Gideon Henderson

Research Profile

I am a geochemist researching climate change and the carbon cycle.

Paleoclimate: I develop and refine geochemical proxies to understand the history of the past environment. These include radioactive isotopes to study rates of processes, and stable-isotopes to understand variables such as past rainfall or weathering. I also construct timescales for these proxy-records, and run a leading chronology lab using U-Th and U-Pb dating to assess the history of sea level and of climate records in stalagmites.  The unifying goal of this work is to use paleoclimate to better understand the processes controlling climate change.

Ocean chemistry: The oceans play a critical role in driving climate via the carbon cycle. By making appropriate measurements in the water column and underlying core-top sediments, I assess the modern cycling of elements in the ocean, and calibrate paleoproxies  which enable reconstruction of the past ocean environment. I  research the iron cycle in the oceans – so important for its role as a limiting nutrient – assessing the fluxes of Fe into the ocean from atmosphere, land and sediment.

Greenhouse gas removal: I use understanding of natural geochemical processes in terrestrial and marine settings to assess the potential and risks of deliberate intervention in the carbon cycle to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.  This work includes consideration of enhanced weathering, assessing the impacts on soil, river, and ocean chemistry.  It also includes assessment of inorganic routes, including increasing ocean alkalinity.  In 2018 I chaired a Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering group to assess the range of options for Greenhouse Gas Removal.

At present, I am working as the Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Teaching Profile

I am not presently teaching undergraduate courses but in the recent past taught:  The Carbon Cycle (2nd year); Climate (3rd year; co-taught with Ros Rickaby and Samar Khatiwala); Topics in Oceanography (4th year; co-taught with other oceanographers); and the final year field trip to Bermuda.