About

Mark D. Feigenson is a Professor at Rutgers University in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. His research interests include trace element and isotope geochemistry of igneous rocks, geophysical modeling of melt generation, and the geochemistry of volcanic and plutonic systems. He has contributed to understanding the isotopic compositions and petrogenesis of granitoids in the New Jersey Highlands, as well as the geochemistry of Central American lavas influenced by subduction processes. His work involves analyzing isotope distributions, source characteristics of volcanic lavas such as those from Mauna Kea, and the geochemical stratigraphy and magmatic evolution of volcanoes. Feigenson has authored numerous publications on these topics, advancing knowledge in isotope geochemistry and volcanic processes.

Research topics

• Geochemistry
• Geology
• Paleontology
• Petrology
• Mineralogy
• Geography

Selected publications

• Mesoproterozoic syenite in the New Jersey Highlands, USA: Petrogenesis and implications for the post-subduction transition from calc-alkaline to alkaline magmatism along the eastern Laurentian margin

  Lithos · 2025-05-28 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Diverse geodynamic settings of the Egyptian ophiolites: Geochemical insights from Wadi Ghadir and Gabal Abu Dahr

  Journal of Asian Earth Sciences · 2024-12-27 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• A REE Inverse Model From Bulk Distribution Coefficients and Boundary Conditions: Results for Shield and Rejuvenated Stage Hawaiian Volcanoes

  Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems · 2024-09-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract A major challenge in mantle geochemistry is determining the source composition and melt fraction involved in melting. We provide a new Rare‐Earth Element (REE) inverse model that provides source concentration, source and melt mineral modes, and melt fraction based on the difference between separate determinations of bulk distribution coefficients and constrained by boundary conditions. An analytical inverse of the batch melting equation provides expressions for source, , and bulk distribution coefficient of the mantle, , with two unknowns, the initial concentration of La in the mantle, , and P i , the bulk distribution coefficient of the melt. We traverse through a range of steps and examine thousands of melt modes, P i , at each step. Thousands of trial melt modes fail by generating that are inconsistent with partition coefficients. Many surviving trials cannot be inverted to estimate a mantle mode. Other boundary conditions eliminate even more trials. Surviving trials are ordered by the difference between calculated from the REE data of a lava suite and calculated from partition coefficients and mantle mode. We select the solution with the closest fit that passes all the boundary conditions. We tested our new model with lava suites from Hawaii where different lines of evidence suggest that they melted from different mantle sources, Mauna Kea representing shield‐stage lava and submarine Kiekie representing rejuvenated stage lava. Our inverse determination of mantle composition and melting parameters was consistent with earlier models based on assumptions of HREE composition.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The anorogenic late Ediacaran granite-rhyolite porphyries of Gabal Abu Durba, Sinai: termination of magmatism in the Neoproterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield crust

  International Geology Review · 2022 · 7 citations

  • Geology
  • Geochemistry
  • Petrology

  Anorogenic magmatism in the northern Arabian-Nubian Shield occurred during a long-lasting crustal extension event (<580 Ma), which succeeded the formation of the Pan-African orogenic belt in NE Africa and Arabia. Late Neoproterozoic anorogenic felsic volcanic-subvolcanic rocks, along with post-collisional granitoid suites, are exposed in the Gabal Abu Durba mountain range along the eastern flank of the Gulf of Suez in Sinai. These rocks include granite and rhyolite porphyries, metaluminous to weakly peralkaline with distinct potassic alkaline and ferroan affinities. Major and trace element characteristics such as K2O/MgO >16, total alkalis >8.5 wt.%, (K2O + Na2O)/CaO >10, agpaitic index (NK/A) >0.85 and Zr (>250 ppm), Nb (>20 ppm), Y (>80 ppm), Zn (>100 ppm) and Ce (>100 ppm), and 10,000 × Ga/Al >2.6 and [Zr + Nb + Y + Ce] >350 ppm are suggestive of an A-type granite genesis. Zircon U-Pb dating of two representative samples returned crystallization ages of 569 ± 2.6 Ma and 561.7 ± 3.2 Ma for granite and rhyolite porphyries, respectively. The melting temperatures estimated at 997–1020°C are consistent with high-temperature liquidus conditions. Fractional crystallization, coupled with less significant crustal assimilation, was likely the main mechanism of formation of these rocks from a common primitive asthenospheric mantle-derived trachytic magma in an anorogenic intra-plate setting. The A-type alkali granite and rhyolite porphyries of Gabal Abu Durba are manifestations of mantle upwelling and lower crust underplating in the late Ediacaran anorogenic stage. These felsic subvolcanic intrusions (≈ 569–562 Ma) along with their volcanic counterparts constitute a new unmatched rock unit that most probably represent the last chapter of the anorogenic magmatism in the Neoproterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield crust before the beginning of Phanerozoic era.

  PublisherDOI

• The anorogenic late Ediacaran granite-rhyolite porphyries of Gabal Abu Durba, Sinai: termination of magmatism in the Neoproterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield crust

  Figshare · 2022-01-01

  datasetOpen access

  Anorogenic magmatism in the northern Arabian-Nubian Shield occurred during a long-lasting crustal extension event (&lt;580 Ma), which succeeded the formation of the Pan-African orogenic belt in NE Africa and Arabia. Late Neoproterozoic anorogenic felsic volcanic-subvolcanic rocks, along with post-collisional granitoid suites, are exposed in the Gabal Abu Durba mountain range along the eastern flank of the Gulf of Suez in Sinai. These rocks include granite and rhyolite porphyries, metaluminous to weakly peralkaline with distinct potassic alkaline and ferroan affinities. Major and trace element characteristics such as K₂O/MgO &gt;16, total alkalis &gt;8.5 wt.%, (K₂O + Na₂O)/CaO &gt;10, agpaitic index (NK/A) &gt;0.85 and Zr (&gt;250 ppm), Nb (&gt;20 ppm), Y (&gt;80 ppm), Zn (&gt;100 ppm) and Ce (&gt;100 ppm), and 10,000 × Ga/Al &gt;2.6 and [Zr + Nb + Y + Ce] &gt;350 ppm are suggestive of an A-type granite genesis. Zircon U-Pb dating of two representative samples returned crystallization ages of 569 ± 2.6 Ma and 561.7 ± 3.2 Ma for granite and rhyolite porphyries, respectively. The melting temperatures estimated at 997–1020°C are consistent with high-temperature liquidus conditions. Fractional crystallization, coupled with less significant crustal assimilation, was likely the main mechanism of formation of these rocks from a common primitive asthenospheric mantle-derived trachytic magma in an anorogenic intra-plate setting. The A-type alkali granite and rhyolite porphyries of Gabal Abu Durba are manifestations of mantle upwelling and lower crust underplating in the late Ediacaran anorogenic stage. These felsic subvolcanic intrusions (≈ 569–562 Ma) along with their volcanic counterparts constitute a new unmatched rock unit that most probably represent the last chapter of the anorogenic magmatism in the Neoproterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield crust before the beginning of Phanerozoic era.

  PublisherDOI

• ODP Leg 174AX, Hole BR - Well Logging Data

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2021-04-05

  datasetOpen access

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  PublisherDOI

• ODP Leg 174AX, Hole OV - Well Logging Data

  2021-04-05

  datasetOpen access

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  PublisherDOI

• ODP Leg 174AX, Hole OV - Well Logging Data

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2021-04-05

  datasetOpen access

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  PublisherDOI

• ODP Leg 174AX, Hole BR - Well Logging Data

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2021-04-05

  datasetOpen access

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  PublisherDOI

• Mantle source heterogeneity in a Neoproterozoic back-arc basin: Geochemical and thermodynamic modeling of the volcanic section of Wadi Ghadir ophiolite, Egypt

  Precambrian Research · 2021 · 5 citations

  • Geology
  • Geochemistry
  • Petrology
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Kenneth G. Miller

  Emory and Henry College

  68 shared

• Michael J. Carr

  57 shared

• Peter J. Sugarman

  39 shared

• James V. Browning

  Planetary Science Institute

  37 shared

• Albrecht W. Hofmann

  20 shared

• Richard K. Olsson

  Lund University

  19 shared

• Louise Bolge

  Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

  18 shared

• James D. Wright

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  14 shared

Labs

• Earth and Planetary Science Isotope Laboratory (EPSIL)PI

Education

• Ph.D., Earth and Planetary Sciences

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey