Supercontinents, orogenesis and magmatism: a tribute to the career of J. Brendan Murphy

Abstract

Abstract Special Publication 542 is a tribute to the remarkable career of J. Brendan Murphy and features 32 articles by 134 authors from 17 different countries; a testament to the high-profile and far-reaching influence of Brendan's work. The topics are wide-ranging in accord with Brendan's diverse research interests, but fall into three broad categories that encompass Brendan's main fields of influence: (i) supercontinents and the supercontinent cycle, including reconstructions and modelling, (ii) orogenesis and terranes, with a focus on the Appalachian–Variscan and Central Asian orogenic belts and the oceans with which they are associated and (iii) magmatism and magmatic processes, with an emphasis on the geochemistry and isotopic compositions of magmas in arc and rift settings. Like Brendan's own research, the scope of the papers spans the globe from Canada to China and ranges from regional field-based studies to conceptual global analyses. All of the articles, however, are focused on unravelling some critical aspect of geology or aimed at clarifying some crucial geologic process. Hence they also share a theme common to Brendan's many contributions in emphasizing the importance of process-oriented research.