Dr Thomas M. Gernon
Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
E-mail: Thomas dot Gernon at noc.soton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 23 8059 2670
Research interests
Awards
I am interested in the dynamics of multi-phase flows in volcanic conduits (kimberlitic and basaltic), and the climate impacts of early Cenozoic hyaloclastite volcanism and hydrothermal vents in the North Atlantic. I have set up a fluid dynamics laboratory at NOCS to investigate the dynamics of gas flow through porous media in both terrestrial and marine environments. This work has diverse applications including carbon capture and storage, flow around high-voltage cables, and understanding gas-particle interactions in pyroclastic flows.
Current position
Responsibilities include preparing and presenting lectures, delivering tutorials, setting and
marking coursework and examinations, running field courses and supervising independent
mapping projects. Click here for more details on teaching.
Associate Professor in Earth Science, University of Southampton (2016 -)
Lecturer in Earth Science, University of Southampton, Ocean & Earth Science
2009 - 2016
Fermor Fund (Geol. Soc. London) Curry Fund, Geologists’ Association
President's Award, Geol. Soc. London
Distinguished Geologists' Memorial
Fund (Geol. Soc. London)
Clough and Mykura Fund (Geological Society of Edinburgh)
Timothy Jefferson Field Research
Fund (Geol. Soc. London)
Royal Dublin Society Demonstration Lecture Bursary
IRCSET Ph.D. award, Government of Ireland
Cunningham Prize, Geological Survey of Ireland
Alumni Prize, E.U. Contest for Young Scientists
Young Scientist of the Year, Ireland (2000)
Geological Survey of Ireland award (1999)
Institute of Physics of Ireland award (1997)
Fieldwork experience
South Soufrière Hills, Montserrat volcano, West Indies (2012).
Tenerife, Canary Islands (2010, 2011, 2012).
Betic Cordillera, Almería province, SE Spain.
East Fife, Scotland (2009, 2010)
Ardnamurchan, Scotland (2009)
Snap Lake Diamond Mine, NW Territories, Arctic Canada (2007, 2008)
Fort à la Corne kimberlite field, Saskatchewan (2006)
South-central Utah (2006)
Debswana Orapa Diamond Mine, north-eastern Botswana (2006)
Letseng diamond mine, Mokhotlong district, Kingdom of Lesotho
Isle of Mull, Inner Hebrides (2005)
Kamchatka Peninsula (Bakening volcano), Far Eastern Siberia, Russian Federation (2005)
De Beers Venetia K01 kimberlite pipe, Limpopo province, South Africa (2004-2006)
Debswana Jwaneng Diamond Mine (southcentral Kalahari), Republic of Botswana (2004-2006)
Santorini volcano, Aegean Sea, Greece (2004, 2011)
South Mayo Trough, Irish Carboniferous Basins, Bristol Channel & Wessex-Weald Basins (2000-2004)
Lecturer in Geology, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Geology
2008 - 2009
Responsibilities included preparing and presenting lectures, setting and marking coursework
and examinations, and co-supervising geology field courses. Course director of level 3 igneous petrology. Developed new lecture syllabuses and practical laboratory and mapping exercises for geology courses.
Working closely with De Beers Canada on the dynamics of dyke emplacement at Snap Lake Diamond Mine, NW Territories, Arctic Canada, to develop a geological model based on an understanding of dyke emplacement processes. Research included underground mapping of the architecture and structure of the ore-body, and analysis of geological data. Investigation of the geological controls on ramps and steps that occur in the dyke and which cause difficulties to efficient and cost-effective mining. Development and testing of methodologies to predict dyke behaviour and mitigate problems encountered during mining.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Bristol, Dept. of Earth Sciences
2007 - 2008
B.Sc. (Hons.) in Geology with First Class Honours; Courses included geology, geophysics, chemistry, computing and mathematics.
Final year dissertation: "The Solid Geology of the Kilbride Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland"
Supervisor: Prof. J. Stephen Daly
"Fluidisation and emplacement processes in kimberlite eruptions"
Volcanic emplacement of diamondiferous kimberlite pipes (Jwaneng & Orapa, Botswana and Venetia,
South Africa) with particular emphasis on the role of gas-fluidisation. Pyroclastic and mass-wasting processes in volcanic craters and conduits (Ph.D. thesis available on request).
Advisers: Prof. Steve Sparks FRS, Dr Mark Gilbertson and Dr Matthew Field
B.Sc. (Hons.) University College Dublin, Department of Geology
2000 - 2004
Ph.D., University of Bristol, Department of Earth Sciences
2004 - 2007
Education
Employment
Publications
Gernon, T.M., Upton, B.G.J., Hincks, T.K. 2013. Eruptive history of an alkali basaltic diatreme from Elie Ness, Fife, Scotland. Bulletin of Volcanology 75:704, doi: 10.1007/s00445-013-0704-7
Stock, M.J., Taylor, R.N. & Gernon, T.M., 2012. Triggering of major eruptions recorded by actively forming cumulates. Nature Scientific Reports 2, 731, doi: 10.1038/srep00731
Gernon, T.M. & Gilbertson, M.A., 2012. Segregation of particles in a tapered fluidized bed. Powder Technology, 231, p.88-101, doi: 10.1016/j.powtec.2012.07.053
Cassidy, M., Trofimovs, J.,Watt, S.F.L., Palmer, M.R., Taylor, R.N., Gernon, T.M., Talling, P. & Le Friant, A., 2012, in press. Multi-stage collapse events in the South Soufrière Hills, Montserrat as recorded in marine sediment cores. In: Wadge, G., Robertson, R. & Voight, B. (eds.) The Eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat from 2000 to 2010. Geological Society of London, Memoirs.
Gernon, T.M., Brown, R.J., Tait, M.A. & Hincks, T.K., 2012. The origin of pelletal lapilli in explosive kimberlite eruptions. Nature Communications, 3 (832), p.1-7, doi: 10.1038/ncomms1842
Above article featured in Nature Asia-Pacific (2012), Research Highlights (No. 1812), Geology: A diamond standard search for the origins of volcanic particles, and received widespread media coverage including Times Higher Education, sciencedaily.com, news.yahoo.com, phys.org, esciencenews.com, us.topnewstoday.org, sciencenewsline.com, labnews.co.uk, geologytimes.com and rdmag.com
Gernon, T.M., Field, M. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2012. Geology of the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion, NW Territories, Canada: Field observations and their interpretation. Journal of the Geological Society, 169 (1), p.1-16, doi: 10.1144/0016-76492011-056
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2010. Particle segregation in tapered fluidized beds. In Kim, S.D., Kang, Y., Lee, J.K. and Seo, Y.C. (eds), Fluidization XIII: New Paradigm in Fluidization Engineering, RP6, p.677-684, ISBN 978-0-918902-57-3. Download
Gernon, T.M., Fontana, G., Field, M., Sparks, R.S.J., Brown, R.J. & MacNiocaill, C., 2009c. Pyroclastic flow deposits from a kimberlite eruption: the Orapa South Crater, Botswana. Lithos, 112 (S1), p.566-578, doi: 10.1016/j.lithos. 2009.04.016
Field, M., Gernon, T.M., Mock, A., Walters, A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Jerram, D.A., 2009. Variations of olivine abundance and grain size in the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion, Northwest Territories Canada: A possible proxy for diamonds. Lithos, 112 (S1), p.23-35, doi: 10.1016/j.lithos.2009.04.019
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2009b. The role of gas-fluidisation in the formation of massive volcaniclastic kimberlite. Lithos, 112 (S1), p.439-451, doi: 10.1016/j.lithos.2009.04.011
Gernon, T.M., Field, M. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2009a. Depositional processes in a kimberlite crater: the Upper Cretaceous Orapa South Pipe (Botswana). Sedimentology, 56 (2), p.623-643, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2008.00989.x
Brown, R.J., Field, M., Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2008. Problems with an in-vent column collapse model for the emplacement of massive volcaniclastic kimberlite. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 178 (4), p.847-850, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2008.06.002
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2008b. Gas-fluidisation in an experimental tapered bed: insights into processes in diverging volcanic conduits. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 174 (1-3), p.49-56, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.12.034
Above article featured in Nature (2008), Research Highlights, Geology: Pipe dream find, 451, p.502, doi: 10.1038/451502a
Gernon, T.M., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2008a. Degassing structures in volcaniclastic kimberlite: examples from southern African kimberlite pipes. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 174 (1-3), p.186-194, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.12.035
Brown, R.J., Gernon, T.M., Stiefenhofer, J. & Field, M., 2008. Geological constraints on the eruption of the Jwaneng Centre kimberlite pipe, Botswana. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 174 (1-3), p.195-208, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.12.032
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2007. Tapered fluidized beds and the role of fluidization in mineral emplacement. In Berruti, F., Bi, X. and Pugsley, T. (eds), Fluidization XII: New Horizons in Fluidization Engineering, RP4, p.545-552, ISBN 978-0-918902-57-3. Download
Gernon, T.M. & Peck, S., 2007. Mapping past and future patterns of European urbanisation. Journal of Maps, v2007, p.88-97, doi: 10.4113/jom.2007.68
Walters, A.L., Phillips, J.C., Brown, R.J., Field, M., Gernon, T.M., Stripp, G. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2006. The role of fluidisation in the formation of volcaniclastic kimberlite: grain size observations and experimental investigation. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 155 (1-2), p.119-137, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2006.02.005
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA, 2012)
Fellow of the Geological Society (FGS, 2009)
Memberships
Conference publications
2010 - present
2010 - present
Gernon, T.M., Brown, R.J., Tait, M. & Hincks, T.K., 2012. The origin of pelletal lapilli in explosive kimberlite eruptions. 10th International Kimberlite Conference, Bangalore, India, 10IKC-A-00372.
Sparks, R.S.J., Brown, R.J., Field, M., Gernon, T.M. & Kavanagh J., 2012. Dynamics of kimberlite magma ascent, intrusion and eruption. 10th International Kimberlite Conference, Bangalore, India, 10IKC-A-00368.
Gernon, T.M., Field, M., Sparks, R.S.J. & Ogilvie-Harris, R.C., 2012. Emplacement of the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion, NW Territories, Arctic Canada. 10th International Kimberlite Conference, Bangalore, India, 10IKC-A-00278.
Stock, M.J., Taylor, R.N. & Gernon, T.M., 2012. Major Plinian eruptions on Tenerife: An insight into driving mechanisms from cumulate nodules. Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group Meeting, Durham, UK.
Elliott, H.A., Gernon, T.M., Roberts, S. & Redmond, P., 2012. Pb-Zn mineralization within the Limerick Basin (SW Ireland): A role for volcanism? Mineral Deposits Studies Group Meeting, Cardiff, UK.
Gernon, T.M., 2011. Kimberlite volcanology. International Diamond School (invited speaker), University of Padua, Bressanone-Brixen, Italian Alps.
Gernon, T.M., Field, M., Sparks, R.S.J. & Ogilvie-Harris, R.C., 2010. Emplacement of crystal-rich magmas: insights from the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion (NW Territories, Canada). Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 12, EGU General Assembly, Abstract EGU2010-12326.
Gernon, T.M. & Hincks, T.K., 2010. Depositional processes of the basaltic Elie Ness diatreme, East Fife, Scotland. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 12, EGU General Assembly, Abstract EGU2010-11710.
Gernon, T.M., Field, M., Sparks, R.S.J. & Ogilvie-Harris, R.C., 2010. Emplacement of crystal-rich magmas: insights from the Snap Lake kimberlite intrusion (NW Territories, Canada). British Geophysical Association meeting, “Magma emplacement and storage in the Earth’s crust”, New Advances in Geophysics, Geological Society of London.
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2010. Particle segregation in tapered fluidized beds. 13th International Conference on Fluidization - New Paradigm in Fluidization Engineering, Gyeong-ju, Korea.
Fontana, G. P., MacNiocaill, C., Brown, R.J., Sparks, R.S.J., Field, M. & Gernon, T.M., 2009. Palaeomagnetic emplacement temperature determinations of pyroclastic and volcaniclastic deposits in southern African kimberlite pipes. Eos Trans. AGU, 90(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V22B-2068.
Gernon, T.M., Sparks, R.S.J., Field, M. & Ogilvie-Harris, R.C., 2009. Geological constraints on the emplacement of the Snap Lake kimberlite dyke, NW Territories, Arctic Canada. Eos Trans. AGU, 90(22), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract V33D-02.
Ogilvie-Harris, R., Sparks, R.S.J., Field, M. & Gernon, T.M., 2009. The Geochemistry of the Snap Lake kimberlite dyke, NW Territories, Canada: Phlogopite and Spinel. Eos Trans. AGU, 90(22), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract V33D-01.
Fontana, G. P., MacNiocaill, C., Brown, R.J., Sparks, R.S.J., Field, M. & Gernon, T.M., 2009. Emplacement temperatures of pyroclastic and volcaniclastic deposits in kimberlite pipes in southern Africa: New constraints from palaeomagnetic measurements. Eos Trans. AGU, 90(22), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract V31F-07.
Gernon, T.M., Field, M. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2009. Geological constraints on the emplacement of the Snap Lake kimberlite dyke, NW Territories, Arctic Canada. Irish Geological Research Meeting, Dublin, Ireland.
Fontana, G., Gernon, T.M., Mac Niocaill, C., Brown, R.J., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2009. Identification of kimberlite pyroclastic flow deposits using thermal remnant magnetism. 43rd Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group Meeting, Bournemouth, UK.
Gernon, T.M., Sparks, R.S.J., Field, M. & Gilbertson, M.A., 2008. The role of gas-fluidisation in the formation of massive volcaniclastic kimberlite. 9th International Kimberlite Conference, Frankfurt, Germany, 9IKC-A-00175.
Tait, M.A., Brown, R.J., Gernon, T.M. & Medlin, C.C., 2008. Internal Architecture of a Large Kimberlitic Fissure Volcano: The Cambrian Venetia K01 Kimberlite Pipe, Limpopo, RSA. 9th IAVCEI (International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior) General Assembly, Reykjavík, Iceland.
Gernon, T.M., Field, M., Sparks, R.S.J., Brown, R.J., Fontana, G. & Mac Niocaill, C., 2008. Pyroclastic flow deposits from a kimberlite eruption: Orapa South Pipe, Republic of Botswana. 9th International Kimberlite Conference, Frankfurt, Germany, 9IKC-A-00177.
Field, M., Gernon, T.M., Walters, A., Mogg, T. & Sparks, R.S.J., 2008. Olivine grain size variations in the Snap Lake kimberlite sheet, Canada: Implications for kimberlite melt behaviour and diamond size distributions. 9th International Kimberlite Conference, Frankfurt, Germany, 9IKC-A-00287.
Gernon, T.M., Sparks, R.S.J., Gilbertson, M.A. & Field, M., 2008. Fluidisation in flared containers with applications to kimberlite geology. 42nd Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group Meeting, Dublin, Ireland.
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2007. Experimental constraints on the role of fluidisation in kimberlite emplacement. IUGG (International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics) XXIV, Perugia, Italy.
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J. & Field, M., 2007. Tapered Fluidized Beds and the Role of Fluidization in Mineral Emplacement. 12th International Conference on Fluidization - New Horizons in Fluidization Engineering, Vancouver, Canada.
Brown, R.J., Gernon, T.M. & Tshutlhedi, J., 2006. Insights into the eruption of the Jwaneng Centre Lobe kimberlite pipe. 8th International Kimberlite Conference (IAVCEI), Emplacement Workshop, Saskatoon, Canada.
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J., Walters, A. & Field, M., 2006. Gas-solid fluidisation in an experimental tapered bed: insights into processes in diverging volcanic conduits. 8th International Kimberlite Conference (IAVCEI), EmplacementWorkshop, Saskatoon, Canada.
Gernon, T.M., Sparks, R.S.J., Brown, R.J. & Field, M., 2006. Gas-segregation pipes in kimberlite: evidence for fluidisation at Orapa South Pipe, Botswana. 8th International Kimberlite Conference (IAVCEI), Emplacement
Workshop, Saskatoon, Canada.
Gernon, T.M., Gilbertson, M.A., Sparks, R.S.J.,Walters, A. & Field, M., 2006. Fluidization and its potential role in the emplacement of kimberlite pipe-fills. Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group Meeting, Leeds, UK.
Sparks, R.S.J., Brown, R.J., Field, M. & Gernon, T.M. et al., 2006. Dynamical constraints on kimberlite volcanism. 8th International Kimberlite Conference (IAVCEI), Emplacement Workshop, Saskatoon,
Canada.
Gernon, T.M., 2004. An assessment of palaeo-depth indicators in the Lough Nafooey Group Volcanics, Kilbride Peninsula, Co. Mayo. Irish Geological Research Meeting, Galway, Ireland.
Other publications
Harder, M., Pittari, A., Moss, S. & Gernon, T.M., 2007. Conference News: 2006 Kimberlite Emplacement Workshop. Elements Magazine (Mineralogical Society of America), 3(2), p.127, ISSN 1811-5209.
Gernon, T.M., 2000. The geography and mathematics of Europe’s urban centres. The Irish Scientist Millennium Year Book, Samton Ltd., Dublin, No. 8, p.236, ISBN 1 898 706 20 4.
Gernon, T.M., 1999. Geomorphology of river valleys in Louth. The Irish Scientist 1999 Year Book, Samton Ltd., Dublin, No. 7, p.212, ISBN 1 898 706 18 2.