Additional PhD opportunity 2020 start!
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Do you lasers?
Do you want to study the closest analogue to anthropogenic climate change in the last 56 million years?
Do you want to study the closest analogue to anthropogenic climate change in the last 56 million years with lasers?
Then we have a PhD that is perfect for you!
In addition to the projects offered through our DTP (here) we have one other opportunity funded via the University of Southampton (click here for details)
The Acid Test: revolutionizing the record of abrupt changes in ocean pH through novel laser analysis of marine microfossils
In this project the student (i.e. you) will use cutting edge laser ablation techniques to ablate SINGLE benthic foraminifera for their boron isotopic composition (following the method outline here). You will also develop an approach where you can measure trace element composition of the foram from the same ablation (called split-streaming, see here for more details). Then what is left of the foram will be measured by gas source mass spec for d18O/d13C. So from the same single benthic foram you get information about the pH it experienced during its life time (1-10 years), the temperature (from Mg/Ca), what ice was doing (d18O) and the carbon cycle (d13C).
You will apply this tool kit to study two key events that have been difficult thus far because foram abundance is low and/or we want to look at them at super high resolution: the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (with the legend that is Jim Zachos at UCSC) and the Eocene-Oligocene Transition.
Get in touch with me (Gavin.Foster@noc.soton.ac.uk) if you want to know more. The deadline is 3rd of Jan. Follow the link to the project above to see how to apply and to learn more about it etc.
