I am an isotope geochemist with an interest in the terrestrial carbon cycle, Earth surface processes, chemical weathering and enhanced chemical weathering.
Research Area
My research concerns the transfer of carbon between the atmosphere, hydrosphere and rocks. Over geological time-scales it is widely accepted that the dissolution of silicate minerals in carbonic acid helps regulate the concentration of atmospheric CO2, a key greenhouse gas. However, teasing out the detailed mechanisms of how this works in the modern environment is challenging. Recent research projects have combined fieldwork in the Himalayas, Canada and SE Asia, collecting new samples for analysis in the state-of-the-art geochemistry labs in Cambridge. This has enabled us to determine carbon fluxes (both draw-down from the atmosphere but also release from the solid Earth to the atmosphere) more precisely and constrain poorly understood physical, chemical and biological processes. We are also working on enhanced weathering, both of natural and anthropogenic materials with a view to quantifying atmospheric carbon dioxide removal with a very strong emphasis on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV). My research has used a broad array of isotopes, both novel and traditional and my research has also exploited lab synthesis of minerals, in particular clays.
Project Interests
I would be delighted to develop projects related to chemical weathering and carbon transfers utilising novel isotope techniques and/or fieldwork and lab experiments. This could involve water chemistry, sediment chemistry or could be related to the weathering of anthropogenic materials for carbon dioxide removal. I welcome project ideas that utilise a combination of fieldwork, lab experiments and geochemical methods such as novel stable isotopes such as Mg, Li, Ca, Sr, Si for example which aim to better quantify fluxes and processes. Equally welcome are projects related to monitoring, reporting and verification of enhanced weathering.
