Victor J. Polyak, Ph.D.

Senior Research Scientist III

Photo: Victor J. Polyak
Education: 
Ph.D., Texas Tech University, 1998
Email: 
polyak@unm.edu
Phone: 
polyak@unm.edu
Office: 
Northrop Hall Rm. 312-C

Research and Academic Interests:

Speleology - the study of caves.  (1) Currently, my interests are focused primarily around paleoclimatology of the southwestern United States through the study of stalagmites and other speleothems.  Caves of the Guadalupe Mountains, such as Carlsbad Cavern, contain abundant carbonate deposits, including some of the largest, morphologically unique, and mineralogically interesting speleothems to be found anywhere.  Annual banding, subfossils, mineralogy, and isotope geochemistry preserved in these speleothems are allowing us to construct the Holocene and Late Pleistocene climate for the southwestern United States.  (2) Another area of my studies involves the timing of speleothem growth in the Grand Canyon caves, which will yield useful and new information related to the rate of canyon incision by the Colorado River. (3) In addition to the above, I have a great interest in sulfur-related speleogenesis, cave minerals and speleothems, and lava tube cave features.

Recent Publications:

  • "Late Holocene climate and cultural changes in the southwestern UnitedStates," Science, v.294, p.148-151.
  • "Wetter and cooler late Holocene climate in the southwestern United Statesfrom mites preserved in stalagmites," Geology, v.29, p.643-646, 2001 (V.J.Polyak, Cokendolpher, J.C., Norton, R.A., and Asmerom, Y.)
  • "Iron oxide-rich filaments: Possible fossil bacteria in Lechuguilla cave,New Mexico," Geomicrobiology Journal, v.18, p.297-309, 2001 (P.P. Provencioand V.J. Polyak)
  • "Clays in Caves of the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico," Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v.62, p.23-32, 2000, (V.J. Polyak, and N. Güven).
  • "Authigenesis of trioctahedral smectite in magnesium-rich carbonate speleothemsin Carlsbad Cavern and other caves of the Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico,"Clays and Clay Minerals, v.48, p.217-321, 2000, (V.J. Polyak, and N. Güven).
  • "Age and Origin of Carlsbad Caverns and related caves from 40 Ar/ 39 Arof alunite," Science, v.279, p.1919-1922, 1998, (V.J. Polyak, W.C. McIntosh,P. Provencio, and N. Güven).
  • "Aluminite and hydrobasaluminite in caves of the Guadalupe Mountains, NewMexico," Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v.60, p.51-57. 1998, (V.J.Polyak, and P.P. Provencio).