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 relationshiops. 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.

Teaching

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

Departmental Responsibilities

In addition to a number of Departmental and University committees, I serve as an Associate Editor for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin.