Deep Sea Corals as High Resolution Recorders of Southern Ocean Nutrient Chemistry and Circulation

The Southern Ocean plays a pivotal role in controlling global climate change. We will investigate two crucial components of this oceanic system: Antarctic deep-water formation and nutrient dynamics. Newly developed laser based methods will be used to extract geochemical records from deep-sea corals, the skeletons of which provide an archive of seawater circulation and nutrient flux. This innovative approach will enable us to better understand processes that control the efficiency of the Southern Ocean s biological pump, and how this has affected global levels of atmospheric CO2. This will improve our understanding of greenhouse warming and help model future climate dynamics.