Ramon Mercedes-Martín, PhD
Assistant Professor in Sedimentary Geology
ABOUT ME
I am a process-sedimentologist currently developing new geochemical, hydrochemical and experimental approaches to better understand the sedimentology, stratigraphic architecture and diagenesis in carbonate-dominated geosystems (both in natural and Anthropogenic environments).
I am particularly interested in quantifying the biogeochemical processes governing the multi-scale heterogeneity of non-skeletal carbonate deposits using field, petrographic, laboratory and numerical modelling.
One of my prime goals is to obtain more quantitative constraints that can help us to decipher the paleobiological, paleoenvironmental, and paleoclimatological significance of non-skeletal carbonate factories across diverse temporal and spatial scales.
MY SKILLS
Carbonate Sedimentology
From microbial laminae to seismic-scale facies architectures
Carbonate Petrography
From micron-sized particles to centimetre-sized carbonate grains
Carbonate Sequence Stratigraphy
From outcrop-scale surfaces to models of chemical stratigraphy
Crystal Biogeochemistry
From microbe-mineral interactions to fluid-crystal geochemistry
EDUCATION
2014
PhD Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
“Microbial carbonates as outcrop analogues for the characterisation and modelisation of carbonate hydrocarbon reservoirs” (Funded by REPSOL Exploration)
2005
MSc. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
“Sedimentology and biostratigraphy of the Campanian syn-orogenic carbonates of Barranco de la Podega (Tremp Basin, NE Spain)”
2001
BSc. Geology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
RESEARCH TOPICS
Non-skeletal carbonate factories
Abiotic and biotic signatures in carbonates
Diagenetic processes in alkaline lakes
Stratigraphical and biogeochemical signatures of environmental change
PUBLICATIONS
Five most relevant publications :
Mercedes-Martín, R., Rogerson, M. R., Brasier, A. T., Reijmer, J.J.G., and Pedley, H. M. (2021). Towards a morphology diagram for terrestrial carbonates: evaluating the impact of carbonate supersaturation and alginic acid in calcite precipitate morphology. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 306, 340-361. DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2021.04.010.
Mercedes-Martín, R., Ashit, R.,Rogerson, M. R., Sánchez-Román, M. (2021). Effects of Salinity, Organic Acids and Alkalinity in the Growth of Calcite Spherulites: Implications for Evaporitic Lacustrine Sedimentation. The Depositional Record. DOI: 10.1002/dep2.136.
Mercedes-Martín, R., Ayora, C., Tritlla, J., Sánchez-Román, M. (2019). The hydrochemical evolution of alkaline volcanic lakes: a model to understand the Cretaceous Presalt mineral assemblages. Earth-Science Reviews, 198, 102938.
Mercedes-Martín, R., Brasier, A. T., Rogerson, M. R., Reijmer, J.J.G., Vonhof, H. B., and Pedley, H. M. (2017). A depositional model for spherulitic carbonates associated with alkaline, volcanic lakes. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 86, 168-191.
Mercedes-Martín, R., Rogerson, M. R., Brasier, A. T., Vonhof, H. B., Prior, T. J., Fellows, S. M., Reijmer, J.J.G., Billing, I. and Pedley, H. M. (2016). Growing spherulitic calcite grains in saline, hyperalkaline lakes: experimental evaluation of the effects of Mg-clays and organic acids. Sedimentary Geology, 335, 93-102.
TEACHING & TRAINING
CONSULTANCY & FIELD TRIPS
I am engaged as carbonate consultant in projects for the oil industry providing custom-tailored training courses and seminars which combines field and experimental datasets…
