UC Spark

Dr Christopher John-Paul Oze

Geological Sciences

Fields of Research

  • Petrogenesis and alteration of ultramafic/mafic material
  • Geochemical thermodynamics and kinetics of fluid-rock interactions
  • Biogeochemical evolution of metals related to critical zone processes

Researcher Summary

Petrogenesis, serpentinization/alteration, weathering, and geochemistry of ultramafic/mafic materials using field, laboratory, and theoretical methods.  Implications of this research are directly applicable to hydrothermal systems, plate tectonics, economic geology, environmental geology, the origins of life, life on Mars, soil science, and medical geology.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Research Groups

Future Research

  • Geochemical reassessment of New Zealand serpentinites, associated metasomatic rocks, and serpentine soils
  • Serpentinization/carbonate geochemistry in mid-ocean ridge and accretionary environments
  • Silica in geothermal systems
  • Biogeochemistry of terroir in Nelson and Marlborough (New Zealand)
  • Dissolution kinetics of asbestiform minerals in lung and gastric systems

Publications

(Selected outputs for 2006-present)

  • Horton, T.W. and Oze, C. (2012) Are two elements better than one? Dual isotope-ratio detrending of evaporative effects on lake carbonate paleoelevation proxies. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 13(1): Q0AK05. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012GC004132. (Journal Article)
  • Mazot, A., Bloomberg, S., Horton, T., Rissman, C., Oze, C., Gravley, D. and Kennedy, B. (2012) Carbon dioxide degassing and estimation of thermal energy release from White Island volcano, New Zealand. Montreal, Canada: Goldschmidt 2012, 24-29 Jun 2012. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Oze, C., Jones, L.C., Goldsmith, J.I. and Rosenbauer, R.J. (2012) Differentiating biotic from abiotic methane genesis in hydrothermally active planetary surfaces. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 109(25): 9750-9754. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1205223109. (Journal Article)
  • Horton, T.W., Atkinson, L. and Oze, C. (2012) Hydrothermal carbonate geochemistry of the Ngatamariki subsurface reservoir, New Zealand. Stanford, CA, USA: 37th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, 30 Jan-1 Feb 2012. In Proceedings 8pp. http://www.geothermal-energy.org/pdf/IGAstandard/SGW/2012/Horton.pdf. (Conference Contribution - Paper in published proceedings)
  • Oze, C., Horton, T. and Atkinson, L. (2012) Magmatism and hydrothermal carbonate formation in the Ngatamariki subsurface reservoir, New Zealand. Rotorua, New Zealand: United States/New Zealand Joint Geothermal Workshop, 16-20 Apr 2012. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Rajapaksha, A.U., Vithanage, M., Oze, C., Bandara, W.M.A.T. and Weerasooriya, R. (2012) Nickel and manganese release in serpentine soil from the Ussangoda Ultramafic Complex, Sri Lanka. Geoderma 189-190: 1-9. (Journal Article)
  • Oze, C., Jones, L.C., Goldsmith, J.I. and Rosenbauer, R.J. (2012) Reply to Lang et al.: Using field analyses to properly address the kinetics of methane genesis in olivine-rich hydrothermal systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109(47): E3211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1213712109. (Journal Article)
  • Oze, C., Jones, L.C., Goldsmith, J.I. and Rosenbauer, R.J. (2012) Reply to McCollom: Methane generation during experimental serpentinization of olivine with respect to carbonate saturation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109(49): E3335. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1214629109. (Journal Article)
  • Kennedy, B., Bloomberg, S., Rissmann, C., Horton, T., Mazot, A., Gravley, D. and Oze, C. (2012) Soil gas exploration at Rotokawa geothermal field, New Zealand. Montreal, Canada: Goldschmidt 2012, 24-29 Jun 2012. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Bloomberg, S., Rissmann, C., Mazot, A., Oze, C., Horton, T., Gravley, D., Kennedy, B., Werner, C., Christenson, B. and Pawson, J. (2012) Soil gas flux exploration at the Rotokawa Geothermal Field and White Island, New Zealand. PROCEEDINGS, Thirty-Sixth Workshop on Geothermal Rervoir Engineering, Stanford University SGP-TR-194 http://www.geothermal-energy.org/pdf/IGAstandard/SGW/2012/Bloomberg.pdf. (Journal Article)
  • Gravley, D., Cole, J., Deering, C., Hampton, S., Horton, T., Kennedy, B., Oze, C., Powell, T. and Villeneuve, M. (2012) Source to surface geothermal research programme: University of Canterbury and Mighty River Power Ltd. Rotorua, New Zealand: United States/New Zealand Joint Geothermal Workshop, 16-20 Apr 2012. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Gravley, D., Cole, J., Deering, C., Hampton, S., Horton, T., Kennedy, B., Oze, C., Powell, T. and Villeneuve, M. (2012) Source to surface geothermal research programme: University of Canterbury and Mighty River Power Ltd. Hamilton, New Zealand: New Zealand GeoSciences Annual Conference (GSNZ), 25-28 Nov 2012. In Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 134A 40. (Conference Contribution - Poster presentation)
  • Bickerton, H., Wilson, T., Stewart, C., Oze, C., Gaw, S., Outes, V., Villarosa, G., Baxter, P. and Rovere, E. (2012) Tephra impacts on agriculture following the 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption. Colima, Mexico: 7th Cities on Volcanoes, 19-23 Nov 2012. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • von Aulock, F., Oze, C., Kennedy, B., Cox, T., Bégué, F. and Ashwell, P.A. (2011) Distribution of water related to flow banding and microlites in obsidian. Nelson, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand 2011 Conference, 27 Nov-1 Dec 2011. In Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 130A 115. (Conference Contribution - Abstract)
  • Cole, J., Oze, C., Scott, A., Wilson, T., Stewart, C., Li, Z., Broom, S. and Wilson, G. (2011) Effects of volcanic ashfall on roofs. Nelson, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand 2011 Conference, 27 Nov-1 Dec 2011. In Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 130A 26. (Conference Contribution - Oral presentation)
  • Rajapaksha, A.U., Vithanage, M., Oze, C., Weerasooriya, R. and Bandara, W.M.A.T. (2011) Formation of Cr(VI) related to Cr(III)-muscovite in soil and groundwater systems. Minneapolis, MN, USA: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (GSA), 9-12 Oct 2011. In Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 43(5) 122. (Conference Contribution - Abstract)
  • Oze, C., Jones, L.C., Rosenbauer, R. and Goldsmith, J.J. (2011) Kinetics of methane genesis in serpentinization systems. Nelson, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand 2011, 27 Nov-1 Dec 2011. In Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 130A 81. (Conference Contribution - Abstract)
  • Rosenbauer, R.J., Oze, C., Jones, L.C., Thomas, B., Goldsmith, G.I. and Bischoff, J.L. (2011) Reactivity of mafic and ultramafic rocks with CO2-charged fluids and the autocatalytic reduction of CO2 to form CH4. Prague, Poland: Goldschmidt Conference, 14-19 Aug 2011. In Goldschmidt Conference Abstracts 1753. (Conference Contribution - Abstract)
  • Peters, M., Oze, C., Gaw, S. and Wilson, T. (2011) Temporal impacts of volcanic ash on freshwater systems. Nelson, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand 2011 Conference, 27 Nov-1 Dec 2011. In Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 130A 84. (Conference Contribution - Abstract)
  • von Aulock, F.W., Oze, C., Kennedy, B., Bégué, F. and Cox, T. (2011) The distribution of water in collapsing foams of magma. Nelson, New Zealand: Geoscience Society of New Zealand 2011 Conference, 27 Nov-1 Dec 2011. In Geoscience Society of New Zealand Miscellaneous Publication 130A 116. (Conference Contribution - Abstract)
  • Oze, C. and Solt, K. (2010) Biodurability of chrysotile and tremolite asbestos in simulated lung and gastric fluid. American Mineralogist 95(5-6): 825-831. http://dx.doi.org/10.2138/am.2010.3265. (Journal Article)
  • Jones, L.C., Rosenbauer, R., Goldsmith, J.I. and Oze, C. (2010) Carbonate control of H2 and CH4 production in serpentinization systems at elevated P-Ts. Geophysical Research Letters 37: L14306. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010GL043769. (Journal Article)
  • Oze, C. and Pogue, K. (2008) Geologic controls on viticulture in the Walla Walla Valley, Washington. Smiths College, Northampton, Massachusetts: 21st Keck Research Symposium in Geology, 17-19 Apr 2008. In Proceedings of the 21st Keck Research Symposium in Geology 21 55-60. (Conference Contribution - Paper in published proceedings)
  • Oze, C., Skinner, C., Schroth, A.W. and Coleman, R.G. (2008) Growing up green on serpentine soils: Biogeochemistry of serpentine vegetation in the Central Coast Range of California. Applied Geochemistry 23(12): 3391-3403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2008.07.014. (Journal Article)
  • Oze, C., Bird, D.K. and Fendorf, S. (2007) Genesis of hexavalent chromium from natural sources in soil and groundwater. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 104(16): 6544-6549. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0701085104. (Journal Article)