In order to most accurately identify the causes and mechanisms of climatic change, it is necessary for us to develop high-resolution paleoclimate records which tell us about past climate changes on seasonal, annual, and decadal timescales.  Calcite speleothems are well suited for paleoclimate reconstruction because they are normally pure calcite, are well-preserved, can be precisely dated using Uranium-series methods, and contain multiple types of paleoclimate proxy data in their highly resolvable growth bands.  In particular, measurements of δ¹⁸O along speleothem

Project Information

Date(s): 

June 25, 2012 - August 17, 2012

Student's Name: 

Julianna McDonnell

Associated ESS Person: 

Johnson, Kathleen

Associated ESS Person's Photo: 

Johnson, Kathleen

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Micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi play a critical role in global cycles of carbon and nutrients. Warming and other changes in climate are likely to affect these cycles through impacts on microbial communities. Despite this relevance for climate feedbacks, the response of microbial processes to climate change is still poorly quantified. Therefore, the goal of this project is to determine how microbes respond to changes in temperature, and whether they can adapt to a warming climate.

Project Information

Date(s): 

June 25, 2012 - August 17, 2012

Student's Name: 

Stephanie Beasley

Associated ESS Person: 

Allison, Steve

Associated ESS Person's Photo: 

Allison, Steve

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The gases trapped in polar ice cores are a remarkable archive for investigating the chemical changes in our atmosphere. Most of the research to date has been on greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O), but there are a wide range of other gases present in the atmosphere including hydrocarbons, halocarbons, sulfur gases, and nitrogen gases which have not been studied. These ice archive of these trace gases may contain a wealth of information about biogeochemical cycles, atmospheric chemistry, and the impact of man's activities on the atmosphere.

Project Information

Date(s): 

June 25, 2012 - August 17, 2012

Student's Name: 

Melinda Nicewonger

Associated ESS Person: 

Saltzman, Eric

Associated ESS Person's Photo: 

Saltzman, Eric

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Wind power is a largely untapped renewable energy resource which can alleviate both baseline and peak energy demand in California. Most demand comes from coastal population centers therefore quantifying availability of coastal and near-offshore wind power availability is crucial to informing future zoning and power-grid decisions. Coastal wind power potential in Orange County is weak to moderate, yet the contribution of the diurnal sea-breezes to this power has not been quantified.

Project Information

Date(s): 

June 25, 2012 - August 17, 2012

Student's Name: 

Michelle Serino

Associated ESS Person: 

Zender, Charlie

Associated ESS Person's Photo: 

Zender, Charles

• Directory Photos

Charles Zender

Faculty in the Department of Earth System Science

August 17, 2011