Publications

denotes *graduate advisee, **undergraduate student advisee, or §research associate in lab group

In Review

*Peak, B.P., Flowers, R.M., Macdonald, F.A., in review, Bottom-up or top-down? Ediacaran-Ordovician Great Unconformity on the southern Canadian shield: Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

*Zeigler, S.D., §Metcalf, J.R., and Flowers, R.M., in review,  A practical method for assigning uncertainty and improving the accuracy of alpha-ejection corrections and eU concentrations in apatite (U-Th)/He chronology: Geochronology.

In Press

73. Stanley, J.R. and Flowers, R.M., in press, Localized Cenozoic erosion on the southern African Plateau: A signal of topographic uplift?: Geology.

Published

72. §Martin, P.E., §Metcalf, J.R., and Flowers, R.M., 2023, Calculation of uncertainty in the (U-Th)/He system: Geochronology: v. 5, p. 91-107, https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-5-91-2023.

71. Macdonald, F.A., Yonkee, W.A., Flowers, R.M., and Swanson-Hysell, N.L., 2023, Neoproterozoic of Laurentia, in Whitmeyer, S.J., Williams, M.L., Kellett, D.A., and Tikoff, B., eds., Laurentia: Turning Points in the Evolution of a Continent: Geological Society of America Memoir 220, p. 331–380, https://doi.org/10.1130/2022.1220(19).

70. Lamont, E.A., Sousa, F.J., Meigs, A.J., Jayangondaperumal, R., Flowers, R.M., Anilkumar, A., Woodring, D., and Sobel, E.R., 2023, Accretion of the NW Himalayan foreland pre-dates Late Cenozoic climate change: Terra Nova, v. 35, p. 41-48, http://doi.org/10.1111/ter.12627.

69. Flowers, R.M. and Arrowsmith, J.R., 2022, AGeS3: Micro-funding an inclusive community grassroots effort to better understand the Earth system: GSA Today, Groundwork article, v. 32 (12), p. 52-53, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG549GW.1.

68. Flowers, R.M., Zeitler, P.K., Danišík, M., Reiners, P.W., Gautheron, C., Ketcham, R.A., Metcalf, J.R., Stockli, D.F., Enkelmann, E., and Brown, 2022, 2022, (U-Th)/He chronology: Part 1. Data, uncertainty, and reporting: Geological Society of America Bulletin special volume on the Reporting and Interpretation of Geochronologic data, https://doi.org/10.1130/B36266.1.

67. Flowers, R.M., Ketcham, R.A., Enkelmann, E., Gautheron, C., Reiners, P.W., Metcalf, J.R., Danišík, M., Stockli, D.F., and Brown, R.W., 2022, (U-Th)/He chronology: Part 2. Considerations for evaluating, integrating, and interpreting conventional individual aliquot data: Geological Society of America Bulletin special volume on the Reporting and Interpretation of Geochronologic data, https://doi.org/10.1130/B36268.1.

66. Flowers, R.M., Ketcham, R.A., Macdonald, F.A., Siddoway, C.S., *Havranek, R.E., 2022, Existing thermochronologic data do not constrain Snowball glacial erosion below the Great Unconformities: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Letter to the Editor, v. 119, No. 38, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208451119.

65. *Havranek, R.E. and Flowers, R.M., 2022, Zircon (U-Th)/He data for the Colorado Front Range “fourteeners” and testing Cryogenian exhumation of sub-Great Unconformity basement Chemical Geology, v. 591, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2021.120702.

64. *Peak, B.A., Flowers, R.M., Macdonald, F.A., and Cottle, J.M., 2022, Forum, Reply to Comment on: Zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology reveals pre-Great Unconformity paleotopography in the Grand Canyon region: 50 (3): e544, https://doi.org/10.1130/G49965Y.1.

63. Abbott, L.D., Flowers, R.M., Metcalf, J., Falkowski, S., and Niazy, F., 2022, Post-Laramide, Eocene epeirogeny in Colorado – The result of a mantle drip?: Geosphere, https://doi.org/10.1130/GES02434.1.

62. Pu, J.P., Macdonald, F.A., Schmitz, M.D., Rainbird, R.H., Bleeker, W., Peak, B.A., Flowers, R.M., Hoffman, P.F., Rioux, M., and Hamilton, M.A., 2022, Emplacement of the Franklin large igneous province and initiation of the Sturtian Snowball Earth: Science Advances, v.8, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9430.

61. *Peak, B.A., Flowers, R.M., Macdonald, F.A., and Cottle, J.M., 2021, Zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology reveals pre-Great Unconformity paleotopography in the Grand Canyon region: Geology, v. 49, https://doi.org/10.1130/G49116.1.

60. *Sturrock, C.P., Flowers, R.M., and Macdonald, F.A., 2021, The late Great Unconformity of the central Canadian Shield: Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009567.

59. §Metcalf, J.R. and Flowers, R.M., 2021, (U-Th)/He Chronology, Encyclopedia of Geology, 2nd Edition, p. 66-75, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.12385-1.

58. Stanley, J.R., Braun, J., Baby, G., Guillocheau, F., Robin, C., Flowers, R.M., Brown, R., Wildman, M., Beucher, R., 2021, Constraining plateau uplift in southern Africa by combining thermochronology, sediment flux, topography, and landscape evolution modeling: Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126, e2020JB021243, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB021243

57. Flowers, R.M., Macdonald, F.A., Siddoway, C.S., and Havranek, R., 2020, Diachronous development of Great Unconformities before Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 117 (19), www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1913131117.

56. *Baughman, J.S. and Flowers, R.M., 2020, Mesoproterozoic burial of the Kaapvaal craton, southern Africa during Rodinia supercontinent assembly from (U-Th)/He thermochronology: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 531, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115930.

55. *Stanley, J.R. and Flowers, R.M., 2020, Mesozoic denudational history of the lower Orange River and eastward migration of erosion across the southern African Plateau: Lithosphere: https://doi.org/10.1130/L1121.1.

54. McDannell, K.T. and Flowers, R.M., 2020, Vestiges of the ancient: Deep-time noble gas thermochronology: Elements issue “Noble gas thermochronology”, v. 16 (5), p. 325-330, https//doi: 10.2138/gselements.16.5.325.

53. Duvall, A.R., Harbert, S.A., Upton, P., Tucker, G., Flowers, R.M., and Collett, C., 2020, River patterns reveal landscape evolution at the edge of subduction, Marlborough Fault System, New Zealand: Earth Surface Dynamics, v. 8, p. 177-194, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-177-2020.

52. *Robinson, K.H., Flowers, R.M., and Metcalf, J.R.*, 2019, Rutile (U-Th)/He thermochronology: Temperature sensitivity and radiation damage effects: Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 20. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GC008484.

51. Collett, C., Duvall, A.R., Flowers, R.M., Tucker, G.E., and Upton, P., 2019, The timing and style of oblique deformation within New Zealand’s Kaikoura Ranges and Marlborough Fault system from low-temperature thermochronology: Tectonics, v. 38, p. 1250-1272. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018TC005268.

50. Flowers, R.M. and Ehlers, T.E., 2018, Influence of rock erodibility on the interpretation of thermochronologic data: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 482, p. 312-323, https://doi.org: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.11.018.

49. Flowers, R.M., Arrowsmith, R., McConnell, V., Metcalf, J.R., Rittenour, T., and Schoene, B.S. 2018, The AGeS2 (Awards for Geochronology Student research) Program: Supporting community geochronology needs and interdisciplinary science: GSA Today, Groundwork article, v. 29, p. 36-37, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG392GW.1.

48. *Baughman, J.S. and Flowers, R.M., 2018, Deciphering a 2 Gyr-long thermal history from a multichronometer (U-Th)/He study of the Phalaborwa carbonatite, South Africa: Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., v. 19, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017GC007198.

47. §Kelly, N.M., Flowers, R.M., Metcalf, J.R., and Mojzsis, S.J., 2018, Late accretion to the Moon recorded in zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometry: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 482, p. 222-235, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.11.009.

46. **Weisberg, W.R., §Metcalf, J.R., Flowers, R.M., 2018, Response to comment on “Distinguishing slow cooling versus multiphase cooling and heating in zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He datasets: the case of the McClure Mountain syenite standard”: Chemical Geology, v. 498, p. 153-156, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.03.038.

45. **Weisberg, W.R., §Metcalf, J.R., Flowers, R.M., 2018, Distinguishing slow cooling versus multiphase cooling and heating in zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He datasets: the case of the McClure Mountain syenite standard: Chemical Geology, v. 485, p. 90-99, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.07.033.

44. Powell, J., Schneider, D., Desrochers, A., Flowers, R.M., Metcalf, J.R.*, Gaidies, F., and Stockli, D.F., 2018, Low-temperature thermochronology of Anticosti Island: A case study on the application of conodont (U-Th)/He thermochronology to carbonate basin analysis: Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 96, p. 441-456, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.05.018.

43. *Baughman, J.S., Flowers, R.M., Metcalf, J.R., and Dhansay, T., 2017, Influence of radiation damage on titanite He diffusion kinetics: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 205, p. 50-64, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.01.049.

42. *Johnson, J.E., Flowers, R.M., Baird, G.B., and Mahan, K.H., 2017, “Inverted” zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He dates from the Front Range, Colorado: High-damage zircon as a low temperature (<50°C) thermochronometer: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 466, p. 80-90, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2017.03.002.

41. Flowers, R.M., Farley, K.A., and Ketcham, R.A., 2016, Response to comment on: “A reporting protocol for thermochronologic modeling illustrated with data from the Grand Canyon”: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 441, p. 213, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.02.024.

40. *Landman, R.L., Flowers, R.M., Rosenau, N.A., and Powell, J., 2016, Conodont (U-Th)/He thermochronology: A case study from the Illinois Basin: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 56, p. 55-65, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.10.003.

39. *Stanley, J.R. and Flowers, R.M., 2016, Dating kimberlite emplacement with zircon and perovskite (U-Th)/He geochronology: Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. doi: 10.1002/2016GC006519, v. 17, p. 4517-4533, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GC006519.

38. Flowers, R.M., Farley, K.A., and Ketcham, R.A., 2015, A reporting protocol for thermochronologic modeling illustrated with data from the Grand Canyon: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 432, p. 425-435, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2015.09.053.

37. *Ault, A.K., Flowers, R.M., and Bowring, S.A., 2015, Synchroneity of cratonic burial phases and gaps in the kimberlite record: Episodic magmatism or preservational bias?: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 410, p. 97-104, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.11.017.

36. *Stanley, J.R., Flowers, R.M., and Bell, D.R., 2015, Erosion patterns and mantle sources of topographic change across the southern African Plateau derived from the shallow and deep records of kimberlites, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. v. 16, p. 3235-3256, doi:10.1002/2015GC005969, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GC005969.

35. Condit, C.B., Mahan, K.H., Ault, A.K., and Flowers, R.M., 2015, Foreland-directed propagation of high-grade tectonism in the deep roots of a Paleoproterozoic collisional orogen, SW Montana, USA: Lithosphere, doi:10.1130/L460.1.

34. Flowers, R.M., 2014, News & Views, Geomorphology: Tales of Topography: Nature Geoscience, v. 7, p. 483-485, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2177.

33. Flowers, R.M. and Farley, K.A., 2013, Response to Comments on “Apatite 4He/3He and (U-Th)/He evidence for an ancient Grand Canyon: Science, v. 340, p. 143-c, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1234203.

32. *Ault, A.K., Flowers, R.M., and Bowring, S.A., 2013, Phanerozoic surface history of the Slave craton: Tectonics, v. 32, p. 1-18, https://doi.org/10.1002/tect.20069.

31. *Landman, R.L. and Flowers, R.M., 2013, (U-Th)/He thermochronologic constraints on the evolution of the northern Rio Grande rift, Gore Range, Colorado and implications for rift propagation models: Geosphere, v. 9, p. 170-187, https://doi.org/10.1130/GES00826.1.

30. *Stanley, J.R., Flowers, R.M., and Bell, D.R., 2013, Kimberlite (U-Th)/He dating links surface erosion with lithospheric heating, thinning, and metasomatism in the southern African Plateau: Geology, v. 14, p. 1243-1246, https://doi.org/10.1130/G34797.1.

29. Flowers, R.M. and Farley, K.A., 2012, Apatite 4He/3He and (U-Th)/He evidence for an ancient Grand Canyon, Science, v. 338, p. 1616-1619, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1229390.

28. Flowers, R.M., *Ault, A.K., Kelley, S.A., Zhang, N., and Zhong, S., 2012, Epeirogeny or eustasy? Paleozoic-Mesozoic vertical motion of the North American continental interior from thermochronometry and implications for mantle dynamics: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 317-318, p. 436-445, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.11.015.

27. *Ault, A.K. and Flowers, R.M., 2012, Is apatite U-Th zonation information necessary for accurate interpretation of apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry data?: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 79, p. 60-78, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2011.11.037.

26. *Ault, A.K., Flowers, R.M., and Mahan, K.H., 2012, Quartz shielding of sub-10 um zircons from radiation damage-enhanced Pb loss: an example from a metamorphosed mafic dike, northwestern Wyoming craton: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 339-340, p. 57-66, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.04.025.

25. Farley, K.A. and Flowers, R.M., 2012, (U-Th)/Ne and multidomain (U-Th)/He systematics of a hydrothermal hematite from eastern Grand Canyon: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 359-360, p. 131-140, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.10.010.

24. Moser, D.E., Cupelli, C.L., Barker, I., Flowers, R.M., Bowman, J.R, Wooden, J., and Hart, R.J., 2012, Reply to the discussion by Rajesh and Knoper on “New shock phenomena for dating and reconstruction of large impact basins revealed by zircon microstructural (EBSD, CL), U-Pb and (U-Th)/He analysis of the Vredefort dome”: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences,v. 49, p. 863-864, https://doi.org/10.1139/e2012-014.

23. Zhang, N., Zhong, S., and Flowers, R.M., 2012, Predicting and testing continental vertical motion histories since the Paleozoic: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 317-318, p. 426-435, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.10.041.

22. Flowers, R.M. and Kelley, S.A., 2011, Interpreting data dispersion and “inverted” dates in apatite (U-Th)/He and fission-track datasets: An example from the U.S. midcontinent: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 75, p. 5169-5186, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2011.06.016.

21. Moser, D.E., Cupelli, C.L., Barker, I., Flowers, R.M., Bowman, J.R, Wooden, J., and Hart, R.J., 2011, New shock phenomena for dating and reconstruction of large impact basins revealed by zircon microstructural (EBSD, CL), U-Pb and (U-Th)/He analysis of the Vredefort dome: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, Special Issue on the theme of Geochronology in honor of Tom Krogh, v. 48, p. 117-139, https://doi.org/10.1139/E11-011.

20. Flowers, R.M. and Schoene, B., 2010, (U-Th)/He thermochronometry constraints on unroofing of the eastern Kaapvaal craton and significance for uplift of the southern African Plateau: Geology, v. 38, p. 827-830, https://doi.org/10.1130/G30980.1.

19. Flowers, R.M., 2010, The enigmatic rise of the Colorado Plateau, Research Focus: Geology, v. 38, p. 671-672, https://doi.org/10.1130/focus072010.1.

18. Flowers, R.M., Schmitt, A., and Grove, M., 2010, Decoupling of U-Pb dates from chemical and crystallographic domains in granulite-facies zircon: Chemical Geology, v. 270, p. 20-30, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2009.11.002.

17. Flowers, R.M., 2009, Exploiting radiation damage control on apatite (U-Th)/He dates in cratonic regions: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 277, p. 148-155, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.10.005.

16. Flowers, R.M., Ketcham, R.A., Shuster, D.L., and Farley, K.A., 2009, Apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry using a radiation damage accumulation and annealing model: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 73, p. 2347-2365, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2009.01.015.

15. *Ault, A.K., Flowers, R.M., and Bowring, S.A., 2009, Phanerozoic burial and unroofing history of the western Slave craton and Wopmay orogen from apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 284, p. 1-11, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.02.035.

14. Flowers, R.M., Bowring, S.A., Mahan, K.H., Williams, M.L., and Williams, I.S., 2008, Stabilization and reactivation of cratonic lithosphere from the lower crustal record in the western Canadian shield: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 156, p. 529-549, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-008-0301-5.

13. Flowers, R.M., Wernicke, B.P., and Farley, K.A., 2008, Unroofing, incision and uplift history of the southwestern Colorado Plateau from apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry: GSA Bulletin, v. 120, p. 571-587, https://doi.org/10.1130/B26231.1.

12. Mahan, K., Goncalves, P., Flowers, R.M., Williams, M.L., and Hoffman-Setka, D., 2008, The role of heterogeneous strain in the development and preservation of a polymetamorphic record in high-P granulites, western Canadian shield: Journal of Metamorphic Geology, v. 26, p. 669-694, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1314.2008.00783.x.

11. Flowers, R.M., Shuster, D.L., Wernicke, B.P., and Farley, K.A., 2007, Radiation damage control on apatite (U-Th)/He dates from the Grand Canyon region, Colorado Plateau: Geology, v. 35, p. 447-450, https://doi.org/10.1130/G23471A.1.

10. Flowers, R.M., Bowring, S.A., and Reiners, P.W., 2006, Low long-term erosion rates and extreme continental stability documented by ancient (U-Th)/He dates: Geology, v. 34, p. 925-928, https://doi.org/10.1130/G22670A.1.

9. Flowers, R.M., Bowring, S.A., and Williams, M.L., 2006, Timescales of high-pressure, high-temperature metamorphism and mafic dike anatexis, Snowbird tectonic zone, Canada: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 151, p. 558-581, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-006-0066-7.

8. Flowers, R.M., Mahan, K.H., Bowring, S.A., Williams, M.L., Pringle, M.S., and Hodges, K.V., 2006, Multistage exhumation and juxtaposition of lower continental crust in the western Canadian Shield: Linking high-resolution U-Pb and 40Ar/39Ar thermochronometry with P-T-D paths: Tectonics, 25, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005TC001912.

7. Mahan, K.H., Williams, M.L., Flowers, R.M., Jercinovic, M.J., Baldwin, J.A., and Bowring, S.A., 2006, Geochronological constraints on the Legs Lake shear zone with implications for regional exhumation of lower crust, western Churchill Province, Canadian Shield, Canada: Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 152, p. 223-242, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00410-006-0106-3.

6. Shuster, D.L., Flowers, R.M., and Farley, K.A., 2006, The influence of natural radiation damage on helium diffusion kinetics in apatite: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 249, p. 148-161, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2006.07.028.

5. Flowers, R.M., Bowring, S.A., Tulloch, A.J., and Klepeis, K.A., 2005, Tempo of burial and exhumation within the deep roots of a magmatic arc, Fiordland, New Zealand: Geology, v. 33, p. 17-20, https://doi.org/10.1130/G21010.1.

4. Flowers, R.M., Royden, L.H., and Bowring, S.A., 2005, Isostatic constraints on lithospheric thermal evolution: Application to the Proterozoic orogen of the southwestern United States, in Karlstrom, K.E. and Keller, R.G., eds., The Rocky Mountain region – An evolving lithosphere: Tectonics, geochemistry and geophysics: American Geophysical Union Monograph 154, p. 125-138, https://doi.org/10.1029/154GM10.

3. Flowers, R.M., Royden, L.H., and Bowring, S.A., 2004, Isostatic constraints on the assembly,stabilization, and preservation of cratonic lithosphere: Geology, v. 32, p. 321-324, https://doi.org/10.1130/G20177.2.

2. Flowers, R.M., Moser, D.E. and Hart, R.J., 2003, Evolution of the amphibolite- granulite facies transition exposed by the Vredefort impact structure, Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa: Journal of Geology, v. 111, p. 455-470, https://doi.org/10.1086/375282.

1. Moser, D.E., Flowers, R.M. and Hart, R.J., 2001, Birth of the Kaapvaal tectosphere 3.08 billion years ago: Science, v. 291, p. 465-468, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.291.5503.465.

Other Publications

Flowers, R.M., Arrowsmith, R., Metcalf, J.R., Rittenour, T., and Schoene, B.S., 2014, New EarthScope Geochronology Graduate Student Research and Training Program, inSights the EarthScope Newsletter, Fall 2014, p. 3.

Flowers, R.M., 2009, Pushing back the Age of the Grand Canyon: OUTCROP, Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, v. 58, no. 9, p. 8, 12-13.