Alan Carroll

Research

How are sedimentary basins created, and how do they evolve? What record do they provide of regional tectonics? How can paleoclimatic signals from be read from their deposits?

Such questions by their nature require a broad, multidisciplinary approach, including (but not limited to) the application of clastic sedimentary facies and paleocurrent analyses, sequence stratigraphy, sandstone petrography, geohistory analysis, and organic geochemistry. Several of my current projects currently involve the application of stable and radiogenic isotopes to deciphering sedimentary provenance, weathering histories, and age relationships. My research integrates these techniques to help elucidate processes of basin subsidence and fill as they relate to continental tectonics, regional paleoclimatic evolution, and petroleum exploration.

Publications

Google Scholar Page

Teaching

I teach courses in Physical Geology (100, 101), field geology (457, 459, 737), Energy Resources (411), Principles of Stratigraphy (430), Sedimentary Basin Analysis (530), Physical Sedimentology (630) and Workstation Interpretation (875). I also contribute to Earth Materials (203).

Service

I serve on a number of Departmental and University committees including the Graduate Studies Committee, the Award Committee, Energy Analysis & Policy Committee, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.