Reducing Greenhouse Climate Proxy Uncertainty

Lead Research Organisation: University of Birmingham
Department Name: Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences

Abstract

On current trajectories, the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) will exceed 550 ppm by the middle of this century. Such high carbon dioxide concentrations last occurred over 25 million years ago during the "greenhouse" climates of the early Cenozoic. In particular, the early Eocene epoch (~55 to 48 million years ago) was characterized by the warmest climates of the past 65 million years, with no ice sheets on Antarctica, polar regions ~20-40 degrees C warmer and sea levels ~50 to 70m higher than present. These warm Eocene climates can be simulated using the same climate models that are used to predict future climate change, such as those used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (2013-14). In this report, climate model simulations of the Eocene were compared against temperature estimates from the geological record to test the accuracy of modelled warming in Polar regions at greatly increased CO2.

PI Dunkley Jones was responsible for collating the Eocene temperature estimates used and figured in the IPCC AR5 report. This work is now being substantially improved ahead of the next IPCC report within a collaborative international project to run IPCC-class climate models with a consistent set of boundary conditions and Eocene geographies, as part of the "Deep-time Model-data Intercomparison Project" (DeepMIP). Significant improvements in the accuracy of the critical geological data used to test these models - Eocene surface temperatures and atmospheric CO2 concentrations - are, however, more difficult to establish. Current moderately reliable estimates of ocean surface temperatures for the early Eocene are limited to only seven locations globally, and, at high latitudes, can diverge by up to 20 degrees C depending on the proxy method used. Current estimates of early Eocene CO2 concentrations are even more uncertain, ranging from ~300 ppm to in excess of 2000 ppm. There is only one sound early Eocene data point based on the CO2 proxy methods highlighted by the IPCC as having particular promise - those based on foraminiferal boron isotopes and alkenone carbon isotope compositions.

Here we aim to make a step-change improvement in these "proxy" estimates by taking advantage of two new opportunities. The first, is the serendipitous discovery of a remarkable suite of very well preserved, unaltered marine microfossils, made of calcium carbonate, alongside similarly well-preserved organic molecular biomarkers produced by Eocene marine algae and bacteria. The chemistry of this fossil material is the basis for proxy temperature and/or atmospheric CO2 estimation. The quality of this material is so high that we propose to generate ~170 alkenone-based CO2 estimates for the early Eocene, where previously there were none, and 15 boron-isotope based estimates to test the single data point currently available. The rare co-occurrence of these substrates and their abundance also provides the opportunity to use multiple independent methods to estimate both ocean temperatures (4 methods) and atmospheric CO2 (2 methods) on the same sample set, and so directly compare estimates from different methodologies at the same time and place.

The second key opportunity is a new collaboration between the PI Dunkley Jones and astrophysicists with advanced expertise in data analysis, statistical modelling and signal processing. With the generation of the largest ever dataset of proxy-to-proxy comparisons from any Greenhouse climate, this new collaboration will maximise our ability to draw robust conclusions about systematic errors within any given proxy method. This is vital for the reconstruction of warm climate states where there are persistent discrepancies between temperature reconstructions based on different proxy methods. Here, we will be able to directly compare methods from the same samples and with uniformly excellent preservation.

Planned Impact

Following the NERC Handbook, here we address Pathways to Impact sections a & b: who could potentially benefit from the proposed research and how might the potential beneficiaries benefit?

INDUSTRIAL IMPACT

Core 16/28-Sb01 was funded and acquired by the Irish Petroleum Infrastructure Programme (PIP) at a cost of c. £550k. The original drilling aim was to confirm the Cenozoic and Mesozoic stratigraphy of Rockall Trough, an exploration frontier. PIP and their industrial partners will receive direct benefit from our proposed work program. Our new organic geochemical and micropaleontological data will provide down-core constraints on early Cenozoic environments of the Rockall Trough region. Our work will directly feed into a new project, contracted by PIP to Merlin Energy Resources (Merlin), to integrate all existing biostratigraphic and micropaleontological data from across the Irish Basins. The project team, lead by the PI, already has an excellent working relationship with Merlin Energy Resources, including the co-supervision of a PhD project in Birmingham on the Jurassic Basins of Northern Ireland with their Director Dr Phil Copestake, and also with their associated team for the specific PIP project, including Dr Haydon Bailey who teaches on the University of Birmingham MSc course in Applied Micropaleontology. We also have strong links with key industry partners through PP Harrington of Petrostrat Ltd, who originally studied the Rockall Cores for palynological content. Between PPs PIP, Haughton (University College Dublin) and Harrington (Petrostrat) we will directly link our results into the most current industry data integration for the Rockall area. Further, this collaboration will also be of benefit for the Project Team, as we seek to expand the search for well-preserved material from the Late Cretaceous and Neogene on the Irish Shelf. Collaboration with industry data integration and with PIP is likely to be a productive mutual collaboration for both industry understanding of regional geology and paleoclimate science. To ensure the best possible communication between our project team, other relevant academics (Haughton) and industry end-users, we propose a Dublin-based workshop, co-hosted with PIP and the Irish Shelf Petroleum Studies Group (ISPSG) to discuss how our results relate to frontier deep-water paleoenvironments. In particular, do they provide new constraints on industry source-sink analysis that aim to predict erosion sites, sediment transport pathways and foci of sand deposition. As well as this, we have also made a commitment report on this project at PIP's annual conference each November.

EDUCATIONAL IMPACT

Cenozoic palaeoceanographic research embodies international scientific collaboration and the deployment of specialized engineering and technological solutions against a backdrop of dramatic ocean environments. This strong aesthetic appeal gives scientists leverage for communicating their work to the public, including young people, educators and policy makers. In the case of our proposal, the appeal is enhanced by the juxtaposition of the familiar with the exotic: the NE Atlantic and western coast of the British Isles during the last super Greenhouse world. The same ocean, the same land mass, but subject to dramatically different sea-levels, persistently hot temperatures and replete with para-tropical rainforests harbouring vegetation such as Palms and Bombacoideae trees (whose modern taxa include the Baobabs and Durian fruit trees). Palaeoclimatic research can be inspirational for the public, and our impact plan will ensure that our message about climate change reaches this audience. Through our collaborative impact plan with the Lapworth Museum of Geology, we will target schools, the media and the wider public.

Publications

10 25 50

 
Title Mysteries of the Deep 
Description Mysteries of the Deep comic / graphic novel explaining palaeoclimate science. Co-authors Tom Dunkley Jones and Edward Ross 
Type Of Art Creative Writing 
Year Produced 2019 
Impact Just released - awaiting data on use and impact 
URL https://www.mysteriesofthedeep.org
 
Description The work undertaken as part of this award has contributed to significant advances in the understanding of the Earth's climate responses to very high concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide, using the early Cenozoic as the most recent available model for these conditions. A series of papers have been published either led by of with significant contributions from the project team, that document best practice approaches to reconstructing past surface temperature, the compilation of available temperature data for the early Cenozoic, and the estimation of global mean surface temperatures from critical intervals.
Exploitation Route The new models for temperature estimation, using machine learning approaches (Dunkley Jones et al. 2020) and methods for estimating global mean surface temperatures (Inglis et al. 2020) are both of wide interest to paleoclimate and climate science.
Sectors Environment

URL https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/en/persons/tom-dunkley-jones
 
Description Used to provide temporary exhibition content at the Lapworth Museum of geology - "Mysteries of the Deep", along with an associated 'manga-style' outreach story-book and artwork that was used to deliver education sessions to local secondary schools and engage with the wider public through the exhibition and associated events. The research results themselves contributed to a number of papers cited in the IPCC 6th Assessment Report, assessing the responses of global climate to greenhouse gas warming.
First Year Of Impact 2017
Sector Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Impact Types Cultural

Societal

Policy & public services

 
Title Age model of the Mossy Grove sediment core 
Description  
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960397
 
Title Age-Depth tie points for DSDP Hole 28-270 
Description Age tie points from 214.13 mbsf and above from: Acton et al. (2008). Age tie points from 214.14 to 1138.54 mbsf from Levy et al. (2016).Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946796
 
Title Age-Depth tie points for DSDP Hole 28-274 
Description Ages have been assigned using the relaxed hybrid CONOP model of Crampton et al. (2016). No biostratigraphic markers exist in the interval directly below 141.26 so the age model here assumes the same sedimentation rate as between 113.6 and 141.26.Age tie points from 214.13 mbsf and above from: Acton et al. (2008). Age tie points from 214.14 to 1138.54 mbsf from Levy et al. (2016).Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946797
 
Title Age-Depth tie points for drill core ANDRILL 1B 
Description Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946793
 
Title Age-Depth tie points for drill core ANDRILL 2A 
Description Age tie points from 214.13 mbsf and above from: Acton et al. (2008). Age tie points from 214.14 to 1138.54 mbsf from Levy et al. (2016).Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946792
 
Title Age-Depth tie points for drill core CIROS 1 
Description Age above 366 mbsf from Roberts et al. (2003). Age below 366 mbsf applies magnetic stratigraphy of Wilson et al. 1998. Our age model (Fig. S1) remains within the shaded area of their figure 7, but places the E-O boundary at 547m, applying new biostratigraphic observations indicated in Supplementary Data Table 1.Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946794
 
Title Age-Depth tie points for drill core Cape Roberts 2/2A 
Description Age tie points from 214.13 mbsf and above from: Acton et al. (2008). Age tie points from 214.14 to 1138.54 mbsf from Levy et al. (2016).Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946795
 
Title BIT Index, GDGT-derived OPTiMAL and BAYSPAR paleotemperatures for the Mossy Grove sediment core 
Description Samples were processed for GDGTs at the Birmingham Molecular Climatology Laboratory, University of Birmingham. Lipids were extracted from ~10-15 g of homogenized sediment by ultrasonic extraction using dichloromethane (DCM):methanol (3:1). The total lipid extract was fractionated by silica gel chromatography using n-hexane, n-hexane:DCM (2:1), DCM, and methanol to produce four separate fractions, the last of which contained the GDGTs. Procedural blanks were also analyzed to ensure the absence of laboratory contaminants. Samples were filtered using hexane:isopropanol (99:1) through a 0.4 µm PTFE filter (Alltech part 2395), before being dried under a continuous stream of N2. Samples were then sent to the University of Bristol for analysis by LC-APCI-MS. HPLC-APCI-MS analyses were conducted at the National Environmental Isotope Facility, Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, with a ThermoFisher Scientific Accela Quantum Access triple quadrupole MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Normal phase separation was achieved using two ultra-high performance silica columns (Acquity UPLC BEH HILIC columns, 50 mm × ID 2.1 mm × 1.7 µm, 130 Å; Waters) were fitted with a 2.1 mm × 5 mm guard cartridge after Hopmans et al. (2016). The HPLC pump was operated at a flow rate of 200 µL min-1. GDGT determinations were based on single injections. A 15 µL aliquot was injected via an autosampler, with analyte separation performed under a gradient elution. The initial solvent hexane:iso-propanol (IPA) (98.2:1.8 v/v) eluted isocratically for 25 min, followed by an increase in solvent polarity to 3.5 % IPA in 25 min, and then by a sharp increase to 10 % IPA in 30 min (Hopmans et al., 2016). A 45 min washout period was applied between injections, whereby the column was flushed by injecting 25 µL hexane:isopropanol (99:1 v/v). GDGT peaks were integrated manually using Xcalibur software. In-house generated standard solutions were measured daily to assess system performance. One peat standard was run in a sequence for every 10 samples and integrated in the same way as the unknowns. Selected ion monitoring (SIM) was used to monitor abundance of the [M+H] + ion of the different GDGTs instead of full-scan acquisition in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and therefore yield higher sensitivity and reproducibility. SIM parameters were set to detect the protonated molecules of isoprenoid and branched GDGTs using the m/z (Schoon et al., 2013). The majority of sediments were found to contain a full range of both isoprenoid and branched GDGTs. Sea surface temperature (SST) estimations from GDGT assemblages are show based on two methodologies: the BAYSPAR Bayesian regression model of Tierney and Tingley (2014, 2015) using the 'analogue' version for deep-time applications; and, the OPTiMAL Gaussian process model of Dunkley Jones et al. (2020). When plotting BAYSPAR SSTs we distinguish samples with BIT indices greater than and less than 0.4, as high BIT can be associated with a small warm bias (Weijers et al., 2006). For the OPTiMAL model we apply its own internal screening criteria that quantifies the extent that fossil GDGT assemblages are non-analogue relative to the modern calibration data, using the Dnearest criteria with a cut-off value of 0.5. All but one pre-NIE GDGT assemblages have Dnearest values that exceed 0.5, whereas eight samples above this level have values less than 0.5.Only OPTiMAL SST data that pass the Dnearest screening criteria are shown. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960406
 
Title Benthic foraminifera stable isotope data for the Mossy Grove sediment core 
Description Sample preparation for benthic foraminiferal stable-isotope analyses: Sediment amples were prepared and analyzed at Kochi University. Samples were washed through a 63 µm screen with Calgon in tapwater, and the residue was dried at 50 °C. Specimens of U. jacksonensis were picked from the >150 µm fraction of the residues, and were found to be present in 38 sediment samples. The specimens are well-preserved appearing transparent to translucent in color under the light microscope (Figure S2). Using a Keyence VHX-2000 digital microscope and a JEOL JSM-6500F scanning electron microscope, the preservation of examined specimens was assessed. The light microscopic image is focus stacking. To extend this record down core, a further five samples were prepared at the University of Birmingham. These samples were dried in a low-temperature oven at 40°C for approximately one week in order to obtain a dry bulk sediment weight and then washed over a 63 µm sieve with de-ionised water. The coarse fraction (>63 µm) was dried in the oven and then dry sieved at 250-300 µm and individuals of the infaunal benthic foraminifera genus Uvigerina picked (wherever possible U. jacksonensis was selected). Any sample with more than two individuals was analyzed for stable isotopes (>10 µg).The stable carbon (d13C) and oxygen (d18O) isotope analysis of five benthic foraminiferal samples prepared at the University of Birmingham were performed at the British Geological Survey, Keyworth, UK on a dual inlet, gas source, isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The carbonate analysis method involves reacting the carbonate sample with anhydrous phosphoric acid to liberate CO2. All data are reported against Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite standard (VPDB). Calibration of the in-house standard with NBS-19 shows the analytical precision is < ±0.01‰ for both isotope ratios. For the 38 benthic foraminifera samples prepared at Kochi University, we used a Finnigan MAT253 mass-spectrometer system with a Kiel III carbonate device in the Center for Advanced Marine Core Research/Kochi Core Center (CMCR/KCC), Kochi University. Between 2-7 individuals were measured in each sample and were cleaned at least three times, using milli-Q and methanol in a sonic bath. NBS-19 and ANU-m2 were used as stable isotopes standards. The precisions of the measurements (1s) were 0.18‰ and 0.08‰ for d13C and d18O respectively, calculated using 24 repeat measurements of the standard. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960399
 
Title Biostratigraphic age events for drill core CIROS-1 
Description Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946798
 
Title Fine fraction (<20 µm) bulk stable isotope data for the Mossy Grove sediment core 
Description Sample preparation for carbonate fine-fraction stable-isotope data: A total of 444 bulk sediment samples, taken at ~30 cm spacing from the Mossy Grove Core (MGC), were processed at the University of Birmingham. The sediment was sieved over a 20 µm stainless steel mesh, with the fine fraction passing through the sieve captured on ultra-fine-grade filter paper and air dried. The sediment residue (>20 µm) was then transferred to 50 ml centrifuge tubes and organic matter within this fine fraction removed by overnight reaction with 5% sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) solution. The sample was then spun down at 4,500 rpm (6,800 × g) and the supernatant discarded. The sample was then washed 2-3 times with de-ionized water - each wash consisting of resuspension, agitation and then centrifuging and discarding of the solution as above - until a neutral pH was established. Samples were then weighed to provide sufficient sample mass for sample analysis.The stable carbon (d13C) and oxygen (d18O) isotope analysis of 444 fine-fraction sediment samples prepared at the University of Birmingham were performed at the British Geological Survey, Keyworth, UK on a dual inlet, gas source, isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The carbonate analysis method involves reacting the carbonate sample with anhydrous phosphoric acid to liberate CO2. All data are reported against Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite standard (VPDB). Calibration of the in-house standard with NBS-19 shows the analytical precision is < ±0.01‰ for both isotope ratios. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960398
 
Title GDGT abundances and indices for Ross Sea sample sites 
Description Note for AND1-1B (ANDRILL-1B): in samples with BIT values but no brGDGT values, the BIT has been taken from McKay et al. (2012).Antarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946782
 
Title OPTiMAL machine learning calibration for GDGT temperature estimation 
Description This code is used to predict sea surface temperatures from the relative abundances of GDGTs using two methodologies (GPR model and FWD model) as described in: OPTiMAL: A new machine learning approach for GDGT-based palaeothermometry Tom Dunkley Jones, Yvette L. Eley, William Thomson, Sarah E. Greene, Ilya Mandel, Kirsty Edgar, and James A. Bendle Climate of the Past 16, 2599-2617, 2020. doi:10.5194/cp-16-2599-2020. The GPR model, with its built-in nearest neighbour distance screening (together called 'OPTiMAL'), is recommended as the default method for predicting SSTs from GDGT distributions. The FWD model is provided as an avenue for potential future development. See manuscript for further details. 
Type Of Material Computer model/algorithm 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Model code available for wider research community and being used in other paleoclimate studies already submitted for publication. 
URL https://github.com/carbonatefan/OPTiMAL
 
Title Selected palynomorph-based indicators for the Mossy Grove sediment core 
Description Palynology: Altogether, 112 samples collected at ~1.2 m intervals from the Mossy Grove borehole between ~17.0 and 152.0 m were treated with 40% HCl for 30 minutes and 60% HF for 24 hours to dissolve carbonates and disaggregate the rock matrix, and sieved over a 10 µm nylon mesh to retain the HF effluent from the material. A second HCl treatment was applied to remove any precipitate, followed by a final sieving over a 10 µm mesh. The remaining sample material (>10 µm) was subjected to oxidation (70% HNO3 for exactly two minutes) to remove pyrite, debris and any unstructured organic material from the palynomorphs, followed by another sieving over a 10 µm mesh to remove any HNO3 effluent. A final cleaning treatment was undertaken with a combination of domestic and industrial detergents. Using swirling techniques, palynomorphs in each sample were then concentrated and Bismark brown was added to make them more visible with light microscopy. Finally, the samples were sieved into two size fractions, 10-30 µm (concentrating spores and pollen) and 30 µm+ (concentrating dinocysts), and then mounted on separate 22x22 mm coverslips, which were glued to a glass slide using Norland optical adhesive. In this work, only the coarse-fraction content of each slide was analyzed. A pilot survey of these slides revealed that the acid and oxidizing technique yielded higher diversity than their non-acid and non-oxidizing counterparts61. The coarse/fine-fraction sorting follows the premise that pollen and spores size mostly ranges between 11 and 44 µm, whereas dinocysts range between 20 and 150 µm62. All slides are stored in the collection of the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, and are available upon request from Tom Dunkley Jones.Palynomorph components: In this work, the coarse-fraction content of each slide was analyzed with a Zeiss transmitted light microscope (400x magnification). Two hundred dinocyst specimens were counted in each sample, along with any spores, pollen, algae (prasinophyceae and chlorophyceae), zoomorphs/zooclasts, phytoclasts and amorphous organic matter. Only palynomorphs that were more than 50% complete and not obscured either by air bubbles or organic debris were considered 63. Reworked acritarchs and amorphous organic matter were excluded from the final sum of palynomorphs and thereby from the percentage calculations. Palynomorph-based paleoenvironmental indicators include the peridinioid/gonyaulacoid dinocyst (P/G) ratio 64-70, and salinity reconstructions based on the relative abundance of the high-salinity favoring Homotryblium spp. 43,71-73 and in the ratio of short-to-long process of dinocyst genus Spiniferites 74-78. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960400
 
Title Updated ages for the McMurdo erratics and basis for age changes 
Description LAD: last appearance datum, FAD: first appearance datum, LO: Last occurrence, LCO: Last common occurrence, FO: First occurrenceAntarctica New Zealand Sir Robin Irvine PhD Scholarship awarded to B.D. Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research Fellowship awarded to B.D. New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801), and Contract C05X1001 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.946788
 
Title X-ray fluorescence data for the Mossy Grove sediment core 
Description Elemental composition of the sediment core was determined using two XRF techniques. 2,098 samples on the original core section were directly analyzed at a resolution of ~1.2 cm across the interval 17.1-109.4 m with a hand-held XRF analyzer at the core store of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, in Jackson, Mississippi. A further 179 samples were collected every 20-30 cm downcore, spanning the interval 106.8-151.6 m, and were subsequently finely ground and dried before analysis as pressed powders in wax pellets. Pellets were analyzed with a Bruker S8 TIGER XRF spectrometer with an 8 min analysis time, at the School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham. We selected the (Al+Fe+K+Ti)/Ca ratio as a paleoenvironmental indicator of terrigenous-derived versus marine planktonic carbonate sediment 79,80. The two methodologies were cross-calibrated over an interval of overlap between 106.8 and 109.4 m, with a total of ~80 samples, spanning a range of compositions, cross-correlated from both analysis methods. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.960404
 
Description Collaboration within the DeepMIP consortium 
Organisation University of Bristol
Department School of Geographical Sciences
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We have provided collaborations in data compilation and analysis to multiple papers coordinated by the DeepMIP project.
Collaborator Contribution The DeepMIP project is led by Prof. Dan Lunt of University of Bristol, and has provided multiple international networking and colloboration meetings and working groups.
Impact doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3149-2019 doi.org/10.5194/cp-16-1953-2020 doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-203-2021
Start Year 2017
 
Title carbonatefan/OPTiMAL: First release. 
Description OPTiMAL code in support of: Eley, Y. L., Thompson, W., Greene, S. E., Mandel, I., Edgar, K., Bendle, J. A., and Dunkley Jones, T.: OPTiMAL: A new machine learning approach for GDGT-based palaeothermometry, Clim. Past Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2019-60, in review, 2019. 
Type Of Technology Software 
Year Produced 2020 
Open Source License? Yes  
URL https://zenodo.org/record/4293850
 
Description Lapworth Museum of Geology Temporary Exhibition 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Ongoing temporary 4 month exhibition about ocean drilling and palaeoclimate research based at the Lapworth Museum of Geology (~60,000 visitors / year). Associated with outreach events (family fun day and evening events and lectures) as well as outreach website and free comic:

https://www.mysteriesofthedeep.org
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.mysteriesofthedeep.org
 
Description Lyme Regis Fossil Festival 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Lyme Regis Fossil Festival "hands on" micropaleontology outreach event - one day to primary school groups (x15), two days to the general public. General awareness raising of the study of climate change using microfossils.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017,2018
URL https://www.fossilfestival.co.uk
 
Description Mysteries of the Deep Exhibition at the Lapworth Museum of Geology 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Temporary exhibition on the Mysteries of the Deep Exhibition at the Lapworth Museum of Geology at the University of Birmingham from March-June 2019 including multiple public lectures and a public outreach day with >350 attendees.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.mysteriesofthedeep.org/
 
Description Participation in the annual Skype a Scientist outreach event 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact I participated in the Skype a Scientist annual outreach event, which saw me paired with two classes of children in the 11-14 age bracket in the USA. The purpose of this outreach is to connect children with working scientists, so that they can ask questions about your research and what life is like as a scientist. The overall aim of this international outreach scheme is to encourage the next generation of scientists, and it is therefore important that students see a representative range of scientists to widen participation.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Public lecture to Leicester Lit & Phil Soc (Geology Section) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Invited public lecture with extensive question and answer session. Multiple undergraduate students contacted me regarding future research areas, careers and opportunities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.charnia.org.uk/current%20winter%20programme/