Robert E. Criss

Professor
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1981

• EPSc 400 : Topics in the Geosciences - Speleology
• EPSc 428 : Hydrology
• EPSc 441 : Introduction to Geochemistry
• EPSc 446 : Stable Isotope Geochemistry
• EPSc 498 : Undergraduate Research Seminar - Environmental Potamology
• EPSc 569 : Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria

Stable Isotope Geochemistry

Stable isotopes provide a powerful probe into the origin of rocks and natural waters. Professor Criss' research features the use of isotopic tracing and imaging techniques to investigate the transport of aqueous fluids in environments that vary from rivers and cool potable groundwater systems essential to mankind, to deeper and hotter hydrothermal systems associated with granitic batholiths, stratovolcanoes, and ore deposits. The results may be combined with physical, chemical, geologic or petrographic data to deduce numerous aspects about the origin of waters and the processes that subsequently affect them.

A major focus for Criss and his associates is the origin, character and behavior of river and flood waters in the Mississippi, Missouri, and Meramec River basins. In the 1990's, the midcontinent has experienced floods of such severity that they would not, under normal circumstances, be expected to have all occurred in a period less that several centuries. Criss and Everett Shock have proven that engineering modifications of waterways have increased the frequency and severity of floods on most midwestern rivers. Criss and his former students Bill Winston and Chris Frederickson have developed an extensive isotopic and chemical data base and a new technique to quantify the time scales of groundwater transport to rivers. Winston and Criss have exploited our large database and extensive network of precipitation stations to identify the water sources in the fatal flash flood of May 2000, when 15 inches of rain fell in a 13 hour period. Criss, Lee Davisson (LLNL) and Jim Kopp (St. Louis Water Division) have developed a new geochemical technique that may be used to define the source regions of individual solutes in the Missouri River basin.

Criss and his associates are continuing to study shallow groundwater systems. Recent papers document the utility of oxygen isotopes in tracing the source of springs to regions as disparate as snowpacks in volcanic terranes to leaky lakes constructed on karst. Winston, Shock and Criss are extending our new hydrograph theory to explain chemical hydrographs, or "chemographs", representing the variations in chemical concentrations in rivers and springs. Davisson and Criss are using stable isotope and radiocarbon variations to delineate groundwater resources in the Central Valley of California, and have documented that intense pumping and agricultural irrigation practices caused the progressive replacement of pristine ancient groundwater by contaminated, nitrate-fertilized irrigation water. This situation has already rendered enormous volumes of groundwater to an unpotable condition and seriously threatens the water supply of the Central Valley.

Criss and his associates are also investigating modern and fossil hydrothermal systems that develop beneath stratovolcanoes. Isotopic exchange between fractured volcanic rocks and meteoric hydrothermal systems imprints a record of the fluid flow patterns in the oxygen isotope ratios of rocks. Utilizing oxygen isotope analyses on a 3-D network of more than 900 surface and underground rock samples collected throughout the Comstock Lode district, Criss and graduate student Mike Singleton (Washington University, PhD 2002) have constructed the first 3-D computer images and stereopairs of isotopic patterns. These isotopic images have elucidated the geometry of fluid flow during ore deposition, the relation of faults to the hydrothermal system, and the timing of igneous and structural events in the district relative to the deposition of ore. Criss and Singleton have used these 3-D isotope mapping techniques to image the convective hydrothermal gyres that deposited the fabulous concentration of silver and gold known as the "Big Bonanza" beneath a stratovolcano along the Comstock Lode, Nevada, more than 13 million years ago. The regional pattern of hydrothermal alteration in the Comstock district is analogous to the pattern developed beneath the Quaternary Brokeoff volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park, studied by Criss and his former student Tim Rose (LLNL).

Other ongoing investigations focus on fluids in diverse geologic environments. Field projects include the deep metamorphic-hydrothermal system in the Idaho batholith and the Coeur d'Alene mining district (with R.J. Fleck, USGS and former student G.F. Eaton, LLNL), and of tectonically-expelled formation fluids in the California Coast Ranges (with Davisson and former student E.B. Melchiorre, DePauw University). The latter study documents a close association between fluid overpressures and a reduction in seismicity, demonstrating that fluids promote aseismic deformation mechanisms over brittle failure, contrary to current paradigms of earthquake generation. Melchiorre is also investigating isotopic relationships in copper carbonates, which are rapidly replacing sulfides as the world's major source of copper metal. His results prove that these minerals form at low temperatures in equilibrium with soil waters, commonly by bacterial deposition, except for those associated with massive sulfide deposits undergoing exothermic oxidation. Theoretical investigations of isotopic fractionation and disequilibrium phenomena are continuing.

BOOKS

Criss R. E. (1999) Principles of Stable Isotope Distribution, Oxford University Press, New York, 264 p. [QD466.5C1C75] ( Errata )

Criss, R.E. and Wilson, D.A., editors (2003) At the Confluence: Rivers, Floods, and Water Quality in the St. Louis Region, MBG Press, St. Louis, 278 p.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Criss, R. E. (2008) Terrestrial oxygen isotope variations and their implications for planetary lithospheres. Rev. Mineral., 68, Ch. 18, p. 511-526.

Criss, R. E., and Farquhar, J. (2008) Abundance, notation, and fractionation of light stable isotopes. Rev. Mineral., 68, Ch. 3, p. 15-30.

Criss, R.E., and Winston, W.E. (2008) Properties of a diffusive hydrograph and the interpretation of its single parameter, Mathematical Geology, DOI: 10.1007/s11004-008-9145-9.

Criss, R.E., and Winston, W.E. (2008) Do Nash values have value? Discussion and alternate proposals. Hydrological Processes, 22, p. 2723-2725.

Criss, E. M., Criss, R. E., and Osburn, G. R. (2008) Effects of stress on cave passage shape in karst terranes. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (doi 10.1007/s00603-006-0106-7)

Criss, R. E., and Winston, W.E. (2007) Effects of urbanization on watershed hydrology: The scaling of discharge with drainage area: COMMENT, Geology, p. e126-7 doi: 10.1130/G22380C.1

Criss, R.E., Davisson, M.L., Surbeck, H. and Winston, W.E. (2007) Isotopic Techniques, in Methods in Karst Hydrogeology, David Drew and Nico Goldscheider, eds., Ch. 7, 123-145, Taylor & Francis, London.

Fleck, R. J, and Criss, R. E. (2007) Location, Age and Tectonic Significance of the Western Idaho Suture Zone (WISZ), in Geological Studies of the Salmon River Suture Zone and adjoining areas, west-central Idaho and eastern Oregon, U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 1738, p. 15-50.

Garlick, G.D. and Criss, R.E. (2007) Geologic Thermometry: Isotopic Methods. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 10th ed., vol. 8, p. 27-33.

Hofmeister, A.M and Criss, R.E. (2007) John Perry’s neglected critique of Kelvin’s age for the Earth: A missed opportunity in geodynamics., by England et al.: Comment. GSA Today, v. 17 #7, p. 10. (doi_10.1130/GSAT01707C.1).

Ehlmann, B. L and Criss, R.E. (2006) Enhanced stage and stage variability on the lower Missouri River benchmarked by Lewis and Clark. Geology, 34 #11, p. 977-981.

Criss, R. E., Lippmann, J. L., Criss, E. M., and Osburn, G. R. (2006) Caves of St. Louis County, Missouri. Missouri Speleology (Dec. issue; 18p).

Criss, R. E., and Winston, W.E. (2006) Comment on “Characterization of surface and ground water d¹⁸O seasonal variation and its use for estimating groundwater residence times”, by M.M. Reddy, P. Schuster, C. Kendall and M.B. Reddy, Hydrologic Processes, 20 #16, 3567-3572; also doi:10.1002/hyp.6517.

Hofmeister, A.M and Criss, R.E. (2006) Comment on "Estimates of heat flow from Cenozoic seafloor using global depth and age data" by M. Wei and D. Sandwell", Tectonophysics, v. 426, 6 p. (doi_10.1016_j.tecto.2006.08.010).

Hofmeister, A.M., and Criss, R.E., (2005) Earth’s heat flux revised and linked to chemistry. Tectonophysics, 395 #3-4; p. 159-177.

Stueber, A.M., and Criss, R.E. (2005) Origin and transport of dissolved chemicals in a karst watershed, southwestern Illinois. Journal American Water Resources Association; JAWRA Special Issue on Agricultural Hydrology and Water Quality, v. 41 (2), p. 267-290,

Melchiorre, E.B., and Criss, R.E. (2005) Stable oxygen isotope hydrology and slow basin response in an old-growth forested catchment, Wolf River basin, Wisconsin. Journal of Environmental Hydrology, v. 13, pap. 17, 18 p. http://www.hydroweb.com/jehabs/melchabs.html

Hofmeister, A.M., and Criss, R.E. (2005) Heat flow and mantle convection in the triaxial Earth, in Plates, plumes, and paradigms, G.R. Foulger, J.H. Natland, D.C. Presnall, D.L Anderson, eds., Geol. Soc. America Special Paper 388, p. 289-302.

Ehlmann, B. L., R. E. Arvidson, B. L. Jolliff, S. S. Johnson, B. Ebel, N. Lovenduski, J.D. Morris, J. A. Byers, N. O. Snider, R. E. Criss (2005) Hydrologic and isotopic modeling of alpine Lake Waiau, Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Pacific Science,. v. 59 no. 1:1, p. 1-15.

Criss, R.E., and Davisson, M.L (2004) Fertilizers, Water Quality, and Human Health. Environmental Health Perspectives, v. 112 #10, p. A454 (invited editorial).
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2004/112-10/editorial.html

Winston, W.E. and Criss, R.E. (2004) Dynamic hydrologic and geochemical response in a perennial karst spring, Water Resources Research , v. 40, p. W05106, 11p.

Singleton, M.J. and Criss, R.E. (2004) Symmetry of flow in the Comstock Lode hydrothermal system: Evidence for longitudinal convective rolls in geologic systems Journal of Geophysical Research v. 109, B03205, 15 p. http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2004/2003JB002660.shtml

Criss, R. E. (2003) Mid-continental Magnetic Declination: A 200 Year Record Starting with Lewis and Clark," GSA Today, 13 # 10, p. 4-11.

Criss, R.E and Winston, W.E. (2003) Hydrograph for small basins following intense storms. Geophys. Res. Lett., 30 (6), 1314-1318.

Criss, R.E. (2003) Character and origin of floodwaters; in At the Confluence: Rivers, Floods, and Water Quality in the St. Louis Region. MBG Press, St. Louis, 75-87.

Winston, W.E. and Criss, R.E. (2003) Oxygen isotope and geochemical variations in the Missouri River. Environmental Geology, 43, 546-556.

Criss, R.E. (2002) Rising flood stages on the lower Missouri River. East-West Gateway Blueprint Paper

Winston, W.E. and Criss, R.E. (2002) Geochemical variations during flash flooding, Meramec River basin, May 2000. J. Hydrology, 265, 149-163.

Criss, R.E. and Hofmeister, A.M. (2001) Thermodynamic Cosmology, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta (Helgeson Vol.), 65 (21), 4077-4085.

Criss, R. E. and Shock, E. L. (2001) Flood enhancement through flood control. Geology 29, 875-878. [Read an article about this work on the Environmental News Network.]

Criss, R.E., Davisson, M.L., and Kopp, J.W. (2001) Nonpoint sources in the lower Missouri River, Jour. AWWA, 93 (2), p. 112-122.

Singleton, M.J. and Criss, R.E. (2001) Effects of normal faulting on fluid flow in an ore-producing hydrothermal system, Comstock Lode, Nevada. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 115/3-4, 437-450.

Criss, R.E., Fernandes, S.A., and Winston, W.E. (2001) Isotopic, geochemical and biological tracing of the source of an impacted karst spring, Weldon Spring, Missouri. Environmental Forensics, 2, 99-103.

Fleck, R. J, and Criss, R. E., Eaton, G.F, Cleland, R.W., Wavra, C.S. and Bond, W.D. (2001) Age and origin of base- and precious-metal veins of the Coeur d'Alene Mining District, Idaho. Econ. Geol., 97, 23-42.

Criss, R.E., Singleton, M.J., and Champion, D.E. (2000) Three-dimensional oxygen isotope imaging of convective fluid flow around the "Big Bonanza", Comstock Lode Mining District, Nevada. Econ. Geol., 95 (1), 131-142.

Melchiorre, E.B., Criss, R.E., and Rose, T.P. (2000) Oxygen and carbon isotope study of natural and synthetic azurite. Econ. Geol., 95 (3), 621-628.

Melchiorre, E.B., Criss, R.E., and Davisson, M.L. (1999) Relationship between seismicity and subsurface fluids, central Coast Ranges, California, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 921-939.

Melchiorre, E.B., Criss, R.E., and Rose, T.P. (1999) Oxygen and carbon isotope study of natural and synthetic malachite. Econ. Geol., 94 (2), 245-259.

Frederickson, G.C. and Criss, R.E. (1999) Isotope hydrology and time constants of the unimpounded Meramec River basin, Missouri. Chem. Geol., 157, 303-317.

See also Department Publications

314-935-7441	criss@levee.wustl.edu
314-935-7361