William Seyfried
Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
Contact
443 John T. Tate Hall
116 Church Street Se
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Affiliations
William Seyfried
Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
My research largely involves studies designed to understand better geochemical processes controlling the chemical evolution of natural fluids in and on the Earth. Accordingly, the research group in aqueous geochemistry, uses experimental, theoretical and field-based approaches to develop process oriented information for mineral-fluid systems at a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Recent and continuing research projects, which illustrate application of these approaches, include:
- Dynamics of Yellowstone Lake (DYLAKE): Integrated, multi-disciplinary research to model the response of hydrothermal systems to multi-scale perturbations (climatic, tectonic, and magmatic).
- Seafloor hydrothermal Systems: Experimental and field studies of iron, sulfur, and hydrogen transport in deep sea vent fluids.
- Fluid-mineral reaction experiments - Implications for reactive transport modeling at the pore scale.
- Development and deployment of autonomous and remotely operated chemical sensor (pH and redox) systems: Integrated laboratory and field studies.
A common theme throughout includes development and application of new technologies to measure, monitor and control key components in aqueous fluids. Although largely focused on inorganic chemical systems, recent studies have expanded to include organic components, which provide new clues to a broader range of heat and mass transport reactions. Moreover, we have conducted experiments to calibrate the fractionation of non-traditional isotopes of Fe and sulfur to better constrain reaction conditions and microbial and inorganic sources of these components in natural systems. Important new insight on reactive transport on the pore scale has been recognized from recent experiments, with implications for reactions and processes associated with sequestration of carbon dioxide in subsurface geological formations. Thus, research in aqueous geochemistry in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Minnesota has both basic science and applied research opportunities.
Education
Ph.D., 1977, University of Southern California
Scientific & Professional Societies
Currently Teaching Courses
- Oceanography
- Aqueous Environmental Geochemistry
- Geochemical Modeling
Honors and Awards
- Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2011
- Geochemical Society Fellow, 2010
- Fellow, European Association of Geochemistry, 2010
Selected Publications
Evans, G.N., Coogan, L.A., Kaçar, B., Seyfried, W.E.J., 2023. Molybdenum in basalt-hosted seafloor hydrothermal systems: Experimental, theoretical, and field sampling approaches. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 353, 28-44.
Hughes, E.R., Waldeck, A.R., Moriarty, S.N., Jamieson, J.W., Martin, A.J., Scheuermann, P.P., Syverson, D.D., Seyfried, W.E., Jr., Reeves, E.P. and Johnston, D.T. (2023). The influence of submarine hydrothermal systems on seawater sulfate. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta, 344, 73-89.
Evans G. N., Seyfried W. E., Jr. and Tan C. (2023) Nutrient transition metals in a time series of hydrothermal vent fluids, Main Endeavour Field, Juan de Fuca Ridge. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117943
Xing Y., Brugger J., Scheuermann P., Tan C., Ji S. and Seyfried W. E., Jr. (2022) An experimental and thermodynamic study of sphalerite solubility in chloride-bearing fluids at 300–450°C, 500 bars: Implications for zinc transport in seafloor hydrothermal systems. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 330, 131-147.
Ramos D. P. S., Nielsen S. G., Coogan L. A., Scheuermann P. P., Seyfried W. E., Jr. and Higgins J. A. (2022) The effect of high-temperature alteration of oceanic crust on the potassium isotopic composition of seawater. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 339, 1-11.
Seyfried W. E., Jr. and Karson J. A. (2022) Surprising discovery of off-axis hydrothermal venting on the East Pacific Rise. Commentary, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, e2210175119.
Seyfried W. E. Jr., Tan C., Wang X., Wu S., Evans G. N., Coogan L. A., Mihaly S. F. and Lilley M. D. (2022) Time series of hydrothermal vent fluid chemistry at Main Endeavour Field, Juan de Fuca Ridge: Remote sampling using the NEPTUNE cabled observatory. Deep-Sea Research Part I-Oceanographic Research Papers 186, 103809.
Wang L., Dong Y., Tudor A., Tan C. and Seyfried W. E., Jr. (2022) Geochemical evolution of a sublacustrine hydrothermal vent system: Temporal constraints imposed by reactive transport modeling. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 331, 18-34.
Hsieh Y. T., Bridgestock L., Scheuermann P. P., Seyfried W. E., Jr. and Henderson G. M. (2021) Barium isotopes in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal vent fluids: A source of isotopically heavy Ba to the ocean. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 292, 348-363.
Ji S. C., He, H. P., Zhu J. X., Ding X. and Seyfried W. E., Jr. (2021) Fluid pathway evolution and mass transfer during Mg-dominated mineral transformations. Applied Clay Science 207.
Ong C., Fowler A. P. G., Seyfried W. E., Jr., Sun T. and Fu Q. (2021) Organic compounds in vent fluids from Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming. Organic Geochemistry 159, 104275.
Syverson D. D., Borrok D. M., Niebuhr S. and Seyfried W. E., Jr. (2021a) Chalcopyrite-dissolved Cu isotope exchange at hydrothermal conditions: Experimental constraints at 350° C and 50 MPa. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 298, 191-206.
Syverson D. D., Katchinoff J. A. R., Yohe L. R., Tutolo B. M., Seyfried W. E., Jr. and Rooney A. D. (2021b) Experimental partitioning of osmium between pyrite and fluid: Constraints on the mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal flux of osmium to seawater. Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta 293, 240-255.
Tan C., Cino C. D., Ding K. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2017) High temperature hydrothermal vent fluids in Yellowstone Lake: Observations and insights from in-situ pH and redox measurements. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. v. 343, p. 263-270.
Syverson D. D., Luhmann A. J., Tan C., Borrok D. M., Ding K. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2017) Fe isotope fractionation between chalcopyrite and dissolved Fe during hydrothermal recrystallization: An experimental study at 350⁰ C and 500 bars. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta v. 200, p. 87-109.
Luhmann A. J., Tutolo B. M., Tan C.Y., Moskowitz B. M., Saar M. O. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2017) Whole rock basalt alteration from CO2-rich brine during flow-through experiments at 150 ⁰ C and 150 bar. Chem. Geol. V. 453, p. 92-110.
Luhmann A. J., Tutolo B. M., Bagley B. C., Mildner D. F. R., Seyfried W. E. Jr. and Saar, M. O. (2017) Permeability, porosity, and mineral surface area changes in basalt cores induced by reactive transport of CO2-rich brine. Water Resources Research v. 53, p. 1908-1927.
Luhmann A. J., Tutolo B. M., Bagley B. C., Mildner D. F. R., Scheuermann P. P., Feinberg J. M., Ignatyev K. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2017) Chemical and physical changes during seawater flow through intact dunite cores: An experimental study at 150-200⁰ C. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta v. 214, p. 86-114.
Douglas P. M. J., Stolper D. A., Eiler J. M., Sessions A. L., Lawson M., Shuai Y. H., Bishop A., Podlaha O. G., Ferreira A. A., Neto E. V. S., Niemann M., Steen A. S., Huang L., Chimiak L., Valentine D. L., Fiebig J., Luhmann A. J., Seyfried W. E. Jr., Etiope G., Schoell, M., Inskeep W. P., Moran J. J. and Kitchen N. (2017) Methane clumped isotopes: Progress and potential for a new isotopic tracer. Organic Geochemistry v. 113, p. 262-282.
Syverson Drew D., Luhmann Andrew J., Tan Chunyang, Borrok David M., Ding, Kang and Seyfried, W. E. Jr. (2017) Fe isotope fractionation between chalcopyrite and dissolved Fe during hydrothermal recrystallization: An experimental study at 350°C and 500 bars. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 200, p. 87-109.
Tan C.Y., Ding K., Yang W. C. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2016) Accurate pH Measurement and Determination in Deep-sea Environments by an in-situ pH Sensor Calibration Device, Oceans 2016 - Shanghai. 978-1-4673-9724-7.
Tan C., Ding K. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2016) Development and application of a new mobile pH Calibrator (MpHC) for real time monitoring of pH in diffuse flow hydrothermal vent fluids, Marine Technology Journal, v. 50, p. 37-47.
Gulmann L. K., Beaulieu S. E., Shank, T. M., Seyfried, W. E. Jr., Ding K., and Sievert, S. M. (2015) Microbial colonization of freshly exposed basalt surfaces at deep-sea hydrothermal vents at 9˚N on the East Pacific Rise, Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 6, p. 1664-1678.
Pester N. J. and Seyfried W. E. Jr. (2015) Vapor-liquid partitioning of alkaline earth and transition metals in NaCl dominated hydrothermal fluids: An experimental study conducted at 360-460°C. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, v. 168, p.111-132.
Tutolo B. M. Mildner David F. R. Gagnon Cedric V. L., Saar M. O. and Seyfried W. E. Jr., (2015) Nanoscale constraints on porosity generation and fluid flow during serpentinization Geology, v. 44, p. 103-106.
Syverson D. D., Ono S., Shanks W.C., III, and Seyfried W. E., Jr. (2015) Multiple sulfur isotope fractionation and mass transfer processes during pyrite precipitation and recrystallization: An experimental study at 300 and 350°C. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 165, p. 418-434.
Tutolo B. M., Luhmann, A.J., Kong X.-Z., Seyfried W. E., Jr., and Saar M. O. (2015) CO2 sequestration in feldspar-rich sandstone: The importance of solution composition and saturation state. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 160, p. 132-154.
Tutolo B. M., Kong, X.-Z., Seyfried, W.E., Jr., and Saar, M.O. (2015) High performance reactive transport simulations examining the effects of thermal, hydraulic, and chemical (THC) gradients on fluid injectivity at carbonate CCUS reservoir scales. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 39, p. 285-301.
Tutolo B. M., Schaen A., Saar M.O., and Seyfried W. E., Jr. (2015) Implications of the redissociation phenomenon for mineral-buffered fluids and aqueous species transport at elevated temperatures and pressures. Applied Geochemistry, v. 55, p. 119-127.
Seyfried W. E., Jr., Pester N. J., Tutolo B. M., and Ding, K. (2015) The Lost City hydrothermal system: Constraints imposed by vent fluid chemistry and reaction path models on subseafloor heat and mass transfer processes. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, v. 163, p. 59-79.