Skip to main content
Working in GPS
Access
Directory
Quick Links Click here to open the "Quick Links" submenu Down arrow
Quick Links for Faculty Quick Links for Staff Quick Links for Students
Caltech Logo
Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
  • People
    • Professorial Faculty
    • Emeritus Faculty
    • Research Faculty
    • Visiting Faculty and Visitors
    • Postdoctoral Scholars
    • Graduate Students
    • Undergraduate Students
    • JPL Scientist
    • Member of Professional Staff
    • Research Staff
    • Support Staff
    • In Memoriam
  • Research
    • Research Programs Open Research Programs Submenu
      • Geology
      • Geobiology
      • Geochemistry
      • Geophysics
      • Planetary Sciences
      • Environmental Science and Engineering
    • Research Centers Open Research Centers Submenu
      • The Bruce Murray Lab
      • Caltech Center for Comparative Planetary Evolution (3CPE)
      • Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA)
      • Geomechanics and Mitigation of Geohazards (GMG)
      • The Linde Center
      • Seismological Laboratory
    • Research Lab Schedule
    • Research Facilities - On Campus
    • Research Facilities - Off Campus
    • Research Administration
  • Academics
    • Undergraduate Program Open Undergraduate Program Submenu
      • Program Requirements
    • Graduate Program Open Graduate Program Submenu
      • Program Requirements
      • Grad Program FAQs
      • Admissions
      • Advising
      • Information for new grad students
      • Master's Degree
      • Doctoral Degree
    • Student Resources Open Student Resources Submenu
      • Past Abstracts
    • Courses Open Courses Submenu
      • GPS Courses (2023-24)
      • ESE Courses (2023-24)
    • Field Trips Open Field Trips Submenu
      • Contact Information Form for Class Field Trips
      • Contact Information Form for Research Field Trips
      • Field Vehicle Availability
    • Postdoc Information
  • Diversity
  • Resources
    • Libraries Open Libraries Submenu
      • GPS Library
      • Caltech Library
      • Mineral Collection
    • Meeting Facilities
    • Safety Resources Open Safety Resources Submenu
      • GPS Emergency Procedures
      • Emergency Action Plan (PDF)
      • Safety Contacts
      • Workplace Safety Form
      • Evacuation Map
    • Quick Links
  • News & Events
    • GPS Events this Week Open GPS Events this Week Submenu
      • GPS Group Calendar
    • Award Announcements
    • News
    • Calendar
  • About
    • GPS History
    • GPS at a Glance
    • Contact Open Contact Submenu
      • Administrative and Grants Management Contact List (PDF)
      • GPS Directory (PDF)
      • Academic Leadership
    • Visit
    • Positions Available Open Positions Available Submenu
      • Faculty Positions
      • Postdoctoral Positions
      • GPS Prize Postdoc Information
      • Staff Positions
      • Lecturer Positions
    • External Fellowship Opportunities Open External Fellowship Opportunities Submenu
      • Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunities
      • Post Doctoral Fellowship Opportunities
    • Support
    • In the News
Open search form
Menu Main Menu
Close
  • People Click here to open the "People" Submenu
  • Research Click here to open the "Research" Submenu
  • Academics Click here to open the "Academics" Submenu
  • Diversity
  • Resources Click here to open the "Resources" Submenu
  • News & Events Click here to open the "News & Events" Submenu
  • About Click here to open the "About" Submenu
Working in GPS
Access
Directory
Quick Links
Quick Links for Faculty Quick Links for Staff Quick Links for Students
People
Back
  • Professorial Faculty
  • Emeritus Faculty
  • Research Faculty
  • Visiting Faculty and Visitors
  • Postdoctoral Scholars
  • Graduate Students
  • Undergraduate Students
  • JPL Scientist
  • Member of Professional Staff
  • Research Staff
  • Support Staff
  • In Memoriam
Research
Back
  • Research Programs
    • Geology
    • Geobiology
    • Geochemistry
    • Geophysics
    • Planetary Sciences
    • Environmental Science and Engineering
  • Research Centers
    • The Bruce Murray Lab
    • Caltech Center for Comparative Planetary Evolution (3CPE)
    • Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA)
    • Geomechanics and Mitigation of Geohazards (GMG)
    • The Linde Center
    • Seismological Laboratory
  • Research Lab Schedule
  • Research Facilities - On Campus
  • Research Facilities - Off Campus
  • Research Administration
Academics
Back
  • Undergraduate Program
    • Program Requirements
  • Graduate Program
    • Program Requirements
    • Grad Program FAQs
    • Admissions
    • Advising
    • Information for new grad students
    • Master's Degree
    • Doctoral Degree
  • Student Resources
    • Past Abstracts
  • Courses
    • GPS Courses (2023-24)
    • ESE Courses (2023-24)
  • Field Trips
    • Contact Information Form for Class Field Trips
    • Contact Information Form for Research Field Trips
    • Field Vehicle Availability
  • Postdoc Information
Resources
Back
  • Libraries
    • GPS Library
    • Caltech Library
    • Mineral Collection
  • Meeting Facilities
  • Safety Resources
    • GPS Emergency Procedures
    • Emergency Action Plan (PDF)
    • Safety Contacts
    • Workplace Safety Form
    • Evacuation Map
  • Quick Links
News & Events
Back
  • GPS Events this Week
    • GPS Group Calendar
  • Award Announcements
  • News
  • Calendar
About the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences
Back
  • GPS History
  • GPS at a Glance
  • Contact
    • Administrative and Grants Management Contact List (PDF)
    • GPS Directory (PDF)
    • Academic Leadership
  • Visit
  • Positions Available
    • Faculty Positions
    • Postdoctoral Positions
    • GPS Prize Postdoc Information
    • Staff Positions
    • Lecturer Positions
  • External Fellowship Opportunities
    • Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunities
    • Post Doctoral Fellowship Opportunities
  • Support
  • In the News
Open search form
Peter Wyllie
Office: 066 Arms Laboratory (25)
Phone: 626-395-6461
Mail Code: MC 170-25
Administrative Assistant
Name: Leticia Calderon
Email: [email protected]
link Research Website
Curriculum Vitae
Home  /  People  /  Peter J. Wyllie

Peter J. Wyllie

Professor of Geology, Emeritus
B.Sc. (Geology and Physics), Saint Andrews University (Scotland), 1952; B.Sc. (Geology), 1955; Ph.D., 1958; D.Sc.h.c., Saint Andrews University. Professor, Caltech, 1983-99; Professor, Emeritus, 1999-; Division Chair, 1983-87; Divisional Academic Officer, 1994-99.
  • Profile
  • Publications
Research Summary
Experimental petrology of magmas and volatiles; origin of granites, andesites, kimberlites, carbonatites, and associated ore deposits.

Profile

Professor Wyllie's main interest is in the processes associated with magmatic phenomena, starting with mantle convection or flux of volatiles in the mantle that initiates partial melting, continuing through the migration and emplacement of igneous bodies in mantle or crust, and culminating in volcanic eruptions. The experimental determination of phase relationships at high pressures and temperatures for complex rock systems and for related simple synthetic systems places constraints on the processes involved in the origin of rocks, and supplements other approaches of geochemistry, geophysics and fluid dynamics. Research topics have included the origin of granitic batholiths, andesites, kimberlites, carbonatites, and associated ore deposits, evaluated from the phase relationships of minerals and rocks at high pressures and temperatures. The CV outlines Wyllie's career; service in national and international societies (including Presidencies of the Mineralogical Society of America, International Mineralogical Society, and International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics); Fellowship or Foreign Membership in National Science Academies of England (Royal Society), USA, Russia, India (2 Academies), China, and Europe; honors and awards; and editing service for several journals in Earth Sciences, and the Encyclopedia Britannica. Selected biographical publications provide comments about Wyllie's "life-long contributions by means of experimental petrology to understanding how the Earth works". Wyllie is author or editor of 3 text-books, and Chairman of the National Academy Committee that produced a major report on Solid-Earth Sciences and Society. Short selections from reviewers' comments are reproduced for each of these volumes. Detailed research results are contained within the three dated groups of Research Publications.

Contents

  • Batholiths and Experiments: 1970s
  • Seeking Kimberlites in Russia
  • Greenland, Ice and Huskies: 1950s
  • Greenland Pictures

Publications

For a complete publications list, see feeds.library.caltech.edu
Caltech Torch
Caltech Logo
California Institute of Technology
map marker
1200 East California Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91125
Contact Us Report a Copyright Infringement Website Feedback Privacy Notice Site Content Copyright © 2023 Log In