Froukje M. van der Zwan, Ph.D.

Faculty

Associate Center Director | Assistant Professor, Earth Science and Engineering

Research Interests

​Professor Froukje M. van der Zwan has a strong interest and expertise in magmatic and hydrothermal processes at young rifted margins (e.g. the Red Sea), Mid-Oceanic Ridges and intraplate volcanoes. Her research aims to understand why volcanic and magmatic provinces occur where they are and by which processes they form. In addition, she studies hydrothermal systems and their effect on magmatic processes and the formation of related mineral resources. These processes she examines on land and in the oceans in various geodynamic settings, but with a focus on continental breakup, which has been a fundamental process on Earth for at least 2.5 Ga. Her group investigates the initial stages of continental breakup, the transition from rifting to spreading of a young ocean basin and later stage intraplate volcanism at the continental margin.

The research methods of Professor van der Zwan are igneous petrology, geochemistry and volcanology with a focus on in-situ methods, e.g. detailed studies of melt inclusions, combined with data from other (geoscience) disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach including field and/or sea expeditions together with various geochemical laboratory techniques is key to unravel geological processes and to understand volcanic and hydrothermal systems in all their aspects.

Selected Publications

  • ​Larsen H. C., Mohn G., Nirrengarten M., Sun Z., Stock J., Jian Z., Zarikian C.A., Boaga J., Bowden S., Briais A., Chen Y., Cukur D., Dadd K., Ding W., Dorais M., Ferre E., Ferreira F., Furusawa A., Gewecke A., Hinojosa J., Höfig T., Hsiung K., Huang B., Huang E., Huang X, Jiang S., Jin H., Johnson B., Klaus A., Kurzawski R., Larsen H., Lei C., Li B., Li L., Li Y., Lin J., Liu C., Liu Z., Luna A., Lupi C., McCarthy A., Ningthoujam L., Osono N., Peate D., Persaud P., Qiu N., Robinson C., Satolli S., Sauermilch I., Schindlbeck J., Skinner S., Straub S., Su X., Su C., Tian L., van der Zwan F.M., Wan S., Wu H., Xiang R., Yadav R., Yi L., Yu P., Zhang C., Zhang J., Zhang Y., Zhao N., Zhong G. and Zhong L., 2018, Rapid transition from continental breakup to ocean crust at South China Sea rifted margin. Nature Geosciences 11 (10), 782-789. doi:10.1038/s41561-018-0198-1.
  • van der Zwan F.M., Devey C.W., Hansteen T.H., Almeev R.R., Augustin N., Frische M. and Basaham A.S., 2017, Lower crustal hydrothermal circulation at slow-spreading ridges – evidence from chlorine in Arctic and South Atlantic basalt glasses and melt inclusions. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 172 (11), 97. doi:10.1007/s00410-017-1418-1
  • Ngwa C.N., Devey C.W., Hansteen T.H., van der Zwan F.M. and Suh C.E, 2017, Origin and evolution of primitive melts from the Debunscha Maar, Cameroon: Consequences for mantle source heterogeneity within the Cameroon Volcanic Line. Lithos 288-289, 326-337. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2017.06.028
  • van der Zwan F.M., Devey C.W., Augustin N., Almeev R.R., Bantan R.A. and Basaham A., 2015, Hydrothermal activity at the slow-spreading Red Sea Rift traced by chlorine in basalt. Chemical Geology 405, 63-81. doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2015.04.001
  • Augustin N., Devey C.W., van der Zwan F.M., Feldens P., Tominaga M., Bantan R.A. and Kwasnitschka T., 2014, The rifting to spreading transition in the Red Sea. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 395 (C), 217-230. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2014.03.047.

Education

  • Ph.D. Marine Geology and geochemistry, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany, 2014
  • M.Sc. Geosciences of Basins and Lithosphere, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2008
  • B.Sc. Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 2005

Professional Profile

  • Assistant Professor, ​Physical Science and Engineering Division, KAUST, Saudi Arabia, 2019
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany, 2018
  • Postdoctoral Researcher, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Germany, 2017

KAUST Affiliations

  • Red Sea Research Center (RSRC)
  • Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE)
  • Physical Science and Engineering Division (PSE)

Research Interests Keywords

Igneous Petrology Isotope Geochemistry Petrography Tectonics Geology Sediments Geochemistry Field Geology Geological Processes Geological Mapping