▷ Carbon cycle, silicate weathering, and tectonics: Influence of Southeast Asian uplift on climate during the Neogene as seen from seawater ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr
Marine sediment records of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr tell us about changes in continental silicate weathering through time, a process that has been hypothesized to be the main sink of atmospheric CO₂. Therefore, tectonics is thought to play a significant role in geological-scale climate evolution through silicate weathering. A hypothesis connected to this theory is that the uplift of highly weatherable rocks in maritime SE Asia contributed significantly to the cooling trend that started ~15 million years ago.
My current focus is to estimate silicate weathering rates in the Zambales Ophiolite Complex, Philippines, using river geochemistry, with the goal of using this as a reference value to refine strontium fluxes from maritime SE Asia. Combining my own data and published geochemical studies in the region, I think about refining our understanding of the seawater ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr mass balance over the past ~15 million years.
▷ Stable isotope hydrology (δ¹⁸O, δ²H, Δ'¹⁷O) in lakes and precipitation
The stable isotopes of water are powerful tracers of hydrological processes. I make measurements of δ¹⁸O, δ²H, and Δ'¹⁷O in precipitation and lakes to understand local and regional hydrological processes. I have a particular interest in the isotope systematics of evaporating water bodies using the Craig-Gordon model as framework. I modeled the isotopic mass balance of Bear Lake (article) and took a deeper look at the relatively less utilized triple oxygen isotope system (in press!).
▷ Authorship representation in SE Asian climate science
Starting as a final project for a course, this work sparked my interest in quantifying the representation of SE Asia-based researchers in the region's climate science using bibliometric data (article). I continue to think about diversity in academia and how to increase the influence of Global South scientists.
