Kendra J. Lynn, Ph.D.
My research leverages petrology and geochemistry to investigate the timescales of geologic processes operating in Earth’s mantle and volcanic systems – from the generation of magma during melting to its eruption. Understanding the timing and duration of magma storage and transport is critical for constraining the dynamic evolution of our planet and volcanic eruption scenarios.
A bit more about me: I am a first-generation college student who grew up in a small farm town in rural Minnesota and I have always loved volcanoes. As an undergraduate student at Winona State University, I did two senior thesis projects: one on soil chemistry for an organic farm and the second on structural geology and metamorphic petrology of a shear zone in Maine.
Professional Experience
CONVERSE H-SAC (Community Network for Volcanic Eruption Response Hawai'i Scientific Advisory Committee, HVO Representative), Volcano Science Center Seminar Series Committee (HVO Representative)
Research Geologist, US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (2020-present) - Petrologic and geochemical studies of Hawaiian volcanoes
Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Delaware (2017-2020) - Aqueous fluid-rock and silicate melt-rock interactions that re-equilibrate hydrogen in peridotite nominally anhydrous minerals; high temperature hydrothermal alteration in Gakkel Ridge abyssal peridotites
Research Associate, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (2017-2020) - Redox and source heterogeneity of the arctic Gakkel Ridge
Research Fellow, East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes, Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University (2015) - Investigating magma ascent rate and eruption style at Kīlauea Volcano using diffusion modeling of element zoning in olivine crystals
Research Assistant, Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (2012-2017) - Compositional Zoning in Kīlauea Olivine: A geochemical tool for investigating magmatic processes at Hawaiian Volcanoes
Education and Certifications
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Ph.D. (2017) - Geology and Geophysics
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, M.S. en route (2015) - Geology and Geophysics
Winona State University, B.S. (2012) - Geology
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Mineralogical Society of America
Earth Science Women's Network
Honors and Awards
PI, Evaluating the causes of protracted explosive eruptions at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i, National Science Foundation, EAR-1939964 ($255,595). Co-PI Jessica M. Warren
Abstracts and Presentations
Selected Conference Presentations
2021 (Invited, Session Keynote) - Lynn, K.J. Big changes at Kilauea Volcano: The impact of 2018 summit collapse on magmatic processes recorded by the 2020 eruption. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Abstracts with Programs, 53(6), doi: 10.1130/abs/2021AM-366992.
2020 (Invited, Early Career Innovative Session on Petrology and Volcanism) - Lynn, K.J., Swanson, D.A., Rose, T., Trusdell, F.A. Leveraging geochemistry and petrology to explore the origins of explosive vs. effusive eruptive periods at Kīlauea Volcano (HI). Abstract INV10d-0003, AGU Virtual Fall Meeting.
2020 (Invited) - Lynn, K.J., Rose, T., Swanson, D.A. Olivine and glass chemistry record cycles of plumbing system evolution after summit collapse at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i. Virtual Goldschmidt Conference. doi: 10.46427/gold2020.1670.
2019 (Invited) - Lynn, K.J., Garcia, M.O., Shea, T. Phosphorus coupling obfuscates lithium geospeedometry in olivine. Abstract V43A-06, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
Science and Products
Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF)
Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
Colorimeter data for the summit water lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2020 Colorimeter data for the summit water lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2020
Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF, grain size, and grain shape data collected during the November – December 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF, grain size, and grain shape data collected during the November – December 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
Olivine and glass analyses for select eruptions of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i Olivine and glass analyses for select eruptions of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i
Water-level data for the crater lake at the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Island of Hawai'i, 2019-2020 Water-level data for the crater lake at the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Island of Hawai'i, 2019-2020
Crustal to mantle melt storage during the evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes Crustal to mantle melt storage during the evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes
Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage
Chemical and isotopic fractionation during melt inclusion formation Chemical and isotopic fractionation during melt inclusion formation
The progression of basaltic–rhyolitic melt storage at Yellowstone Caldera The progression of basaltic–rhyolitic melt storage at Yellowstone Caldera
Considerations and perspectives on pregnancy and fieldwork Considerations and perspectives on pregnancy and fieldwork
Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source
Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa
Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions
Reexamining the Honolulu Volcanics: Hawai‘i's classic case of rejuvenation volcanism Reexamining the Honolulu Volcanics: Hawai‘i's classic case of rejuvenation volcanism
Olivine diffusion constrains months-scale magma transport within Kīlauea volcano’s summit reservoir system prior to the 2020 eruption Olivine diffusion constrains months-scale magma transport within Kīlauea volcano’s summit reservoir system prior to the 2020 eruption
Dynamics of magma mixing and magma mobilization beneath Mauna Loa – Insights from the 1950 AD Southwest Rift Zone eruption. Dynamics of magma mixing and magma mobilization beneath Mauna Loa – Insights from the 1950 AD Southwest Rift Zone eruption.
Creating oriented and precisely sectioned mineral mounts for in situ chemical analyses—An example using olivine for diffusion chronometry studies Creating oriented and precisely sectioned mineral mounts for in situ chemical analyses—An example using olivine for diffusion chronometry studies
Baydiff: Bayesian diffusion chronometry for volcanic systems Baydiff: Bayesian diffusion chronometry for volcanic systems
Science and Products
Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) Mauna Loa 2022 Eruption Lava and Tephra Chemistry by Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF)
Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF data collected during the 2020-2023 Halema‘uma‘u eruptions of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
Colorimeter data for the summit water lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2020 Colorimeter data for the summit water lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, 2020
Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF, grain size, and grain shape data collected during the November – December 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi Sample details and near-real-time ED-XRF, grain size, and grain shape data collected during the November – December 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi
Olivine and glass analyses for select eruptions of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i Olivine and glass analyses for select eruptions of Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i
Water-level data for the crater lake at the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Island of Hawai'i, 2019-2020 Water-level data for the crater lake at the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Island of Hawai'i, 2019-2020
Crustal to mantle melt storage during the evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes Crustal to mantle melt storage during the evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes
Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage Rhenium-osmium and oxygen isotope homogeneity during the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and implications for basaltic magma storage
Chemical and isotopic fractionation during melt inclusion formation Chemical and isotopic fractionation during melt inclusion formation
The progression of basaltic–rhyolitic melt storage at Yellowstone Caldera The progression of basaltic–rhyolitic melt storage at Yellowstone Caldera
Considerations and perspectives on pregnancy and fieldwork Considerations and perspectives on pregnancy and fieldwork
Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source Awakening of Maunaloa linked to melt shared from Kilauea’s mantle source
Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa Triggering the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa
Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions Depths in a day - A new era of rapid-response Raman-based barometry using fluid inclusions
Reexamining the Honolulu Volcanics: Hawai‘i's classic case of rejuvenation volcanism Reexamining the Honolulu Volcanics: Hawai‘i's classic case of rejuvenation volcanism
Olivine diffusion constrains months-scale magma transport within Kīlauea volcano’s summit reservoir system prior to the 2020 eruption Olivine diffusion constrains months-scale magma transport within Kīlauea volcano’s summit reservoir system prior to the 2020 eruption
Dynamics of magma mixing and magma mobilization beneath Mauna Loa – Insights from the 1950 AD Southwest Rift Zone eruption. Dynamics of magma mixing and magma mobilization beneath Mauna Loa – Insights from the 1950 AD Southwest Rift Zone eruption.
Creating oriented and precisely sectioned mineral mounts for in situ chemical analyses—An example using olivine for diffusion chronometry studies Creating oriented and precisely sectioned mineral mounts for in situ chemical analyses—An example using olivine for diffusion chronometry studies
Baydiff: Bayesian diffusion chronometry for volcanic systems Baydiff: Bayesian diffusion chronometry for volcanic systems
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government