Dr Philip Pogge von Strandmann

NERC Research Fellow


Research Theme
Environment, oceans and climate

Research Area
Isotopes and Climate

TelephoneSearch the directory
Email:philip.vonStrandmann@earth.ox.ac.uk
Homepage:
http://www.gly.bris.ac.uk/people/paepvs.html

Research Profile

I am an isotope geochemist with interests in understanding the controlling mechanisms of natural climate system change. Severe climate change events in geological history represent our only evidence of how the Earth responds to rapid warming or cooling.

Weathering and palaeo-weathering

Weathering of continental silicate rocks is the Earth's largest natural sink of atmospheric CO2. This makes weathering a dominant climate controlling mechanism on timescales of >10,000 years. However, as yet we do not have a clear idea of what controls chemical weathering, and therefore long-term climate change. I use the isotope systems of lithium, magnesium and uranium to understand and constrain both modern and past weathering processes, and link them to changes in climatic conditions (such as temperature and CO2 levels).

Evolution of the atmosphere

Current evidence suggests that the Earth's atmosphere changed from a reduced form to its current oxidised state in two main steps at ~2.4 and ~0.6 billion years ago. These events are highly significant not just in atmospheric development, but also as controlling factors in the evolution of life on Earth. I am studying these periods using selenium isotopes, a novel proxy of redox processes that I have developed. This work will provide more information on the timing and degree of atmospheric redox change that occurred in these oxidation events.

Selected Publications (Extended Publications)

  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, Elliott, T, Marschall, HR, Coath, C, Lai, Y-J, Jeffcoate, AB, Ionov, DA, (2011) 'Variations of Li and Mg isotope ratios in bulk chondrites and mantle xenoliths', GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA. pp. 5247-5268 doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2011.06.026
  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, Burton, KW, Porcelli, D, James, RH, van Calsteren, P, Gislason, SR, (2011) 'Transport and exchange of U-series nuclides between suspended material, dissolved load and colloids in rivers draining basaltic terrains', EARTH PLANET SC LETT. pp. 125-136 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.10.029
  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, Burton, KW, James, RH, van Calsteren, P, Gislason, SR, (2010) 'Assessing the role of climate on uranium and lithium isotope behaviour in rivers draining a basaltic terrain', CHEM GEOL. pp. 227-239 doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2009.12.002
  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, (2008) 'Precise magnesium isotope measurements in core top planktic and benthic foraminifera', GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS. pp. doi: 10.1029/2008GC002209
  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, Burton, KW, James, RH, van Calsteren, P, Gislason, SR, Sigfusson, B, (2008) 'The influence of weathering processes on riverine magnesium isotopes in a basaltic terrain', EARTH PLANET SC LETT. pp. 187-197 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2008.09.020
  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, James, RH, van Calsteren, P, Gislason, SR, Burton, KW, (2008) 'Lithium, magnesium and uranium isotope behaviour in the estuarine environment of basaltic islands', EARTH PLANET SC LETT. pp. 462-471 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2008.07.041
  • Marschall, HR, Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, Seitz, H-M, Elliott, T, Niu, Y, (2007) 'The lithium isotopic composition of orogenic eclogites and deep subducted slabs', EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS. pp. 563-580 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2007.08.005
  • Pogge von Strandmann, PAE, Burton, KW, James, RH, van Calsteren, P, Gislason, SR, Mokadem, F, (2006) 'Riverine behaviour of uranium and lithium isotopes in an actively glaciated basaltic terrain', EARTH PLANET SC LETT. pp. 134-147 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2006.09.001
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