from Princeton, Professor Larry Cathles worked in industrial research with Kennecott Copper and also spent a period of time with Chevron Oil Field Research Laboratory. Larry joined the faculty at Cornell in 1987. He is an earth scientist who addresses the Earth processes with the perspective of a physicist. His fundamental approach is to construct physical process models that predict chemical change and then use chemical observations to test the models.

Research Focus

Professor Cathles' research currently has two main foci. The first is to model the response of the earth to the load redistributions that occurred over the last glacial cycle at a spatial resolution high enough that all load harmonics that induce flow in the mantle are resolved. His second research focus is modeling chemical changes induced when fluids flowing through rock move across gradients in temperature, pressure, and salinity.

Instruction Focus

Fluid Dynamics of the Earth System

Additional Links

• http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/faculty/Cathles.html

Honors, Awards and Appointments

• Fellow of American Association of Advancement of Science - 1987
• Extractive Metallurgy Science Award, Metallurgical Society of AIME - 1985

Professional Activities

• Session Chair of physical factors driving and localizing fluid flow, Inorganic Geochemistry Gordon Conference, July 31-August 5, 2005 - 2005
• Co-Organizer of Society of Economic Geologists Symposium on Duration of Hydrothermal Events - 1996
• Session Chairman and Organizer for Large Scale Crustal Flow Symposia, Goldschmidt Conference, Baltimore, MD - 1990

Selected Publications

• Cathles, L.M., 2007, Changes in sub-water table fluid flow at the end of the Proterozoic and its implications for gas pulsars and MVT lead zinc deposits, Geofluids, 7, p 77-110
• Cathles L.M., Chen Duo Fu, & Nicholson B, 2006, A dimensionless vent number characterizing the thermal impact of fluid discharge through planar and cylindrical vents with particular application to seafloor gas vents crystallizing hydrate. Jour. Geophys. Res., 111, B10205, doi:10.1029/2005JB004221
• Cathles, L.M., and Adams, J.J., 2005, Fluid flow and petroleum and mineral resources in the upper (<20 km) continental crust, Economic Geology 100th Anniversary Volume, p 77-110.
• Cathles, L.M., and Chen, D.F., 2004, A compositional kinetic model of hydrate crystallization and dissolution, J. Geophys. Res., 109(B08102), doi:10.1029/2003JB002910, 10p
• Cathles, L. M., 2004, Hydrocarbon generation, migration, and venting in a portion of the offshoreLouisiana Gulf of Mexico Basin, The Leading Edge, August, 7p.
• Cathles, L.M., 1993, A capless 350? flow zone model to explain megaplumes, salinity variations, and high temperature veins in ridge axis hydrothermal systems, Econ. Geol., 88(8):1977-1988.
• Cathles, L.M., M. Schoell, R. Simon, 1990, CO2 Generation During Steam Flooding: A Geologically-Based Kinetic Model That Includes Carbon Isotope Effects and Application to High Temperature Steamfloods, SPE Reservoir Eng., Nov., 524-530.
• Cathles, L.M., 1990, Scales and Effects of Fluid Flow in the Upper Crust, Science, 248:323-229.
• Cathles, L.M., 1983, An Analysis of the Hydrothermal System Responsible for Massive Sulfide Deposition in the Hokuroku Basin of Japan, Econ. Geol., Monograph. #5:439-487.
• The Viscosity of the Earth`s Mantle, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 386. 1975

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