My research uses records from ancient glacial ice to answer questions about the Earth’s climate system and past atmosphere. One main direction of our current research is reconstructing past carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations and isotopic composition. CO is a highly reactive gas and is a major sink of atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH), which serve as … Continued
My group’s research is on understanding dynamic processes that control the thermal and chemical evolution of terrestrial planets and Moon at different temporal and spatial scales. We develop analytical and computational models of thermal convection for planetary mantles. These models are used for not only understanding the physics of thermal convection but also interpreting geophysical, … Continued
Much of my research is centered around cosmic-ray neutrons and applied cosmic-ray physics. My goal is to achieve a full understanding of cosmogenic isotopes and cosmic-ray neutrons, and my methods include field and laboratory measurements, modeling and theoretical work. The work on measuring and modeling of cosmic-ray neutrons started in the context of cosmogenic dating … Continued
I am a seismologist focused on interpreting seismic waves in terms of mantle structure, composition, and dynamics. Much of my research has centered on Earth’s core-mantle boundary region, a dynamic thermal and chemical boundary layer that separates the mantle and core convection systems. My group has primarily used seismic body waves from large earthquakes to … Continued
Fossil plants are extremely sensitive indicators of past climates, plant-insect interactions, biodiversity, and the effects of major environmental disturbances. These data provide deep-time analogs that uniquely illuminate modern ecosystems and their possible responses to anthropogenic change. I am a paleobotanist who studies the latest Cretaceous through middle Eocene, 67-45 million years ago (Ma), an interval … Continued
Our cross-disciplinary and collaborative research focuses on understanding geological processes in Earth’s deep interior, both on a regional scale – for instance, continental structure and evolution of Tibet, East Asia, and North America, the subduction of oceanic plates beneath western Pacific island arcs, the upper mantle transition zone beneath Hawaii, and the complex region just … Continued
Reactions between Fe-bearing rocks and circulating waters power significant electron flow that can be harnessed for microbial metabolism and growth deep beneath the surface of the Earth. I am a geomicrobiologist who develops and apply x-ray scattering and spectroscopic approaches to interrogate the redox reactions that occur between mineral surfaces, microorganisms and fluids. My lab … Continued
My research program focuses on studying the three-dimensional deformation, throughout Earth’s history, of the Earth’s crust and mantle. The approach is quantitative and empiricial, using the rock record to determine the processes that have occurred or are occurring within the Earth. Research projects focus on a range of temporal and spatial scales, and on a … Continued
My primary research areas are in theoretical & computational seismology. Research topics include surface waves, free oscillations, body waves, seismic tomography, numerical simulations of 3-D wave propagation, seismic hazard assessment, medical imaging, and nondestructive testing.
I am researching the thermo-chemical structure, dynamics and evolution of the interiors of solid planets and moons, including Earth, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Io and extrasolar super-Earths, focusing particularly on convection in the solid mantle and the associated dynamics of the lithosphere, which on Earth means plate tectonics. My main research tool is numerical simulation, using … Continued