Cenozoic Paleoceanography, Geochemistry
Our research largely focuses on the evolution of climate and ocean chemistry over the last 65 m.y. of Earth history. We are particularly interested in the short-lived climatic extremes such as the Eocene transient thermal maxima or hyperthermals (i.e., the PETM and Elmo), as well as the Eocene-Oligocene appearance of Antarctic ice-sheets. What drove these climatic changes? What were the consequences? To address these questions we investigate marine sediments recovered by deep sea drilling, or by sampling of land-based outcrops of marine sequences. We use specific components of these sediments such as microfossils, and their stable isotope and elemental compositions, to reconstruct past environmental conditions.
