Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology

Carolina Muñoz-Saez

Assistant Professor
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering
University of Nevada, Reno

E-mail: cmunozsaez@unr.edu

Education

• Ph.D. University of California Berkeley, 2016
• M.Sc. Universidad de Chile, 2007
• B.Sc. Universidad de Chile, 2005

Areas of Expertise

• Hydrothermal systems
• Volcanology
• Epithermal systems
• Andean Geology
• Mars analogs

Professional Work Experience

• 2021–present: Assistant Professor, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno
• 2017–2019: Postdoctoral Research, Geology Dept., Universidad de Chile
• 2020–2021: Postdoctoral Research, LDEO, Columbia University and College University of New York
• 2009–2010: Exploration Geologist, Pucobre Mining
• 2007–2009: Exploration Geologist, Geovectra Consultants
• 2005–2007: Geothermal Exploration, Fundacion Chile

Curriculum Vitae

Website

Selected Publications

Montecinos-Cuadros, D., Diaz, D., Munoz-Saez, C., Yogeshwar, P (2021). Electromagnetic
characterization of the shallow structures of El Tatio geothermal field (Central Andes, Chile) using
TEM. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.
Reed, M.H., Munoz-Saez, C., S. Hajimirza, S.-M. Wu, A. Barth, T. Girona, M. Rasht-Behesht, E.B.
white, M.S. Karplus, S. Hurwitz and M. Manga (2021). The 2018 reawakening of Steamboat,
Yellowstone National Park, the world’s tallest geyser, Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, vol. 118, e2020943118.
Munoz-Saez, C., Perez-Nunez, C., Martini, S., Vargas-Barrera, A., Reich, M., Morata, D., and Manga,
M., 2020. The Alpehue geyser field, Sollipulli Volcano, Chile. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal
Research. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2020.107065.
Wilmeth, D., Nabhan, S., Myers K., Slagter S., Lalonde, S., Sansjofre, P., Homann, M., Konhauser, K.,
Munoz-Saez, C., Van Zuilen, M. 2020. Depositional evolution of an extinct sinter mound from
source to outflow, El Tatio, Chile. Sedimentary Geology
Munoz-Saez, C., Manga, M., Hurwitz, S., Slagter, S., Churchill, D.M., Reich, M., Damby, D. and
Morata, D., 2020. Radiocarbon dating of silica sinter and postglacial hydrothermal activity in the El
Tatio geyser field. Geophysical Research Letters, p.e 2020GL087908.
Gong, J., Myers, K., Munoz-Saez, C., Homann, M., Rouillard, J., Wirth, R., Schreiber, A., Van Zuilen,
M., 2020. Formation and Preservation of Microbial Palisade Fabric in Silica Deposits from El Tatio,
Chile. Astrobiology. DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2025
Slagter, S., Reich, M., Munoz-Saez, C., Southon, J., Morata, D., Barra, F., Gong, J., Skok, J. R., 2019.
Environmental controls on silica sinter formation revealed by radiocarbon dating. Geology, 47(4),
330-334.
Ardid, A., Vera, E., Kelly, C., Manga, M., Munoz-Saez, C., Maksymowicz, A., Ortega-Culaciati, F.,
2019. Geometry of geyser plumbing inferred from ground deformation. Journal of Geophysical
Research. doi.org/10.1029/2018JB016454.
Munoz-Saez, C., Manga, M. and Hurwitz, S., 2018. Hydrothermal discharge from the El Tatio basin,
Atacama, Chile. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 361, pp.25-35.
Namiki, A., Ueno, Y., Hurwitz, S., Manga, M., Munoz-Saez, C., and Murphy, F., 2016. An experimental
study of the role of subsurface plumbing on geothermal discharge. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst.
doi:10.1002/2016GC006472
Munoz-Saez, C., Saltiel, S., Manga, M., Nguyen, C. and Gonnermann,
H., 2016. Physical and hydraulic properties of modern sinter deposits: El Tatio, Atacama. Journal of
Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 325, pp.156-168.
Munoz-Saez, C., A. Namiki, and M. Manga, 2015. Geyser eruption intervals and interactions:
examples from El Tatio, Atacama, Chile, Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 120, doi:
10.1002/2015JB012364
Munoz-Saez, C., Manga, M., Hurwitz, S., Rudolph, M., Namiki, A., Wang, C., 2015. Dynamics within
geyser conduits, and sensitivity to environmental perturbations: Insights from a periodic geyser
in the El Tatio geyser field, Atacama Desert, Chile. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research,
doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2015.01.002.