Geology Center of Research Excellence

Sedimentary geology, stratigraphy, and geomorphology research at Mines

Turbidite lateral heterogeneity

Point Loma Fm., San Diego, CA

How big are submarine lobes?

Read Luke Pettinga's Geology paper on submarine channel-lobe scaling relationships

Fieldwork in Quebec, Canada

Cloridorme Fm. basin plain turbidites

Fieldwork in Quebec, Canada

Cloridorme Fm. basin plain turbidites

Eolian bounding surfaces

Entrada Fm. at Rone Bailey Mesa, Utah

Carbonate mass transport deposits

Carbonate mass transport deposits, Guadalupe Mountains, Texas

The Geology Center of Research Excellence (CoRE) is an innovative industry-academic partnership that promotes world-class research and education while focusing on scientific and technical challenges faced by the energy industry. We specialize in deepwater, fluvial, and shallow marine stratigraphy using a quantitative outcrop characterization research approach. The majority of our research involves fieldwork. Each year, CoRE supports 4-6 graduate students pursuing MS or PhD degrees which entail research in one of the center’s focus areas.

At CoRE, we focus our research into three themes:

  • Stratigraphic architecture (outcrop focused, with seismic/core data where applicable)
  • Scaling relationships for depositional systems (modern and subsurface-focused, with outcrop data serving as the link between the geomorphology and the stratigraphic record)
  • Source-to-sink sediment dispersal (e.g., using detrital zircon geochronology, automated mineralogy, petrography, and GIS data to constrain sediment flux and sedimentary basin evolution)

Learn more about our group, research, and recent publications.

Where we are working

Clark Gilbert

Ventura Basin evolution (2023)

Kaci Kus

Point Loma Fm submarine lobe deposits (2022)

Luke Pettinga

Rosario Formation submarine levee deposits (2019)

Zane Jobe

Cloridorme Fm. basin plain turbidites (2024)

Thomas Martin

Chinle Fm. meander belt architecture (2024)

Pengfei Hou

Atoka Fm. turbidite deposits (2020)

Wylie Walker

Bone Spring Fm. carbonate slope deposits (2022)

Thomas Martin

Machine learning from core photos, Schiehallion field, UK (2020)

Thomas Martin

Lewis Shale petrophysics machine learning (2020)

Evan Gross

Eolian bounding surface and facies heterogeneity (2022)

Luthfi Saifudin

Channel-lobe-transition-zone, Point Loma Fm. (2025)

Sacramento Mts. New Mexico

Mechanical stratigraphy of carbonate slope deposits (current)

Guadalupe Mts, Texas

Mechanical stratigraphy of carbonate slope deposits (current)

Ülken Qaratau

Mechanical stratigraphy of carbonate slope deposits (current)

David Nworie

Carbonate particle sediment transport

Hanaga Simabrata

Carbonate mass transport deposits, Cutoff Formation

Mitch Schneider

San Andres Formation pore networks