Principal Investigator David McGee
Project Website http://www.mit.edu/~davidmcg/
Reconstructing past precipitation changes using isotopic tools -- The paleoclimate record samples a much wider range of conditions than we've experienced during the instrumental era of the last century, providing unique opportunities to deepen our understanding of the climate system. Our group’s research focuses on how precipitation and wind patterns responded to past climate changes. By making isotopic measurements of stalagmites, lake deposits and marine sediments and interpreting these records in the light of models and theory, we aim to offer data-based insights into the patterns, pace and magnitude of past hydroclimate changes. Our primary tool is measurements of uranium-series isotopes, which provide precise uranium-thorium dates for stalagmites and lake deposits and allow us to reconstruct variations in windblown dust transport using marine sediments.