On this cruise, we were joined by seven graduate students pursuing their own paths of research. Over the course of the voyage, onboard educators were able to learn more about their specific research pathways. These graduate students were also invaluable in helping us understand the broad themes of the research being conducted – many of them even took part in my most recent livestream with LASA High School students. With this post, I wanted to conduct a deeper dive into some of their research.
Ryan Glaubke
Oceanography, Rutgers University
Ryan is investigating the role of carbon dioxide exchange (between ocean and atmosphere) and ocean circulation in precipitating ice ages.
Hope Sisley
Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington
Hope is using fossilized plant leaf waxes (and the alkanes they contain) as a proxy to decipher ancient atmospheric water content. Specifically, she is trying to determine the timing of mountain building and associated rain shadow in Washington state.
Cassie Stirpe
Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine
Cassie is using the chemical composition of foraminifera fossils to determine changes in carbon storage that took place in the deep ocean between the last glacial maximum and the Holocene.
Tiffany Audet
Earth Science, Université du Québec à Montréal
Tiffany is looking at the depletion of oxygen in the estuary of Saint Lawrence (Quebec, Canada) over the past 50 years. Specifically, she is trying to see if the drop in oxygen can be detected through looking at isotope ratios in benthic (seafloor) foraminifera. If so, benthic foraminifera could potentially be used as a proxy to investigate ancient ocean oxygen levels.
Did You Know?
One of the benefits of working the night shift on the R/V Atlantis is the chance to enjoy the sunrise every morning. We were treated to some great ones over the course of the past two weeks!
Wildlife Sightings
- Great Shearwater
- Barn Swallow
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Herring Gull
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Osprey
- European Starling
- American Robin
- House Finch
- Red-winged Blackbird