PERSONAL WEBSITE

PRESENT APPOINTMENTS

PREVIOUS APPOINMENTS

EDUCATION

How Earth works, from core to crust. My areas of expertise are palaeomagnetism, cyclostratigraphy, and Earth history. The Earth system is completely integrated, but plate tectonic theory is not. Explaining the dynamics of past supercontinents, and even predicting future supercontinents, requires a systems theory approach.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Papers make careers. Please contact me if you (i) have a paper idea or (ii) wish to help me finalize one.

h index=13, citations=845

1.Doucet, L.S., Li, Z.X., Ernst, R.E., Kirscher, U., El Dien, H., Mitchell, R.N., 2019, Coupled supercontinent-mantle plume events evidenced by oceanic plume record: Geology, vol. 48, https://doi.org/10.1130/G46754.1

Journal Impact Factor: 4.635, Total Paper Citations: -

2.Nordsvan, A.R., Barham, M., Cox, G., Kirscher, U., Mitchell, R.N., 2019, Major shoreline retreat and sediment starvation following Snowball Earth, Terra Nova, vol. 31, p. 495-502, https://doi.org/10.1111/ter.12426

Journal Impact Factor: 2.229, Total Paper Citations: -

3.Mitchell, R.N. 2019, Spot the difference: Zircon disparity tracks crustal evolution: COMMENT, Geology, vol. 47, e479, https://doi.org/10.1130/G46293C.1

Journal Impact Factor: 4.635, Total Paper Citations: 1

4.Mitchell, R.N., Spencer, C.J., Kirscher, U., He, X.F., Murphy, J.B., Li, Z.X., and Collins, W.J., 2019, Harmonic hierarchy of mantle and lithospheric convective cycles: Time series analysis of hafnium isotopes of zircon: Gondwana Research, vol. 75, p. 239-248, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2019.06.003

Journal Impact Factor: 3.612, Total Paper Citations: -

5.Spencer, C.J., Murphy, J.B., Hoiland, C.W., Johnston, S.T., Mitchell, R.N., and Collins, W.J., 2019 Evidence for whole mantle convection driving Cordilleran tectonics: Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 46, p. 4239-4248, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082313

Journal Impact Factor: 4.339, Total Paper Citations: 1

6.Mitchell, R.N., Gernon, T.M, Nordsvan, A., Cox, G.M., Li, Z.-X., and Hoffman, P.F. 2019, Hit or miss: Glacial incisions of snowball Earth: Terra Nova, vol. 31, p. 381-389, https://doi.org/10.1111/ter.12400

Journal Impact Factor: 2.229, Total Paper Citations: 2

7.Li, Z.-X., Mitchell, R.N., Spencer, C.J., Ernst, R., Pisarevsky, S., Kirscher, U., Murphy, J.B., 2019, Decoding Earth’s rhythms: Modulation of supercontinent cycles by longer superocean episodes: Precambrian Research, vol. 323, p. 1-5, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2019.01.009

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 10

8.Keller, C.B., Husson, J.M., Mitchell, R.N., Bottke, W.F., Gernon, T.M., Boehnke, P., Bell, E.A., Swanson-Hysell, N., Peters, S.E., 2019, Neoproterozoic glacial origin of the Great Unconformity: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 116, p. 1136-1145, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1804350116

Journal Impact Factor: 9.504, Total Paper Citations: 13

9.Milanese, F.N., Olivero, E.B., Raffi, M.E., Franceschinis, P.R., Gallo, L.C., Skinner, S.M., Mitchell, R.N., Kirschvink, J.L., and Rapalini, A.E., 2019, Mid Campanian‐Lower Maastrichtian magnetostratigraphy of the James Ross Basin, Antarctica: Chronostratigraphical implications: Basin Research, vol. 31, p. 562-583, https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12334.

Journal Impact Factor: 3.886, Total Paper Citations: 3

10.Kirscher, U., Li, Z.-X., Mitchell, R.N., Pisarevsky, S., Deynzyn, S., and Nordsvan, A., 2019, Paleomagnetism of the Hart Dolerite (Kimberly Region, North Australia craton): Two stage Nuna assembly? Precambrian Research, vol. 329, p. 170-181 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2018.12.026

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 4

11.Liu, Y., Li, Z.-X., Pisarevsky, S.A., Kirscher, U., Mitchell, R.N., Stark, J.C., Clark, C., Hand, M., 2018, First Precambrian palaeomagnetic data from the Mawson Craton (East Antarctica) and tectonic implications: Scientific Reports, vol. 8, 16403, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-34748-2

Journal Impact Factor: 4.122, Total Paper Citations: 2

12.Cox, G.M., Isakson, V., Hoffman, P.F., Gernon, T.M., Schmitz, M.D., Shahin, S., Collins, A.S., Preiss, W., Blades, M.L., Mitchell, R.N., Nordsvan, A., 2018, South Australian U-Pb (CA-ID-TIMS) age supports globally synchronous Sturtian glaciation: Precambrian Research, vol. 315, p. 257-263, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2018.07.007

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 14

13.Liu, Y. Li, Z.-X., Pisarevsky, S., Kirscher, U., Mitchell, R.N., Stark, J.C., 2018, Palaeomagnetism of the 1.89 Ga Boonadgin dykes of the Yilgarn Craton: Possible connection with India: Precambrian Research, vol. 329, p. 211-223, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2018.05.021

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 9

14.Cox, G.M., Mitchell, R.N., Lyons, T., Hasterock, D., Gard, M.G., 2018, Linking the rise of atmospheric oxygen to growth in the continental phosphorus inventory: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 489, p. 28-36, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2018.02.016

Journal Impact Factor: 4.409, Total Paper Citations: 11

15.Spencer, C.J., Murphy, J.B., Kirkland, C.L., Liu, Y., and Mitchell, R.N., 2018, A Palaeoproterozoic tectono-magmatic lull as a potential trigger for the supercontinent cycle: Nature Geoscience, vol. 11, p. 79-101, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-017-0051-y

Journal Impact Factor: 13.941, Total Paper Citations: 19

16.Gong, Z., Xu, X.X., Evans, D.A.D., Hoffman, P.F., Mitchell, R.N., Bleeker, W., 2018, Paleomagnetism and rock magnetism of the ca. 1.87 Ga Pearson Formation, Northwest Territories, Canada: A test of vertical-axis rotation within the Great Slave basin: Precambrian Research, vol. 305, p. 295-309, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2017.11.021

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 2

17.Buchan, K.L., Mitchell, R.N., Bleeker, W., Hamilton, M.A., and LeCheminant, A.N., 2016, Paleomagnetism of ca. 2.13-2.11 Ga Indin and ca. 1.885 Ga Ghost dyke swarms of the Slave craton: Implications for the Slave craton APW path and relative drift of Slave, Superior and Siberian cratons in the Paleoproterozoic: Precambrian Research, vol. 275, p. 151-175, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2016.01.012

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 19

18.Mitchell, R.N., Raub, T.D., Silva, S.C., and Kirschvink, J.L., 2015, Was the Cambrian explosion both an effect and an artifact of true polar wander? American Journal of Science, vol. 315, p. 945-957, https://doi:10.2475/10.2015.02

Journal Impact Factor: 4.099, Total Paper Citations: 3

19.Ward, P.D., Haggart, J.W., Mitchell, R.N., and Catlin, E., 2015, Quantitative morphological description of the Late Cretaceous ammonite Baculites inornatus Meek from western North America: implications for species concepts in the biostratigraphically important Baculitidae: The Journal of Paleontology, vol. 89, p. 594-610, https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2015.33

Journal Impact Factor: 1.591,Total Paper Citations: 5

20.Mitchell, R.N., 2014, True polar wander and supercontinent cycles: Implications for lithospheric elasticity and the triaxial Earth: American Journal of Science, vol. 314, p. 966-979, https://doi:10.2475/05.2014.04

Journal Impact Factor: 4.099, Total Paper Citations: 8

21.Mitchell, R.N., Bleeker, W., van Breemen, O., LeCheminant, A.N., Peng, P., and Nilsson, M.K.M., 2014, Plate tectonics before 2 Ga: Evidence from paleomagnetism of cratons within supercontinent Nuna: American Journal of Science, vol. 314, p. 878-894, https://doi:10.2475/04.2014.03

Journal Impact Factor: 4. 099, Total Paper Citations: 27

22.Tobin, T.S., Ward, P.D., Steig, E.J., Olivero, E.B., Hilburn, I.A., Mitchell, R.N., Diamond, M.R., Raub, T.D., and Kirschvink, J.L, 2012, Extinction patterns, δ18O trends, and magnetostratigraphy from a southern high-latitude Cretaceous-Paleogene section: Links with Deccan volcanism: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, vol. 350-352, p. 180-188, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.06.029

Journal Impact Factor: 2.578, Total Paper Citations: 89

23.Ward, P.D., Haggart, J.W., Mitchell, R.N., Kirschvink, J.L., and Tobin, T., 2012, Integration of macrofossil biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy for the Pacific Coast Upper Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) of North America and implications for correlation with the Western Interior and Tethys: Geological Society of America Bulletin, vol. 124, p. 957-974, https://doi.org/10.1130/B30077.1

Journal Impact Factor: 4.212, Total Paper Citations: 30

24.Mitchell, R.N., Kilian, T.M, and Evans, D.A.D., 2012, Supercontinent cycles and the calculation of absolute palaeolongitude in deep time: Nature, vol. 482, p. 208-211, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10800

Journal Impact Factor: 40.137, Total Paper Citations: 90

25.Mitchell, R.N., Kilian, T.M., Raub, T.D., Evans, D.A.D., Bleeker, W., and Maloof, A., 2011, Sutton hotspot: Resolving Ediacaran-Cambrian tectonics and true polar wander for Laurentia: American Journal of Science, vol. 311, p. 651-663, https://doi:10.2475/08.2011.01

Journal Impact Factor: 4.099, Total Paper Citations: 26

26.Evans, D.A.D. and Mitchell, R.N., 2011, Assembly and breakup of the core of Paleo-Mesoproterozoic supercontinent Nuna: Geology, vol. 39, p. 443-446, https://doi.org/10.1130/G31654.1

Journal Impact Factor: 4.635, Total Paper Citations: 290,ISI-WOS ‘Highly Cited Paper’

27.Mitchell, R.N., Hoffman, P.F., Evans, D.A., 2010, Coronation loop resurrected: Oscillatory apparent polar wander of Orosirian (2.05-1.8 Ga) paleomagnetic poles from Slave craton: Precambrian Research, vol. 179, p. 121-134, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2010.02.018

Journal Impact Factor: 3.907, Total Paper Citations: 37

28.Mitchell, R.N., Evans, D.A., Kilian, T.M., 2010, Rapid Early Cambrian rotation of Gondwana: Geology, vol. 38, p. 755-758, https://doi.org/10.1130/G30910.1

Journal Impact Factor: 4.635, Total Paper Citations: 38

29.Mitchell, R.N., Bice, D.M., Montanari, A., Cleaveland, L.C., Christianson, K.T., Coccioni, R., and Hinnov, L.A., 2008, Oceanic Anoxic Cycles? Orbital Prelude to the Bonarelli Level (OAE 2): Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol. 267, p. 1-16, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2007.11.026

Journal Impact Factor: 4.409, Total Paper Citations: 92

PUBLIC OUTREACH

Earth Once Swallowed Its Own Superocean. Could It Happen Again? Stephanie Pappas, Live Sciencehttps://www.livescience.com/64707-earth-swallowed-superocean.html

Earth is missing a huge part of its crust. Now we may know why: Robin George Andrews in National Geographichttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/12/part-earths-crust-went-missing-glaciers-may-be-why-geology/?fbclid=IwAR05yJZiYSL8XyBs4-vlV_ip0nhv6kBrMHV_GXcGPgajeftOQ7-ShlWFsJA

Will There Ever Be Another Pangea? Aylin Woodward, Live Science

https://www.livescience.com/63753-will-there-be-another-pangea.html

The Day the Earth Stood Still: Shannon Hall in Scientific American

(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-day-the-earth-stood-still/)

Wave of Massive Volcanoes Created Earth’s First Supercontinent: Alice Klein in New Scientist

(https://www.newscientist.com/article/2159657-wave-of-massive-volcanoes-created-earths-first-supercontinent/)Paleomagnetic Data Hint at Link From Earth’s Core to Continents: Press in EOS Earth & buch

Science News. (https://eos.org/articles/paleomagnetic-data-hint-at-link-from-earths-core-to-continents)

What Lies Ahead for Earth’s Shifting Continents Just Might Surprise You: Interview with NBC News for an unbiased opinion on new supercontinent research. (https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/the-big-questions/what-lies-ahead-earth-s-shifting-continents-just-might-surprise-n717276 )

Waiting for Amasia: Interview and YouTube video provided for ScienceNews about supercontinents. (https://www.sciencenews.org/article/evidence-falls-place-once-and-future-supercontinents)

Unlocking One of the Great Secrets of Earth’s Evolution: Press release about a new interpretation of the Cambrian Explosion. (https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2016/title,392129,en.php)

Paleomagnetism 101: Podcast interview with Physics Central. (https://soundcloud.com/physics-central/paleomagnetism)

Land On the Run: Ross Mitchell / Amasia: Radio interview with Molly Bentley on SETIBig Picture Science (goo.gl/EoOWtd)

Amasia Supercontinent: Earth’s Geologic Past Shapes Our Understanding of Future: Skype video interview with Cara Santa Maria onHuffington Post - Talk Nerdy To Me

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/15/amasia-supercontinent-earth_n_1951291.html)

Next Supercontinent Could Form At The North Pole: Live radio interview with John Dankosky on NPRScience Friday (http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/201202103)

’Amasia’: The Next Supercontinent?:Radio interview with Richard Harris on NPRAll Things Considered (http://www.npr.org/2012/02/08/146572456/amasia-the-next-supercontinent)

Next Supercontinent Will Form in Arctic, Geologists Say: Sindya N. Bhanoo in The New York Times(www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/science/amasia-supercontinent-will-form-in-the-arctic-geologists-predict.html)

Meet Amasia, the Next Supercontinent: Sid Perkins of Science Now

(http://news.sciencemag.org/2012/02/meet-amasia-next-supercontinent)

Supercontinent Amasia To Take North Pole Position: Radio interview with Kerri Smith on Nature Podcast (http://www.nature.com/news/supercontinent-amasia-to-take-north-pole-position-1.9996)

America and Eurasia to meet at north pole: Neil Bowdlerin BBC News(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16934181)

Asia and Americas on Course for Arctic Collision: Brandon Keim in Wired

(http://www.wired.com/2012/02/amasia-supercontinent/)

Look North for the Next Supercontinent Amasia: Alyssa Danigelis in Discovery

(http://news.discovery.com/earth/amasia-the-next-supercontinent-120208.htm)

Amasia Supercontinent: Earth’s Geologic Past Shapes Our Future: Cara Santa Maria in Huffington Post(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/15/amasia-supercontinent-earth_n_1951291.html)

Gondwana Supercontinent Underwent Massive Shift During Cambrian Explosion: Suzanne Taylor Muzzin in YaleNews

(http://news.yale.edu/2010/08/10/gondwana-supercontinent-underwent-massive-shift-during-cambrian-explosion)

Massive Rotation of Gondwana: Jonathan Greco of Yale Scientific

(http://www.yalescientific.org/2011/02/massive-rotation-of-gondwana/)

True Polar Wander: Article in Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Newsletter

(http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/home/polar.html)