FEST: 'Roles of oceanography and orbital forcing in greenhouse climates'

Friday Earth Sciences Talk by Dr Sietske Batenburg

Ocean circulation played a major role in the greenhouse climates of the Eocene (~50 Ma) and Cretaceous (>66 Ma), by distributing heat and nutrients over the planet. To study oceanography, we need proxies that track water masses as well as good age models to correlate between localities. Marine sediments are often rhythmic, reflecting the pacing of climate by regular variations in the Earth’s orbit. Through an integrated stratigraphic approach, we can investigate sedimentary cyclicity and obtain detailed age control. To reconstruct deep ocean circulation, the radiogenic isotope proxy of neodymium can be applied. In a warmer climate, ocean currents and deep-water formation may have functioned differently than today, and it is a challenge to disentangle climatic effects on circulation from geographic constraints.

This talk will showcase results from the Eocene and Cretaceous, when temperatures and sea levels were high.

With the FEST, we intend to bring the departments of Earth Sciences and Physical Geography together. The aim is to present (mostly) Utrecht-based Earth Sciences in an accessible way, primarily in order to stay familiar with each other’s work across disciplines. Simultaneously, this provides an excellent platform to help (in particular MSc.) students in their orientation on possible graduation specialisations and future careers.