|
The North Atlantic Ocean is one of the most studied ocean basins with respect to present and past ocean circulation changes. Previous studies have shown that variations in these ocean circulation patterns are associated with different climate states, however, the North Atlantic Ocean’s role in climate change as either an initiator or responder has yet to be determined. Understanding the mechanisms and underlying causes of these abrupt climate changes is one of the major challenges in global climate research today, therefore reconstructing the past oceanic conditions in the North Atlantic Ocean could help constrain the possible mechanisms responsible for these variations.
Our current understanding of the relationship between climate and ocean circulation is based primarily on geochemical analysis of deep-sea sediment cores. Traditionally, this system has been described as a bi-modal system that varies between glacial and interglacial intervals. However, it is still unclear if this relationship or the driving mechanisms remain the same on all timescales. The research assistant for this study will analyze several deep-sea sediment cores from the North Atlantic Ocean and examine the biologic, geochemical, and sedimentological characteristics to examine several key aspects of the ocean circulation/climate relationship.
|
Sign in
to view more information about this project.
