Bob Hilton

I am a geochemist who studies the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and rocks, and how these carbon transfers respond to and drive climate change.

Our research group Earth Surface Geochemistry @Oxford quantifies how erosion and weathering processes act as CO₂ sinks, and CO₂ sources, and transfer CO₂ between the atmosphere, hydrosphere and oceans, and long-term, geological storage in sedimentary deposits.

To do this, we’ve developed several geochemical approaches, which include trace element proxies of weathering and their isotopes (e.g. rhenium), while also tracking carbon as CO_­2, CH₄, dissolved and particulate organic carbon, and their radiocarbon and stable C isotope composition.

We have a current research focus (ERC, NERC and Leverhulme funded) on climate change impacts on carbon cycles in the Arctic and high latitudes. Fieldwork is focused on the Mackenzie River Basin and the Isle of Lewis. These include projects to understand and predict weathering processes which act as a CO2 sink via the “mineral permafrost feedback”, alongside the leak of CO₂ and CH₄ from landscapes to rivers and to the atmosphere. We are also interested in wider impacts of changing weathering reactions on rivers, including trace metal delivery and fate, and how enhanced weathering impacts river chemistry.

I teach "Earth Surface Processes and Products" in our Prelims (Year 1) course introducing sedimentary rocks.

In Year 2, I lead the Dorset Field Course, which provides an excellent location to apply and further refine our skills of sedimentary rock observation and interpretation.

I teach the "Carbon Cycle" course (Year 2) which provides an overview of the modern-day carbon cycle and the key processes and impacts of ongoing anthropogenic perturbations. We then consider the longer-term carbon cycle and provide a grounding for future courses on these topics.

In Year 3, I co-teach a new course "Biogeochemistry of Earth's surface", where we can delve deeper into more advanced themes on weathering, rivers and the carbon cycle across timescales.  

I supervise Masters student projects in our 4th year of the course.

I also teach a variety of topics as part of our Tutorial system, including sedimentary geology, carbon cycle, biogeochemistry, geochemical and geological mapping, essay writing. 

Find information on the ongoing ERC Consolidator Grant RIV-ESCAPE here

If you're interested in the completed ERC Starting Grant "ROC-CO2" - please see the webpage

I am open to consultancy opportunities - please feel free to get in touch.

If you're a student thinking about a DPhil - check out the department page for any projects we have advertised.