Nick Barber 🌋
@volcannick.bsky.social
Asst Professor, geoscientist, volcanophile
magma, metals, and minerals 🌋🪨🛰️Philadelphian 🦅, father, husband. he/him. www.volcannick.com
Opinions my own
magma, metals, and minerals 🌋🪨🛰️Philadelphian 🦅, father, husband. he/him. www.volcannick.com
Opinions my own
Then, on MLK day, a much larger group of faith leaders, retirees, young people, professors, and families march for racial justice & equality.
I got very emotional this year thinking that so many people in my community would brave the cold to show we will stand up to racism in all its forms.
I got very emotional this year thinking that so many people in my community would brave the cold to show we will stand up to racism in all its forms.
January 20, 2026 at 2:27 AM
Then, on MLK day, a much larger group of faith leaders, retirees, young people, professors, and families march for racial justice & equality.
I got very emotional this year thinking that so many people in my community would brave the cold to show we will stand up to racism in all its forms.
I got very emotional this year thinking that so many people in my community would brave the cold to show we will stand up to racism in all its forms.
Friday through Saturday, we endure a parade of chuds celebrating the Confederacy. Their marching is nominally honoring local notable Stonewall Jackson.
January 20, 2026 at 2:27 AM
Friday through Saturday, we endure a parade of chuds celebrating the Confederacy. Their marching is nominally honoring local notable Stonewall Jackson.
Who could forget John Adam’s fondness for France. They called him ol’ two nose
January 13, 2026 at 2:10 AM
Who could forget John Adam’s fondness for France. They called him ol’ two nose
I am so grateful to Meta for serving me this vital information
January 13, 2026 at 1:26 AM
I am so grateful to Meta for serving me this vital information
For folks interested in learning more connected to this- happy to share my Google Drive with a dump of relevant papers. Also a ton of books I can recommend!
For 2026, I plan on reading these books, making them required reading in my “Mineral Resources and the Green Energy Transition” class.
For 2026, I plan on reading these books, making them required reading in my “Mineral Resources and the Green Energy Transition” class.
January 11, 2026 at 7:41 PM
For folks interested in learning more connected to this- happy to share my Google Drive with a dump of relevant papers. Also a ton of books I can recommend!
For 2026, I plan on reading these books, making them required reading in my “Mineral Resources and the Green Energy Transition” class.
For 2026, I plan on reading these books, making them required reading in my “Mineral Resources and the Green Energy Transition” class.
These are hard questions that we can only answer if we think hard and critically about geology’s role, good or bad, in building the future.
January 10, 2026 at 6:31 PM
These are hard questions that we can only answer if we think hard and critically about geology’s role, good or bad, in building the future.
Ijen is the best actually you would love it 😊
January 7, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Ijen is the best actually you would love it 😊
Pennsylvania Dutch birch beer is a national treasure how dare you
December 14, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Pennsylvania Dutch birch beer is a national treasure how dare you
My Raman microscope arrives tomorrow, just in time for Christmas! The engineers have had fun wrapping it 🎅
So excited for a new generation of microspectroscopy research @ W&L 😄
Bonus: I get to hang out with @pennywieser.bsky.social to figure out how to get the most out of this instrument!!
So excited for a new generation of microspectroscopy research @ W&L 😄
Bonus: I get to hang out with @pennywieser.bsky.social to figure out how to get the most out of this instrument!!
December 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
My Raman microscope arrives tomorrow, just in time for Christmas! The engineers have had fun wrapping it 🎅
So excited for a new generation of microspectroscopy research @ W&L 😄
Bonus: I get to hang out with @pennywieser.bsky.social to figure out how to get the most out of this instrument!!
So excited for a new generation of microspectroscopy research @ W&L 😄
Bonus: I get to hang out with @pennywieser.bsky.social to figure out how to get the most out of this instrument!!
I'm giving my vote to tetrahedrite!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
November 4, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I'm giving my vote to tetrahedrite!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
As Sack & Loucks showed in 1985, the multisite reciprocal replacement of Cu <-> Ag, Fe <-> Zn, Cu <-> Fe, and As <-> Sb make it the "Rolls Royce" of indicator mienrals for the pressure, temperature, and pH conditions of an ore deposit. Vote for the ore with more!
Good news for those following the egregious suspension of Dr Dixon at UNC - he’s back in the classroom! You can read his update here.
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
October 4, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Good news for those following the egregious suspension of Dr Dixon at UNC - he’s back in the classroom! You can read his update here.
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
www.change.org/p/reinstate-...
More on my shoshonites - Bawean is less than a million years old yet it’s hundreds of km from the arc front and 600 km above the Sunda slab.
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
October 3, 2025 at 3:30 AM
More on my shoshonites - Bawean is less than a million years old yet it’s hundreds of km from the arc front and 600 km above the Sunda slab.
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
Studied early on the 20th century, I was the first to look at these rocks in decades.
They have gorgeous textures. Still don’t know why they are there!
Today, I begin a new geology series called Tethys Truther Thursday ⚒️
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
August 28, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Today, I begin a new geology series called Tethys Truther Thursday ⚒️
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
My first entry: this world map on a carpet bought for my little ones.
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you - either the Suez Canal has been massively expanded, or the Tethys ocean still has a lot of closing left to do!
Very belated #ThinSectionThursday ⚒️🪨🧪
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
August 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Very belated #ThinSectionThursday ⚒️🪨🧪
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
Keeping with my recent theme, a basaltic lava from Indonesia!
This time, a pāhoehoe flow we sampled last summer breaking out fro the flank of Mt. Anyar. Anyar is a scoria cone on the floor of Ijen Caldera; host a wide array of explosive & effusive products.
A different kind of #ThinSectionThursday today ⚒️:
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
July 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A different kind of #ThinSectionThursday today ⚒️:
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
An olivine from the 1982 eruption of Mt, Galunggung Indonesia (transmitted & reflected light). In the first TL image, I'm focused on the surface (10x). In the second TL image, you can see the dozens(!!) of melt inclusions lurking below the surface.
Scotland is amazing! I always have a soft spot for Arran - such superb geology outcropping along the whole coast, and Drumadoon sill is a sight to see!
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
July 27, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Scotland is amazing! I always have a soft spot for Arran - such superb geology outcropping along the whole coast, and Drumadoon sill is a sight to see!
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
When I was in grad school in the UK we took our first year students here every year. Some of my favorite geological memories 😊
Happy #ThinSectionThursday all! Today's entry is a 2.5x view of scoria from Mt. Ijen's 1817 CE phreatomagmatic eruption 🌋. This is the most crystal rich entry in the eruption sequence; multiple crystal populations present, composed of plag >> 2 pyr > ol. Note: this thin section is 50 μm thick!
July 24, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Happy #ThinSectionThursday all! Today's entry is a 2.5x view of scoria from Mt. Ijen's 1817 CE phreatomagmatic eruption 🌋. This is the most crystal rich entry in the eruption sequence; multiple crystal populations present, composed of plag >> 2 pyr > ol. Note: this thin section is 50 μm thick!
So it depends on depths you are talking about. For most volcanic processes, we care about fluids when the exsolve from the magma.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
June 30, 2025 at 8:55 PM
So it depends on depths you are talking about. For most volcanic processes, we care about fluids when the exsolve from the magma.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
Looking at this phase diagram from Edmonds, Mason, & Hogg 2022, you can see that the fluid phase unmixes into a well defined vapor and brine at shallow < 3 km) depths.
What a great start to #IAVCEI2025. Pictured below - the coffee break!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
June 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
What a great start to #IAVCEI2025. Pictured below - the coffee break!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
I started my morning listening to Corin Jorgenson’s “walk through the forest of machine learning”, and finished it in the “Tick Tick Boom” session. We saw exciting work from Okmok, Villarica, Chaîne des Puys, and many more!
Day 2 - we are up and away with SAR data! I've been able to access interferograms for the first time thanks to Edna Dualeh's excellent practical.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
June 29, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Day 2 - we are up and away with SAR data! I've been able to access interferograms for the first time thanks to Edna Dualeh's excellent practical.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
comet.nerc.ac.uk/comet-volcan...
We've also heard from researchers working on volcanoes as diverse as Mt. Cameroon, Hunga Tonga, and Merapi.
Uplifting and inspiring #NoKings protest in the heart of the Blue Ridge.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
June 14, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Uplifting and inspiring #NoKings protest in the heart of the Blue Ridge.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
The crowd skewed older and white where we are, but our two little guys brought the average down significantly 😊
Speakers were from all walks all life, and great music to tie it all together.
Instead, cites this modeling study from 5 years ago, which quantifies the amount of CO2 drawn down by EWR on cropland!
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
June 9, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Instead, cites this modeling study from 5 years ago, which quantifies the amount of CO2 drawn down by EWR on cropland!
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
That’s right, cropland. Famously not the same substrate, microsome, or chemistry as seafloor.
So from the jump this paper is nonsense in every scientific sense.
You either die a Herbie or live long enough to see yourself become a Gritty
June 7, 2025 at 11:10 PM
You either die a Herbie or live long enough to see yourself become a Gritty