As human activities continue to alter Earth’s climate, it becomes increasingly important to look to the past to better understand the future. I am a geochemist and a paleoceanographer, studying large-scale changes in ocean circulation and biogeochemistry that occur over timescales ranging from a few years to millions of years. Major variations in ocean circulation, from the surface to abyssal depths, have influenced climate via the transport and storage of heat. The oceans also exert control over atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, an important greenhouse gas. Such changes are reflected in the physical and chemical properties of seawater, including temperature, salinity, carbonate chemistry, radiocarbon age, and the concentrations of various nutrients. I use the chemistry of marine calcifiers, mainly foraminifera, as recorders of these properties. I am also active in acid mine drainage research, including the aquatic behavior of rare earth elements.
keywords
paleoclimatology, paleoceanography, past abrupt climate change, ocean circulation, ocean biogeochemistry, marine carbon cycle, trace and minor elements in biogenic calcium carbonates, biomineralization, aquatic geochemistry, acid mine drainage
ATOC 3070 - Introduction to Oceanography
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024 / Spring 2026
Explores Earth's dynamic oceans. Discusses the disciplines of oceanography including marine geology, chemistry, biology and physical oceanography with emphasis on global change. Specific topics may include: tectonics, currents, biogeochemical cycles, ecology and global warming. Recommended prerequisite: any 1000-level ATOC or ERTH course or ATOC major. Same as ERTH 3070.
GEOL 4270 - Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2023
Examines the chemical, biological, geological and physical processes affecting (and affected by) the chemistry of the oceans. Topics include: chemical cycling in seawater; the marine carbon cycle and its long-term control on atmospheric CO2; the large-scale interdependence of nutrient distributions and biological productivity, chemical tracers of ocean circulation; the chemistry of marine sediments, including early diagenesis. Recommended prerequisites: introductory chemistry, introductory geology, introductory oceanography. Same as ERTH 5270.
GEOL 5270 - Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2023
Examines the chemical, biological, geological and physical processes affecting (and affected by) the chemistry of the oceans. Topics include: chemical separation in seawater; the marine carbon cycle and its long-term control on atmospheric CO2; the large-scale interdependence of nutrient distributions and biological productivity, chemical tracers of ocean circulation; the chemistry of marine sediments, including early diagenesis. Recommended prerequisites: introductory chemistry, introductory geology, introductory oceanography. Same as ERTH 4270.
GEOL 5430 - Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2025
Examines scientific tools, data, and theories related to the dramatically varied past climate of the Earth. Focus will be on marine records of climate change and ocean circulation, but ice cores and other continental archives will also be discussed. Course covers the Cenozoic Era (66 Ma to present), but with particular emphasis on the Quaternary ice age cycles. Formerly GEOL 5430. Recommended prerequisites: Introductory geology and introductory oceanography or atmospheric science.
