Environmental Change Research Group
Overview | People | Research Projects | Facilities
Research Overview:
Environmental Change Research Group
People:
Nathalie Goodkin, Jimmy J. Jiao, Shenghua Li, Zhonghui Liu, Adam D. Switzer, Wyss W-S. Yim, Yongqiang Zong
Recent highlights:
In February 2009, Dr Z Liu and his colleagues had a paper published in Science on the sea surface temperature changes during the Eocene-Oligocene climate transition.
In November 2008, Dr N Goodkin and her colleagues had a research article published in Nature Geoscience on the impact of global warming on the North Atlantic Oscillation.
In September 2008, Dr S Li was appointed as the Editor of Quaternary Sciences.
In September 2007, Dr Y Zong and his colleagues had a research paper published in Nature on the environmental conditions associated with early rice farming in the coastal lowland of east China.
Current research projects:
Dr N. Goodkin:
2008-present: Monsoon, pollution, and tsunami changes in the South China Sea from coral geochemistry.
2007-present: Understanding changing rates of CO2 uptake in the ocean using general circulation models.
2006-present: Changes in ocean ventilation during the Little Ice Age.
Dr J. Jiao:
2008-present: Origin and evolution of abnormally high ammonium groundwater in the Pearl River delta and its environmental impact. Funded by GRF.
Dr S. Li:
2008-present: Optical dating of Late Quaternary river terraces in northern Tianshan, China. Funded by GRF.
2007-present: Optical dating study on the Later Quaternary slip rates of Altyn Tagh Fault. Funded by GRF.
2006-present: OSL chronological studies of the late Quaternary sediments from Gurbantunggut Desert in northwestern China. Funded by GRF. Publications: Li et al., 2007, Quaternary Geochronology 2, 23-28. Li and Sun, 2006, The Holocene 16, 457-462.
Dr Z. Liu:
2008-present: Tropical warm pool salinity changes during the Plio-Pleistocene.
2007-present: Plio-Pleistocene pCO2 changes and sea surface temperature changes in warm pool regions. Funded by US NSF (Co-I).
2007-present: Eocene-Oligocene pCO2 variation and its links to global temperature changes.
2006-present: Late Holocene temperature and hydrological changes in Lake Qinghai-Qadam Basin.
Dr A.D. Switzer:
2008-present: The 1782 tsunami in the South China Sea. Funded by GRF.
2006-2008: Large scale wash-over sediments by tsunami or exceptionally large storm. Publications: Switzer and Jones, 2008, Journal of Coastal Research 24, 189-200. Switzer and Jones, 2008, The Holocene 18, 787-803.
Professor W.W.-S. Yim:
2007-2009: Production of greenhouse gases from sub-aerially exposed continental shelves and oceanic islands since the Middle Pleistocene climatic transition. Funded by Procore France/Hong Joint Research Scheme. Publication: Yim et al., 2008, Quaternary International 183, 23-39.
2008-2009: Late postglacial sedimentation on the inner continental shelf of the South China Sea off Hong Kong and applications, Funded by GRF.
Dr Y. Zong:
2007-2010: Environmental change in the Pearl River estuary. Funded by NSF China. Publications: Zong et al., 2009, The Holocene 19, 129-142. Zong et al., 2009, Quaternary International (in press).
2007-2010: Monsoon climate change during the Late Quaternary. Funded by NERC UK (through a studentship and isotopic facilities).
2005-2008: Monsoonal driven freshwater discharge from the Pearl River. Funded by NERC UK (through a studentship and isotopic facilities). Publications: Zong et al., 2006, The Holocene 16(2), 251-263.
2006-2008: The mid-Holocene cultural collapse in the Yangtze lowlands. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust UK. Publications: Zong et al., 2007, Nature 449, 459-462. Chen et al., 2008, Quaternary Research 70, 301-314.
Field and laboratory equipment:
The research group has an excellent suite of field and laboratory equipment, which support a wide range of research activities.
Underwater coral drilling kits
24 channel field seismograph
Ground penetration radar
Stable isotope laboratory
HF-acid processing laboratory
Thermal luminescence laboratory
Ultra-clean geochemical laboratory
Laser particle size analyzer
Multi-sensor core logger, colour and magnetic susceptibility scanner
Low level gamma spectrometer
Radon detector
Magnetic fluid separator
ICP-MS with laser ablation system for trace element geochemistry
Wavelength dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer
Proton precession magnetonmeter
Powder and Single crystal X-Ray diffractometer
Low voltage/vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope