Michael H. Engel

Willard L. Miller Professor in Geology and Geophysics

Ph.D., 1980, The University of Arizona
M.S., 1976, The University of Arizona
B.A., 1973, SUNY, Binghamton

Office: SEC S102
Phone: 405-325-4435
Fax: 405-325-3140
E-mail: ab1635@ou.edu

Areas of Interest

Organic/Stable Isotope Geochemistry

Research

My primary research interests include the application of stable isotopes to assess the diagenetic history of organic matter in fossils and sediments and to determine the origins of amino acids in carbonaceous meteorites. I work in collaboration with Dr. R.D. Elmore on the development of geochemical and paleomagnetic methods to determine the timing of hydrocarbon migration events. Current research projects also include global studies of secular changes in the stable carbon isotope composition of crude oils and the stable sulfur isotope composition of organic matter.

Courses Taught

The Dynamic Earth

Introduction to Oceanography

Seminar – Organic Geochemistry

Selected Publications

Sephton, M.A., Self, S., Verchovsky, A.B., Grady, M.M., Perry, R.S., Engel, M.H. and Wright, I., 2006, Carbon isotopic gradients in the Martian crust: implications for past or present life on Mars, In: Instruments, Methods and Missions for Astrobiology IX (R.B. Hoover, G.V. Levin and A.Y. Rozanov, eds.), Proceedings of SPIE 6309, 63090G-1 to 63090G-5.

Engel, M.H., Andrus, V.E. and Macko, S.A., 2005, Amino Acids: Probes for life's origin in the solar system, In: Perspectives in Astrobiology (R.B. Hoover, A. Yu Rozanov and R. Paepe, eds.), IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 25-37.

Dulin, S., Elmore, R.D., Engel, M.H., Parnell, J. and Kelly, J., 2005, Palaeomagnetic dating of clastic dykes of Proterozoic basement, N.W. Scotland: evidence for syndepositional faulting during deposition of the Torridonian, Scottish Journal of Geology, 41, 149-157.

Blumstein, R.D., Elmore, R.D., Engel, M.H., Parnell, J. and Baron, M., 2005, Multiple fluid migration events along the Moine Thrust, Scotland, Journal of the Geological Society, London, 162, 1-15.

Engel, M.H., 2004, Carbonaceous meteorites: source or substrate for life's origin on Earth? In: Instruments, Methods and Missions for Astrobiology VIII (R.B. Hoover, G.V. Levin and A.Y. Rozanov, eds.), Proceedings of SPIE, 5555, 31-36.

Blumstein, A.M., Elmore, R.D., Engel, M.H., Elliot, C. and Basu, A., 2004, Paleomagnetic dating of burial diagenesis in Mississippian carbonates, Utah, Journal of Geophysical Research, 109, B04101,doi:10.1029/2003JB002698,2004.

Parnell, J., Watt, G., Chen, H., Wycherely, H., Boyce, A., Elmore, D., Blumstein, R., Engel, M. and Green, P., 2004, Kaolin polytype evidence for a hot-fluid pulse along Caledonian thrusts during rifting of the European Margin, Mineralogical Magazine, 68, 419-432.

Perry, R.S., Engel, M.H., Botta, O., and Staley, J.T., 2003, Amino acids analyses of desert varnish from the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, Geomicrobiology Journal 20, 427-438.

Elmore, R.D., Parnell, J., Engel, M.H., Baron, M., Woods, S. Abraham, M. and Davidson, M., 2002, Palaeomagnetic dating of fluid-flow events in dolomitized rocks along the Highland Boundary Fault, central Scotland, Geofluids, 2, 299-314.

Brisman, K., Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A., 2001, Distribution, stereochemistry, and stable isotope composition of amino acids in K/T boundary sediments, Precambrian Research, 106, 59-77.

Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A., 2001, The stereochemistry of amino acids in the Murchison meteorite, Precambrian Research, 106, 35-45.

Hinrichs, K-U., Eglinton, G., Engel, M.H. and Summons, R.E., 2001, Exploiting the multivariate isotopic nature of organic compounds, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2, 2001GC000142.

Andrusevich, V.E., Engel, M.H. and Zumberge, J.E., 2000, Effects of paleolatitude on the stable carbon isotope composition of crude oils, Geology, 28, 847-850.

Macko, S.A., Engel, M.H., Andrusevich, V., Lubec, G., OConnell, T.C. and Hedges, R.E.M., 1999, Documenting the diet of ancient human populations through stable isotope analysis of hair, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B, 354, 65-76.

Andrusevich, V.E., Engel, M.H., Zumberge, J.E. and Brothers, L.A., 1998, Secular, episodic changes in the stable carbon isotope composition of crude oils, Chemical Geology, 152, 59-72.

Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A., 1997 Isotopic evidence for extraterrestrial non-racemic amino acids in the Murchison meteorite, Nature, 389, 265-268.

Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A. (Editors), 1993, Organic Geochemistry, Principles and Applications, Plenum Press, N.Y.

	School of Geology and Geophysics
Prospective Undergraduates What are Geology and Geophysics? What do Geologists and Geophysicists do? Why do we need Geologists and Geophysicists? You might be a Geologist or Geophysicist if you... Why study Geology and Geophysics at OU? Scholarships Degrees Offered Areas Of Emphasis Prospective Graduate Students Areas of Emphasis Degrees Offered Admissions Assistantships and Fellowships Successful Graduates Field Trips Recruiting Current Students Student Organizations Geology Courses Geophysics Courses OU Course Catalog CEE Student Services Registration Degree Navigator Mission People Faculty Staff Students Research Areas of Emphasis Laboratories Alumni School Policies, Forms, and Archives	Michael H. Engel Willard L. Miller Professor in Geology and Geophysics Ph.D., 1980, The University of Arizona M.S., 1976, The University of Arizona B.A., 1973, SUNY, Binghamton Office: SEC S102 Phone: 405-325-4435 Fax: 405-325-3140 E-mail: ab1635@ou.edu Areas of Interest Organic/Stable Isotope Geochemistry Research My primary research interests include the application of stable isotopes to assess the diagenetic history of organic matter in fossils and sediments and to determine the origins of amino acids in carbonaceous meteorites. I work in collaboration with Dr. R.D. Elmore on the development of geochemical and paleomagnetic methods to determine the timing of hydrocarbon migration events. Current research projects also include global studies of secular changes in the stable carbon isotope composition of crude oils and the stable sulfur isotope composition of organic matter. Courses Taught The Dynamic Earth Introduction to Oceanography Seminar – Organic Geochemistry Selected Publications Sephton, M.A., Self, S., Verchovsky, A.B., Grady, M.M., Perry, R.S., Engel, M.H. and Wright, I., 2006, Carbon isotopic gradients in the Martian crust: implications for past or present life on Mars, In: Instruments, Methods and Missions for Astrobiology IX (R.B. Hoover, G.V. Levin and A.Y. Rozanov, eds.), Proceedings of SPIE 6309, 63090G-1 to 63090G-5. Engel, M.H., Andrus, V.E. and Macko, S.A., 2005, Amino Acids: Probes for life's origin in the solar system, In: Perspectives in Astrobiology (R.B. Hoover, A. Yu Rozanov and R. Paepe, eds.), IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 25-37. Dulin, S., Elmore, R.D., Engel, M.H., Parnell, J. and Kelly, J., 2005, Palaeomagnetic dating of clastic dykes of Proterozoic basement, N.W. Scotland: evidence for syndepositional faulting during deposition of the Torridonian, Scottish Journal of Geology, 41, 149-157. Blumstein, R.D., Elmore, R.D., Engel, M.H., Parnell, J. and Baron, M., 2005, Multiple fluid migration events along the Moine Thrust, Scotland, Journal of the Geological Society, London, 162, 1-15. Engel, M.H., 2004, Carbonaceous meteorites: source or substrate for life's origin on Earth? In: Instruments, Methods and Missions for Astrobiology VIII (R.B. Hoover, G.V. Levin and A.Y. Rozanov, eds.), Proceedings of SPIE, 5555, 31-36. Blumstein, A.M., Elmore, R.D., Engel, M.H., Elliot, C. and Basu, A., 2004, Paleomagnetic dating of burial diagenesis in Mississippian carbonates, Utah, Journal of Geophysical Research, 109, B04101,doi:10.1029/2003JB002698,2004. Parnell, J., Watt, G., Chen, H., Wycherely, H., Boyce, A., Elmore, D., Blumstein, R., Engel, M. and Green, P., 2004, Kaolin polytype evidence for a hot-fluid pulse along Caledonian thrusts during rifting of the European Margin, Mineralogical Magazine, 68, 419-432. Perry, R.S., Engel, M.H., Botta, O., and Staley, J.T., 2003, Amino acids analyses of desert varnish from the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, Geomicrobiology Journal 20, 427-438. Elmore, R.D., Parnell, J., Engel, M.H., Baron, M., Woods, S. Abraham, M. and Davidson, M., 2002, Palaeomagnetic dating of fluid-flow events in dolomitized rocks along the Highland Boundary Fault, central Scotland, Geofluids, 2, 299-314. Brisman, K., Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A., 2001, Distribution, stereochemistry, and stable isotope composition of amino acids in K/T boundary sediments, Precambrian Research, 106, 59-77. Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A., 2001, The stereochemistry of amino acids in the Murchison meteorite, Precambrian Research, 106, 35-45. Hinrichs, K-U., Eglinton, G., Engel, M.H. and Summons, R.E., 2001, Exploiting the multivariate isotopic nature of organic compounds, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2, 2001GC000142. Andrusevich, V.E., Engel, M.H. and Zumberge, J.E., 2000, Effects of paleolatitude on the stable carbon isotope composition of crude oils, Geology, 28, 847-850. Macko, S.A., Engel, M.H., Andrusevich, V., Lubec, G., OConnell, T.C. and Hedges, R.E.M., 1999, Documenting the diet of ancient human populations through stable isotope analysis of hair, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B, 354, 65-76. Andrusevich, V.E., Engel, M.H., Zumberge, J.E. and Brothers, L.A., 1998, Secular, episodic changes in the stable carbon isotope composition of crude oils, Chemical Geology, 152, 59-72. Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A., 1997 Isotopic evidence for extraterrestrial non-racemic amino acids in the Murchison meteorite, Nature, 389, 265-268. Engel, M.H. and Macko, S.A. (Editors), 1993, Organic Geochemistry, Principles and Applications, Plenum Press, N.Y.