Mary-Alix Kaczmarek

Associate Professor

Email : mary-alix.kaczmarekDear bot, you won't get my mail address@and my domain...get.omp.eu

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Since Dec. 2016, University Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Geosciences Environment Toulouse (France)
Associate Professor

2013-2016, The University of Lausanne, Institute of Earth Sciences (Switzerland)
Senior Researcher (SNSF Ambizione)

2010-2013, Curtin University, Department of Applied Geology, Perth (Australia)
Research fellow and lecturer

2007-2009, The University of Montpellier, CNRS (France)
Post-doc

2007, The University of Neuchâtel , Geology and Hydrogeology Institute (Switzerland)
PhD and teaching assistant

Research

My current research explores the relationships between deformation (how deformation initiated, localized and evolved) and the magma percolation in the upper mantle and sometimes, coupled with the lower crust at the mantle-crust interface.
To characterize these processes in the oceanic crust, I study several localities that provide a progressive understanding from passive (Antarctica, Swiss Alps, Tore-Madeira rise) to active margins (Atlantic ridge with Romanche and St-Paul faults, Oman).

I am also interested in magmatic and deformation processes occurring in the European subcontinental mantle using xenoliths, and at larger scale I am interested by these processes at the Moho. Both in the oceanic crust in Oman and in the continental crust in the Andes.

Using petrology and microstructure, I also study achondrite meteorites (brachinites, Chassignites) to decipher their magmatic and plastic history.

Responsibilities

Co-head of research team : Inner Earth and Lithosphere / Terre Interne Lithosphere (French website) since 2021
Co-head of Master 2 : TERRE (French website) since 2018
Scientific manager: Thin-sections lab at GET since 2017
Scientific expert: Micro-characterization Raimond Castaing centre (French Website) since 2017
Member of Council Comitee: Toulouse Graduate School of Earth and Space Science (TESS) – 2020-2025
Member Officer: French Society of Mineralogy and Cristallography (SFMC), ELEMENT journal bulletin editor since 2020

Publications

Bickert M., Rospabé M., Kaczmarek M.-A., Maia M. (submitted) –Direct observations of frozen hydrous Si-rich melt interacting with mantle in the oceanic lithosphere. Geology.
Malvoisin B., Dörfler P., Auzende A.-L., Brunet F., Cannat M., Austrheim H., Kaczmarek M.-A. (submitted) – Magnetite production in mesh texture during serpentinization, a marker of H₂ diffusion, Journal of Petrology.
Vonlanthen P., Nabiei F., Cayron C., Aebersold A. B., Robyr M., Kaczmarek M.-A., Müntener O., Gillet P. (2025) – Pinpointing the thermal history of lunar basaltic meteorites in a nutshell, Nature communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57652-6
Puziewicz J, Aulbach S., Kaczmarek M.-A., Ntaflos T., Matusiak-Małek M., Ziobro-Mikrut M., (2024) – Multi-stage evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Hessian Depression (Germany): Peridotite xenoliths from Stöpfling, Lithos. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2024.107908
Henry H., Ceuleneer G., Proietti A., Kaczmarek M.-A., Chatelin T., De Parseval P. (2024) – How nodular chromite nucleate and grow? An integrated microstructural and petrological approach, Journal of Petrology.
Muckensturm N., Kaczmarek M.-A., M. Grégoire, T. Ntaflos, E. A. Bjerg, Mouthereau F. (2024) – Petrology and microstructures of the deep crust from the North Patagonian Massif, given by meta-igneous granulite xenoliths, Journal of Petrology.
Ziobro-Mikrut M., Puziewicz J., Aulbach S., Kaczmarek M.-A., Kiraly F. (2024) – The refertilized nature of the soutern lithospheric mantle domain beneath the Massif Central (France): an example of xenoliths from Mt. Briançon, Lithos. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lithos.2024.107670
Meunier-Mili N., Kaczmarek M.-A., Bystricky M. (2024) – Insights on the brachinite parent body: a petrological and microstructural study of 10 brachinites. Journal of Geophysical Research – Planets, DOI:10.1029/2023JE007998
Bickert M., Kaczmarek M.-A., Brunelli D., Maia M., Campos F.C., Sichel S.E. (2023) – Strain localization in oceanic transform faults by fluid-assisted grain size reduction. Nature communications, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39556-5
Puziewicz J., Aulbach S., Kaczmarek M.-A., Ntaflos T., Gerdes A., Mazurek H., Kukuła A., Matusiak-Małek M., Tedonkenfack S.S.T., Ziobro-Mikrut M., (2023) – The origin and evolution of DMM-like lithospheric mantle beneath continents: Mantle xenoliths from the Oku Volcanic Group in the Cameroon Volcanic Line, West Africa. Journal of Petrology. https://doi.org/10.1093/petrology/egad049.
Ceuleneer G., Rospabé M., Chatelin T., Henry H. Thilac R., Kaczmarek M.-A., le Sueur E., (2022) – A Rosetta stone linking melt trajectories in the mantle to the stress field and lithological heterogeneities (Trinity ophiolite, California). Geology, v. 50, p. 1192–1196. https://doi.org/10.1130/G50083.1
Abily B., Ceuleneer G., Rospabé M., Kaczmarek M.-A., Python M., Grégoire M., Benoit M., Rioux M., (2022) – Ocean crust accretion along a high-temperature detachment fault in the Oman ophiolite: a structural and petrological study of the Bahla massif, Tectonophysics, 822, 229160. doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2021.229160
Tedonkenfac S.S.T., Puziewicz J., Aulbach S., Ntaflos T., Kaczmarek M.-A., Matusiak-Małek M., Kukula A., Ziobro M. (2021) – Lithospheric mantle refertilization by DMM-derived melts beneath the Cameroon Volcanic Line – a case study of the Befang xenolith suite (Oku Volcanic Group, Cameroon). Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 176:37. doi.org/10.1007/s00410-021-01796-3
Henry H., Kaczmarek M.-A., Ceuleneer G., Tilhac R., Grégoire M., Griffin W. L., O’Reilly S. Y., le Sueur E. (2021) – The microstructure of layered mafic-ultramafic cumulates: Case study of the Bear Creek intrusion, Trinity ophiolite, California, USA. Lithos. 388-389, 106047
Rospabé M., Ceuleneer G., Le Guluche V., Benoit M., Kaczmarek M.-A. (2021) – Chromite-hosted Silicate Inclusions in Disseminated Chromites from the Dunitic Mantle-Crust Transition Zone (Oman Ophiolite): the Chicken and Egg Dilemma Linking Dunites and Chromitites. Journal of Petrology.
Vieira Duarte J., Kaczmarek M.-A., Putlitz B., Vonlanthen P., Müntener O. (2020) – Hydration of a mantle shear-zone beyond serpentine stability: a possible link to microseismicity along ultra-slow spreading ridges? Journal of Geophysical Research – Solid Earth. 125, 10, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB019509
Rospabé M., Ceuleneer G., Benoit M., Kaczmarek M.-A. (2020) – Composition gradients in silicate inclusions in chromites from the dunitic mantle-crust transition (Oman ophiolite) reveal high temperature fluid-melt-rock interaction controlled by faulting. Ofioliti. 45 (2), 103-114.
Puziewicz J., Matusiak-Małek M., Ntaflos T., Grégoire M., Kaczmarek M.-A., Aulbach S., Ziobro M., Kukuła A. (2020) – The major lithologies of subcontinental lithospheric mantle of Variscan orogen in Europe. Lithos. 362-363; 105467
Rospabé M., Benoit M., Ceuleneer G., Kaczmarek M.-A., Hodel F. (2019) – Melt hybridization and metasomatism associated to synmagmatic fault zones within the dunitic mantle-crust transition zone in the Oman ophiolite. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 516, 108-121; here
Rospabé M., Benoit M., Ceuleneer G., Hodel F., Kaczmarek M.-A. (2018) – Extreme geochemical variability through the dunitic transition zone of the Oman ophiolite: implications for melt/fluid-rock reactions at Moho level beneath oceanic spreading center. Geochemica and Cosmochimica Acta. 234, 1-34.
Malvoisin B., Brantu N., Kaczmarek M.-A. (2017) – Control of serpentinisation rate by reaction-induced cracking. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 476, 143-152.
doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.07.042
Henry H., Tilhac R., Griffin W. L., O’Reilly S. Y., Satsukawa T., Kaczmarek M.-A., Grégoire M., Ceuleneer G. (2017) – Deformation of mantle pyroxenites provides clues to geodynamic processes in subduction zones: a case study of the Cabo Ortegal complex, Spain. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 472, 174-185.
doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.05.028
Pilet S., Abe N., Rochat L., Kaczmarek M.-A., Hirano N., Machida S., Buchs D., Baumgartner P.O., Muntener O. (2016) – Pre-subduction metasomatic enrichment of the oceanic lithosphere induced by plate flexure. Nature Geosciences.
doi:10.1038/ngeo2825
Kaczmarek M.-A., Bodinier J.-L., Bosch D., Tommasi A, Dautria J.-M., S.A. Kechid (2016) – Metasomatised mantle xenoliths as a record of the lithospheric evolution of the northern edge of the Ahaggar swell, In Teria (Algeria). Journal of Petrology, 1-38
doi: 10.1093/petrology/egw009
Kaczmarek M.-A., Reddy S, Friend C, Nutman A, Bennett V. (2016) – Earth’s oldest mantle fabrics indicate Eoarchaean subduction. Nature communications. doi:10.1038/ncomms10665 – open access
Kaczmarek M.-A., Jonda L., Davies H. (2015) – Evidence of melting, melt percolation and deformation in supra-subduction zone (Marum ophiolite complex -Papua New Guinea). Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 179, 19.
doi:10.1007/s00410-015-1174-z
Kaczmarek M.-A., Reddy S. (2013) Mantle deformation during rifting from quantitative microstructures analyses of olivine from East-African Rift. Tectonophysics. 608, 1122-1137.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2013.06.034
Merle R., Kaczmarek M.-A, Tronchet E., Girardeau J. (2012) Occurrence of inherited supra-subduction zone mantle in the oceanic lithosphere as inferred from mantle xenoliths and xenocrystals from Dragon and Lion seamounts (Southern Tore-Madeira Rise). Journal of the Geological Society London. 169, 251-267.
doi: 10.1144/0016-76492011-015
Kaczmarek M.-A., Reddy S., Timms N. (2011) Temporal evolution of zircon deformation mechanisms in a shear-zone, Lanzo massif (W-Alps, Italy). Lithos. 127, 414-426
doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2011.09.016
Kaczmarek M.-A., Tommasi A. (2011) Anatomy of an extensional shear zone in the mantle (Lanzo massif, Italy). Geophysics, Geochemistry, Geosystems; 12; Q0AG06.
Kaczmarek M.-A., Müntener O. (2010) – The variability of peridotite composition across a mantle shear zone (Lanzo massif, Italy): interplay of melt focusing and deformation. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology. 160: 663-679
doi: 10.1007/s00410-010-0500-8
Kaczmarek M.-A., Müntener O. (2008) – Juxtaposition of melt impregnation and high temperature shear zones in the upper mantle. Field and petrological constraints from the Lanzo peridotite, (N-Italy). Journal of Petrology, 49 (12): 2187-2220
doi:10.1093 /petrology/ egn065
Kaczmarek M.-A., Müntener O., Rubatto, D. (2008) – Trace element chemistry and U-Pb dating of zircons from oceanic gabbros and their relationship with whole rock composition (Lanzo, Italian Alps). Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 155: 295-312
doi: 10.1007/s00410-007-0243-3.
Kaczmarek M.-A., Müntener O. (2005) – Exhumation of mantle lithosphere: field relations, and interaction processes between magmatism and deformation (field trip to the Northern Lanzo peridotite). Ofioliti, 30 (2): 125-134.

Projects

Current projects:
-The mantle-crust transition behaviour in extensional and compressional settings (Oman, Andes)
-The plastic deformation of achondrite meteorites (chassignites, brachinites)
-The upper mantle extension during formation of ocean-continent transitions (Alps, Antarctica)
-Oceanic crust formation and mantle exhumation (Oman, Romanche)
-The sub-continental mantle in Europe, and in the French Massif Central

Teaching

M2
Metallogeny
Fieldwork: Cap Creus (Spain), Internal Betic zone (Spain), Alpes (France)
M1
Physico-chemical characterization (Coordinator)
Petrology 1 – The magmatism in the upper mantle
L3
Microstructure
Metamorphism
L2
Mineralogy
Petrology (Coordinator)

Network

SMARTIES Oceanic cruise (2019)

This scientifique expedition study the intersection of the Medio-Atlantic ridge and the Romanche transform fault. The aim is to understand the processes at the origin of the transition between a magmatic accretion mode and a purely amagmatic mode. (Official website)

During the cruise to share life onboard, I fed a blog for kids (in french) (HERE)

Mary-Alix Kaczmarek

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