Mr Matthew M Wincott

Thesis title: Diamonds and their inclusions as thermometers and clocks.

Diamonds contain a record of the temperatures they experienced when they were buried deep beneath the continents. By studying diamonds with growth zones of different ages, I am calculating cooling rates over billion-year timescales. My findings will contribute to our wider understanding of geodynamic processes, such as when the Earth was cool enough for subduction to start, or how continental buoyancy may have changed through time.

The methods involve Re-Os isotopic dating of sulphide inclusions to establish the age of diamond growth zones, and FTIR measurement of nitrogen concentrations and aggregation states to determine experienced temperatures. I also characterise diamonds and their inclusions using techniques like CT scanning, EPMA and CL imaging.