Jenna M. Kaempfer PhD

Biography

I am a geosciences educator as well as a Structural Geologist and Geochronologist. At Western, I teach introductory Physical Geology and Lab, where I aim to foster excitement and curiosity about the natural world around us. My research program is centered on mid- to upper-crustal deformation of crystalline basement rocks in thin-skinned fold-thrust-belt systems using low temperature Thermochronology and microtectonics. This research helps answer the “when” and “how quickly” aspects of mountain building geology.

Publications 2020 – Present
5. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R., Ault, A.K. Evaluating the roll of radiation damage zonation on zircon (U-Th)/He date-eU patterns (in prep.)
4. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R., and Pearson, D. Spatiotemporal Patterns in Exhumation: Sevier to Laramide Tectonics in the Idaho Fold Thrust Belt Tectonics 44.5 (2025): https://doi.org/10.1029/2024TC008557
3. Armstrong, E.M., Ault, A.K., Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R. Connecting visual metamictization to radiation damage to expand applications of zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometry (2024) Chemical Geology 648, 121949.
2. Kaempfer, J. M., Guenthner, W. R., & Pearson, D. M. Proterozoic to Phanerozoic Tectonism in Southwestern Montana Basement Ranges Constrained by Low Temperature Thermochronometric Data. (2021) Tectonics, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021TC006744
1. Huff, D. E., Holley, E., Guenthner, W. R., & Kaempfer, J. M. Fe-oxides in jasperoids from two gold districts in Nevada: Characterization, geochemistry, and (U-Th)/He dating. (2020). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 286, 72-102.

Meeting Abstracts 2020 – Present
8. Kaempfer, J.M., Ault, A.K., Van-Devener, B., & Polson, R., 2023, Slip localization in epidote-quartz veins: observations from the Wasatch Front, UT, AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 2023, pp. T21A-03).
7. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R., Ault, A., 2023 Evaluating the role of radiation damage zonation on zircon (U-Th)/He date-eU patterns, 18th International Conference on Thermochronology, Thermo2023, Rival Del Garda, Italy.
6. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R., 2022, Zircon zonation styles in date-eU space: explaining forward model deviation from observed data, GSA Annual Meeting, Abstracts with Programs Vol 54, No. 5
5. Kaempfer, J.M., Ault, A.K., 2022, Slip localization in epidote: observations from the Wasatch Front, UT, GSA Annual Meeting, Abstracts with Programs Vol 54, No.5
4. Kaempfer, J.M., Ault, A.K. 2022, Slip localization in epidote: observations from the Wasatch Front, UT, Gordon Research Conference on Rock Deformation, Bates, ME.
3. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R., Pearson, D.M., Orme, D., 2022, Proterozoic tectonism in southwestern Montana: deep-time low-temperature thermochronology of basement rocks, GSA Cordilleran and Rocky Mountain Joint Section Meeting, GSA Abstracts with Programs Vol. 54, No. 2
2. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W., Pearson, D.M., Orme, D., 2021, Application of multiple low-T thermochronometers in developing a long-term thermal history: the Idaho-Montana fold thrust belt and foreland, 17th International Conference on Thermochronology, Santa Fe, NM
1. Kaempfer, J.M., Guenthner, W.R., and Pearson, D.M., 2020, Recurrent Proterozoic to Phanerozoic tectonism in southwestern Montana basement ranges constrained by low temperature thermochronometric data, AGU Fall Meeting