FB Pixel Skip to Main Content
David W. Marchetti

David W. Marchetti

Professor of Geology

Education

Ph.D., University of Utah, 2006
M.S., University of Utah, 2002
B.A., State University of New York, College at Geneseo, 1996

Biography

Biography

Courses I regularly teach

  • GEOL 320 Geomorphology
  • GEOL 363 Environmental Geochemistry
  • GEOL 430 Hydrogeology
  • GEOL 101 Physical Geology
  • PHYS 120 Meteorology
  • ENVS 373 The Water Planet
  • GEOL 380 Paleoclimatology
  • GEOG 340 Intro to GIS

Research Interests

  • Cosmogenic exposure age dating
  • Geologic Mapping of the Fish Lake Plateau, Utah
  • Gravel capped benches near Capitol Reef National Park
  • Glacial history of Boulder Mountain, Utah
  • Western US paleoclimate from Fish Lake, UT sediments
  • Hydrology of the upper Gunnison River basin
  • Stable isotopes in meteoric waters
  • Aqueous geochemistry

Student Research

Undergraduate students who have undertaken a geologic research project are at a tremendous advantage when applying for graduate school and jobs. Here are some recent and presently active projects:

  • Zane Wasicko: Rock glaciers in the upper Gunnison River basin
  • Austen Shirley: Rock crushing and mineral separation for cosmogenic 3He dating
  • Rayni Lewis: Fluvial hydrology changes from beaver dam analogues
  • Michael Carsen Floyd: Cosmogenic 3He dating of Boulder Mtn moraines
  • Gordon Gianniny: Hydrology of Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly sites
  • Manya Ruckhaus: Springs and hydrology of the Copper Creek drainage
  • Amy Allbritton: Geomorphology related to soil carbonate rind formation
  • Austen Beason: Geomorphology related to soil carbonate rind formation
  • Mike Jury: Geologic Mapping of the Torrey 7.5 minute quadrangle, Utah
  • Tom Jeute: Gunnison River alluvial aquifer characterization
  • Mark Mikos: Geologic mapping of the Forsyth Reservoir 7.5 minute quadrangle, Utah
  • Rebekah Parks: Geologic mapping of the Forsyth Reservoir 7.5 minute quadrangle, Utah
  • James Haag: Stable isotope ratios of precipitation in the Gunnison Basin, Colo. 

Recent Publications

  • Laabs, B.J., Licciardi, J.M., Leonard, E.M., Munroe, J.S., & Marchetti, D.W., 2020, Updated cosmogenic chronologies of Pleistocene mountain glaciation in the western United States and associated paleoclimate inferences. Quaternary Science Reviews, 242, 106427
  • ​​ Marchetti, D.W., Stork, A.L., Solomon, D.K., Cerling, T.E., and Mace, W. 2020, Cosmogenic 3He exposure ages of basaltic flows from Miller Knoll, Panguitch Lake, Utah: using the alternative isochron approach to overcome low-gas crushes: Quaternary Geochronology, 55, 1010135.
  • Carroll, R. W. H., Manning, A. H., Niswonger, R., Marchetti, D.W., & Williams, K. H., 2020, Baseflow age distributions and depth of active groundwater flow in a snow dominated mountain headwater basin. Water Resources Research, 56, e2020WR028161.
  • Huth, T.E., Cerling, T.E., Marchetti, D.W., Bowling, D.R., Ellwein, A.L., Passey, B.H., Fernandez, D.P., Valley, J.W., Orland, I.J., 2020 Laminated soil carbonate rinds as a paleoclimate archive of the Colorado Plateau, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 282, p. 227−244
  • Marchetti, D.W. and Marchetti, S.B., 2019, Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley: Heliyon, v. 5.
  • Huth, T.E., Cerling, T.E., Marchetti, D.W., Bowling, D.R., Ellwein, A.L., and Passey, B.H. 2019, Seasonal bias in soil carbonate formation and its implications for interpreting high‐resolution paleoarchives: evidence from southern Utah: Journal of Geophysical Research–Biogeosciences, 124.
  • Marchetti, D.W., Anderson, L., Donovan, J.J., Harris, M.S., and Huth, T., 2018, Fish Lake limnology and watershed aqueous geochemistry, Fish Lake Plateau, Utah, in Emerman, S.H., Simmons, S., Bowen, B., and Schamel, S., editors, Geofluids of Utah: Utah Geological Association Publication 47, p. 55–74.
  • Reilly, B.T., Stoner, J.S., Hatfield, R.G., Abbott, M.B., Marchetti, D.W., Larsen, D.J., Finkenbinder, M.S., Hillman, A.L., Kuehn, S.C., and Heil Jr., C.W., 2018, Regionally consistent western North America paleomagnetic directions from 15–35 ka: Assessing chronology and uncertainty with paleosecular variation stratigraphy (PSV): Quaternary Science Reviews v. 201, p. 186–205.
  • Marchetti, D.W., Hynek, S.A., and Cerling, T.E., 2014, Cosmogenic 3He exposure ages of basalt flows in the northwestern Payún Matru volcanic field, Mendoza Province, Argentina: Quaternary Geochronology v. 19, p. 67−75.

Take the Next Step

Apply to
Western
Students pose for a photo on top of Mount Crested Butte in the summer

Apply to
Western

We understand that applying to a university can be daunting, which is why we make our admission process as simple and straightforward as possible. Learn more about applying to your program of choice at Western.

Visit
Western
Colorado Hall with the Palisades in the background on a bluebird day.

Visit
Western

The best way to find out what makes Western such a special place is to experience it for yourself. Our student-led tours give you an insider’s perspective on everything from academics to student life.

Alumni
Community
A group of four alumni look at an old photo that one of them picked up from a selection of photos that were printed and laid out for the Ski Team Social event.

Alumni
Community

We keep the Mountaineer spirit going strong within our alumni community. Whether getting together with friends at an annual event, making a donation or mentoring a student, graduates continue to play an important role in the Western community.

Request
Information
A few students pose for a photo behind the Multicultural Center table at the Admitted Student Day Club Fair.

Request
Information

Want to discover more about Western? Request information today to get in touch with the admissions team.