The Paytan lab has several ongoing projects that use paleoceanographic techniques to study the evolution of ocean chemistry, carbon dynamics, and climate through geologic time. We use a combination of observational and computational methods to investigate past ocean conditions and apply our knowledge to modern issues related to ocean-climate interactions.
Sr Isotopes and the Global Carbon Cycle
The stable strontium (Sr) isotope proxy is one of the primary geochemical tools we use to study changes in the long-term carbon cycle. By reconstructing variations in Sr isotopes during important climate transitions in Earth history (for example, glacial/interglacial cycles and the Eocene/Oligocene Transition), we investigate how the marine carbon cycle and global ocean chemistry responded to climate-driven processes like sea level change. This research uses both isotope geochemistry and biogeochemical modeling to better understand the stable Sr isotope proxy and the geologic carbon cycle. Research led by Maddie Wood.
Read more at Paytan et al. 2021
The Dolomite Problem
Dolomite is a carbon-bearing mineral that is abundant in past marine sediments, yet absent from the modern ocean. We use biogeochemical constraints and reactive-transport modeling to investigate the mechanisms responsible for dolomite formation in
past oceans. This project aims to help us better understand carbonate mineral formation, marine carbon cycling, and the budget of major ocean ions. Research led by Terra Ganey.
Paleoceanography Research Team
