B.S. Geology; Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1966
M.Sc. Geophysical Sciences; University of Chicago, 1968
Ph.D. Geophysical Sciences; University of Chicago, 1970
Post Doc: Geological Sciences; Harvard University, 1970-1972
Staff Scientist: Lunar and Planetary Institute (Houston) 1972-1976
Senior Lecturer: University of Cape Town, 1975
Staff Member: Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1976-1983
Professor: University of Colorado, Boulder 1983-present
Current Projects: Ultrasonic Interferometry and X-ray Diffraction at High Pressure. This is a collaborative project with Prof. Hartmut Spetzler at CU and with the Bayerisches Geoinstiutut in Bayreuth, Germany to measure elastic properties of high pressure mineral phases by ultrasonic interferometry and single-crystal Xray diffraction.
Hydroxyl Incorporation in Silicate and Oxide Minerals. This is a collabortive project to examine the crystal chemistry of OH bonds in minerals using X-ray and neutron diffraction together with IR spectroscopy.
A. K. Kleppe, A. P. Jephcoat, and J. R. Smyth (2002) Raman spectroscopic study of hydrous gamm-(Mg2SiO4) to 56.5 GPa. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 29, 473-476. pdf file
J. R. Smyth and D. J. Frost (2002) The effect of water on the 410-km discontinuity: An experimental study. Geophysical Research Letters 2002GL014418. pdf file DOI
S.D. Jacobsen, H. A. Spetzler, H.-J. Reichmann,J.R. Smyth, S.J. Mackwell, R.J. Angel,and W.A. Bassett (2002) Gigahertz ultrasonic interferometry at high P and T: new tools for opbtaining a thermodynamic equation of state. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 14, 11525-11530. pdf file S.D. Jacobsen, H.-J. Reichmann, H. A. Spetzler, S.J. Mackwell, J.R. Smyth, R.J. Angel,and C.A. McCammon (2002) Structure and elasticity of single-crystal (Mg,Fe)O and a new method of generating shear waves for gigahertz ultrasonic interferometry. Journal of Geophysical Research 107, 2001JB000490. pdf file Friedrich, A., G.A. Lager, M. Kunz, B.C. Chakoumakos, J.R. Smyth, and A.J. Schultz (2001) Temperature-dependent single-crystal neutron diffraction study of natural chondrodite and clinohumites. American Mineralogist 86, 981-989. This is a report of low temperature neutron crytsal structure determineaitons to define the atomic psitions of protons in the humite minerals, chondroditre and clinohumite. pdf file Jacobsen, S.D., H.A. Spetzler, H.-J. Reichmann, J.R. Smyth, S.J. Mackwell, R.J. Angel, and W.A. Bassett (2001) GHz-ultrasonic interferometry at high P-T: New tools for a thermodynasmic equation of state (EoS). Proceeding 18th Airapt Meeitng, Beijing. 189-192. pdf file W.A. Bassett, H.-J. Reichmann, R.J. Angel, H. Spetzler, and J.R. Smyth (2000) New diamond anvil cells for gigahertz ultrasonic interferometry and X-ray diffraction. American Mineralogist 85, 283-287. pdf file This is a description of a new diamond anvil cell for equation of state studies of single crystals by ultrasonic interferometry and X-ray diffraction.C.M. Holl, J.R. Smyth, H.M.S. Laustsen, S.D. Jacobsen, and R.T. Downs (2000) Compression of witherite to 8GPa and the crystal structure of BaCO3-II. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 27, 467-473. pdf file This is a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of the structure of witherite to 8 GPa. At 7.2 GPa the orthorhombic structure transforms to a hexagonal structure in which the Ba atoms occupy positions in the hcp array of oxygens. The high pressure structure of witherite is likely to be the same as the post-aragonite phase seen in CaCO3.
S. D. Jacobsen, J.R. Smyth, R.J. Swope and R. I. Sheldon (2000) Two proton positions in the very strong H-bond of serandite [Na,Mn2Si3O8OH]. American Mineralogist 85, 745-752. pdf file This is a neutron diffraction study of the crystal structure of serandite which has an unusual Si-O-H bond and a very unusual IR spectrum. The proton occupies a double-well postion between O2 and O3.
J.R. Smyth, S. D. Jacobsen, and R.M. Hazen (2000) Comparative crystal chemistry of the dense oxide minerals. Reviews in Mineralogy 40 (in press for November, 2000). pdf file This is a review of crystal structure studies of oxide minerals done at elevated temperatures and pressures.
Smyth, J.R., S.D. Jacobsen, and R.M. Hazen (2000) Comparative crystal chemistry of the orthosilicate minerals. Reviews in Mineralogy 40 (in press for November, 2000). pdf file This is a review of crystal structure studies of orhosilicate minerals done at elevated temperatures and pressures.
Smyth, J.R., Jacobsen S.D., Swope, R.J., Angel, R.J., Arlt, T., Domanik, K., and Holloway, J.R. (2000) Crystal structures and compressibilities of synthetic 2M1 and 3T phengite micas. European Journal of Mineralogy, 12, 955-963. pdf file pdf file(Tables) Phengite is a mica that is stable under mantle conditions to depths of at least 330 km and is a possible host for water in the upper mantle. This is a single crystal X-ray study of the structures and compression of two different polytypes of phengite.
S.D. Jacobsen, J.R. Smyth, R.J. Swope, and R.T. Downs (1998) Rigid-body character of the SO4 groups in celestine, anglesite, and barite. Canadian Mineralogist 36, 1053-1060. This is a high-precision structural study of the common orthorhombic sulfate minerals.
Smyth, J.R. and Kawamoto, T. (1997) Wadsleyite II: A new high pressure hydrous phase in the peridotite-H2O system. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 146, E9-16. pdf fileThis is a report of the synthesis and crystal structure determination of a new polymorph of (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 and a new spinelloid structure. This phase is a likely constituent of the Transition Zone and possible host for water in the mantle.
Smyth, J.R., Kawamoto, T. Jacobsen, S.D., Swope, R.J., Hervig, R.L., and Holloway, J.R. (1997) Crystal structure of monoclinic hydrous wadsleyite (b-Mg2SiO4) American Mineralogist 82, 270-275. pdf file This is a report of a new structural modfication of hydrous wadsleyite and a new spinelloid modification.
Smyth J.R. and Ahrens, T.J. (1997) The crystal structure of calcite III. Geophysical Research Letters 25, 1595-1598. pdf file This is a report of the crystal structure of calcite III which is metastable phase produced by compression of calcite.
Smyth, J.R., Dyar, M.D., May, H.M., Bricker, O.P., and Acker, J.G. (1997) Crystal structure refinement and Mossbauer spectroscopy of an ordered triclinic clinochlore. Clays and Clay Minerals 45, 544-550. This is a Moessbauer and X-ray diffraction study of a ordered, "maximum-triclinic" clinochlore.
Smyth, J.R. and McCormick, T.C. (1995) Crystallographic data for minerals. Mineral Physics and Crystallography: A Handbook of Physical Constants. AGU Reference Shelf 2, AGU Washington, DC. p1-17.
Swope, R.J., Smyth, J.R., and Larson, A.C. (1995) Hydrogen in rutile-type compounds I. Single crystal neutron and X-ray study of H in rutile. American Mineralogist 80, 448-453.
Smyth, J.R., Swope, R.J., and Pawley, A.R. (1995) Hydrogen in rutile-type compounds II. Crystal structure refinement of aluminous stishovite. American Mineralogist 80, 454-456.
Smyth, J.R. (1994) A crystallographic model for hydrous wadsleyite: An ocean in the Earth's Interior? American Mineralogist 79, 1021-1025.
Sharp, Z.D., Essene, E.J. and Smyth, J.R. (1992) Ultra high temperatures from oxygen isotope thermometry of a coesite-sanidine grospydite. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 112, 358-370.
Smyth, J.R., Bell, D.R. and Rossman, G.R. (1991) Incorporation of hydroxyl in upper mantle clinopyroxenes, Nature, 351, 732-735. pdf file
Smyth, J.R. (1989) Electrostatic characterization of oxygen sites in minerals. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 53,
Smyth, J.R. (1977) Quartz pseudomorphs after coesite. American Mineralogist 62, 1252-1257.
McGetchin, T. R. and J. R. Smyth (1978) The mantle of Mars: some possible geologic implications of its high density. Icarus