Faculty

faculty

 

 Henry Chafetz
 Professor of Geology, Geology Graduate Advisor, Carbonate Petrology
 Ph.D., Geology, University of Texas at Austin, 1970
 M.S., Geology, Michigan State University, 1967
 B.S., Geology, City College of New York, 1963

 Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department
 University of Houston
 Houston, Texas 77204-5007

 Office: SR1 334 B
 Phone: (713) 743-3427
 Fax: (713) 748-7906
 hchafetz@uh.edu


Research Interests

Travertines
Of particular interest in future work will be the differences between the geochemistry of spring waters and natural precipitates from those waters, that is how and why natural precipitates differ from the predicted ideal equilibrium precipitates. Also of major interest are differences between abiotic and biotically induced precipitates, for example, do they display differences in their aggregate morphology, crystal habit, trace element, and/or stable isotope signatures. Additionally, can we use travertines or speleothem deposits as valid proxies for climatic conditions during the Pleistocene?
 
Diagenesis of Quaternary carbonates from the Caribbean and the Arabian Gulf
Findings from these studies demonstrate the use of stable isotopes to trace the flow pathways of waters responsible for diagenesis. Another facet of this investigation was concerned with trace element, stable isotopic, and crystal habits at different diagenetic stages in these Pleistocene sabkha-type dolomites.
 
Curriculum Vitae
 
Current Research Projects
 
Complete Publications
 
Recent Publications
 
Funded Projects
 
Current Graduate Students and Projects Supervised
 
Graduate Dissertations and Theses Previously Supervised/Advisor's Alumnae Locator
 
Possible projects for prospective graduate students
 
Courses taught during the last 5 years:
 
Historical Geology Course Materials
 
Historical Geology Prerequisite Information
 

Selected Publications

Guidry, S.A. and Chafetz, H.S., 2003, Anatomy of siliceous hot springs: Examples from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A.; Sedimentary Geology, v. 157, p. 71-106

Wu, Y., and Chafetz, H.S., 2002, Stable isotopic signature of a palaeoaquifer, Mississippian Alamogordo Member, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico, USA.: Sedimentology, 49, p. 227-235.

Taylor, M.P., Chafetz, H.S., 2002, Petrology and geochemistry of calcite precipitates and water from surface and spelean environments, central Texas: Analogs for non-marine carbonate cements: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions, 52

Guidry, S.A. and Chafetz, H.S., 2002, Factors governing subaqueous siliceous sinter precipitation: Examples from Yellowstone National Park, U.S.A.: Sedimentology, vol 49, p. 1253-1267.

Wu, Y., and Chafetz, H.S., 2002,  13C-enriched carbonate in Mississippian mud-mounds, Alamogordo Member, Lake Valley Formation, Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico, J. Sed. Research, v. 72, p. 138-145.

Folk, R.L., and Chafetz, H.S., 2000, Bacterially induced microscale and nanoscale carbonate precipitates: in, Riding, R., and Awramik, S.M., eds., Microbial Sediments, p. 40-49.

Chafetz, H.S., and Reid, A., 2000, Syndepositional, shallow water precipitation of glauconitic minerals: Sedimentary Geology, v. 136,  p. 29-42.

Allen, C.C., Albert, F.G., Chafetz, H.S., Combie, J., Graham, C.R., Kieft, T.L., Kivett, S.J., McKay, D.S., Steele, A., Taunton, A.E., Taylor, M.R., Thomas-Keprta, K.L., and Westall, F., 2000, Microscopic physical biomarkers in carbonate hot springs: Imp

Westall, F., Steele, A., Toporski, J., Walsh, M., Allen, C., Guidry, S., McKay, D.S., Gibson, E., and Chafetz, H.S., 2000, Polymeric substances and biofilms as biomarkers in terrestrial materials: Implications for extraterrestrial samples. Journal Geophys

Stable-isotope and elemental trends in Pleistocene sabkha dolomites: Descending meteoric waters vs. sulfate reduction: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 69, p. 268-278.