Palaeoceanography & Climate Records
The University of Edinburgh is striving to better understand past, present, and future climate and ocean conditions.
Palaeoceanography is the study of past ocean conditions, such as temperature or salinity, through the examination of geological records. At the University of Edinburgh, our researchers look at the ocean’s sedimentary records, tectonic plate movements, and glacial changes, amongst others to infer past and future oceanic conditions and drivers of change.
Understanding the dynamics and controls on past climate change:
The University of Edinburgh hosts substantial expertise in palaeoceanography and paleoclimate, with researchers investigating linkages between past climate and past, present, and future ocean conditions. From polar oceans to tropical regions, our researchers are investigating drivers of change and climate variability and change.
Apart from academic research endeavours, our researchers also hold key leadership roles and participate in national and international programmes, such as:
- Geotraces, which aims to better understand biogeochemical cycles.
- International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP).
Investigating past, present and future ocean conditions and drivers of change:
The School of GeoSciences has a broad-ranging expertise in marine biogeochemistry in the past, present and future ocean. Our research portfolio encompasses the global biogeochemical cycles of carbon, major nutrients and micronutrients and a suite of geochemical proxies for ocean processes and change, with analytical capabilities to examine the major components of these systems.
The Oceans and Past Climate Research Group is based in the School of GeoSciences.
The group brings together researchers from across diverse backgrounds, such as oceanography, geology, geochemistry, and biology, to better understand past, present, and future ocean and climate conditions. Specific areas of focus include:
- Marine bio-geochemical processes and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycles.
- Deriving high-resolution paleo-oceanography and paleoclimatology records.
- Sedimentary, structural evolution, and palaeoceanography.