My research interests centers on understanding the role that hypervelocity impact events play here on Earth and throughout the inner Solar System. This involves the use of various geologic, petrologic, and analytical tools to understand the effects of extreme pressures and temperatures on terrestrial and extra-terrestrial materials. Specifically, my research focuses on the development of chronological methods that enable absolute dating of impact events throughout geologic time.
Applications of this research include understanding the history of and processes involved in solar system formation, the role of impact cratering on the geological and biological evolution of Earth, and the effects of extreme pressures and temperatures on crystallographic, geochemical and geochronological systems.
My research actively involves and continues to seek collaborations with national and international researchers.
McGregor, M., Erickson, T.M., Spray, J.G., Whitehouse, M.J., (2021) High resolution EBSD and SIMS U-Pb geochronology of zircon, titanite, and apatite: Insights from the Lac La Moinerie impact structure, Canada (Contrib. Min. Petrol).
McGregor, M., McFarlane, C.R.M., Spray, J.G., (2021) U-Pb geochronology of apatite crystallized within a terrestrial impact melt sheet: Manicouagan as a geochronometer test site. Geol. Soc. Am, Special Paper 550.
McGregor, M., Dence, M.R., McFarlane, C.R.M., Spray, J.G., (2020) U-Pb geochronology of apatite and zircon from the Brent impact structure, Canada: A Late Ordovician Sandbian-Katian boundary event associated with L-chondrite parent body disruption. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 173:63.
McGregor, M., Walton, E.L., McFarlane, C.R.M., Spray, J.G., (2020) Multiphase U-Pb geochronology of sintered breccias from the Steen River impact structure, Canada: Mixed target considerations for a Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary event. Geochim Cosmochim Acta. 274:136 – 156.
McGregor, M., McFarlane, C.R.M., Spray, J.G., (2019) Multiphase U-Pb geochronology and shock analysis of apatite, titanite, and zircon from the Lac La Moinerie impact structure, Canada. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 174: 62.
McGregor, M., McFarlane, C.R.M., Spray, J.G., (2018) In situ LA-ICP-MS apatite and zircon U–Pb geochronology of the Nicholson Lake impact structure, Canada: Shock and related thermal effects. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 504: 185–197.