Alexandra (Sasha) Turchyn

Key processes in global biogeochemical cycles, including the carbon cycle, and how they have varied over Earth history.

 

Research Area

I am an isotope geochemistry who is interested in sedimentary processes that relate to global biogeochemical and nutrient cycles and the carbon cycle. I also have a keen interest in how the carbon cycle and climate has evolved over the course of Earth history and how these records may be reconstructed. In my group we use a range of stable isotope mass spectrometers on both modern and ancient sediments, pore fluids, and sedimentary rocks to understand how planetary environments evolve, how subsurface processes influence the isotopic, chemical, and mineralogical composition of rocks, and how biological signatures influence both the burial of carbon and the isotopic composition of sediments and sedimentary rocks.  Much of my work has focused on light stable isotopes, particularly carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur, and more recently we have done a lot of work with calcium and strontium. We also do a lot of work with reactive transport modelling to constrain the rates of processes in subsurface environments. I am particularly interested in understanding the key processes that both supply and remove carbon from Earth’s surface environment and how they have been regulated and evolved over the course of Earth history.  

 

Project Interests

 

I would be very interested in exploring projects related to biogeochemical cycles, submarine basalt weathering, sedimentary diagenesis, geomicrobiology, and other projects involving stable isotope sedimentary biogeochemistry.  I am interested in finding a student who might be interested in development of a new method to measure gas isotope ratios in SO2 and CO2 using new equipment in the lab. I am equally interested in someone interested in questions of deep time or modern environments.