Sedimentology and Paleoclimate Lab
Occidental College
Paleoclimate
An important goal of paleoclimate research is to understand the causes and scale of past climate variability, including feedbacks that resulted in distinct and/or nonlinear system changes on local and regional scales. Earth's climate system is currently changing in a manner that is outside the range of historical observations. Reconstructions of past Arctic and alpine environments derived from sedimentary deposits are important for placing such changes within the context of longer- term geomorphic and ecologic development, and may improve projections of future changes and the efficacy of natural resource management in these sensitive regions.
Paleoclimate
Related Publications, Grants, and Awards
National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation Program (NSF-MRI). “MRI: Acquisition of a Malvern Particle Size Analyzer for Interdisciplinary Research and Undergraduate Education and Research Training” (PI: Larsen, Co-PI: Stubler); NSF Award# 2116744 (2021-2024).
Larsen, D.J., Crump, S.E., *Blumm, A.R., 2020. Alpine glacier resilience and Neoglacial fluctuations linked to Holocene snowfall trends in the western United States. Science Advances 6, 1-7.
Fulbright-NSF Arctic Scholar Program. “Quantifying the relative roles of climate and human activity in driving landscape dynamics and ecosystem changes in the Icelandic highlands during the Holocene”; (2020).
Geirsdóttir, Á., Miller, G.H., Andrews, J.T., Harning, D.J., Anderson, L.S., Florian, C., Larsen, D.J., Thordarson, T., 2019. The onset of Neoglaciation in Iceland and the 4.2 ka event. Climate of the Past 15, 25-40.
Occidental College Richter Trust Faculty Scholarship. “Reconstructing Holocene landscape dynamics and ecosystem changes in the central Icelandic highlands”; (2019).
National Science Foundation Geomorphology and Land Use Dynamics Program (NSF-GLD). “RUI: Collaborative Research: Quantifying the roles of tectonic activity and climate as drivers of glacial-interglacial landscape evolution in the Teton Range, Wyoming” (Co-PI's: J. Licciardi, G. Thackray); NSF Award #1755067 (2018-present)
Larsen, D.J., Finkenbinder, M.S., Abbott, M.B., *Ofstun, A., 2016. Deglaciation and postglacial environmental changes in the Teton Mountain Range recorded at Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, WY. Quaternary Science Reviews 138, 62-75.
Geirsdóttir, Á., Miller, G.H., Larsen, D.J., 2016. Landforms in Hvítárvatn, central Iceland, produced by recent advances of surging and non-surging glaciers. In: Dowdeswell, J.A., Canals, M., Jakobsson, M., Todd, B.J., Dowdeswell, E.K., Hogan, K.A., (Eds.), Atlas of Submarine Glacial Landforms: Modern, Quaternary and Ancient. The Geological Society of London 46, 1-4.
Larsen, D.J., Geirsdóttir, Á., Miller, G.H., 2015. Precise chronology of Little Ice Age expansion and repetitive surges of Langjökull, central Iceland. Geology 43, 167-170.
Larsen, D.J., Miller, G.H., Geirsdóttir, Á., 2013. Asynchronous Little Ice Age glacier fluctuations in Iceland and European Alps linked to shifts in subpolar North Atlantic circulation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 380, 52-59.
Miller, G.H., Briner, J.P., Refsnider, K.A., Lehman, S.J., Geirsdóttir, Á., Larsen, D.J., Southon, J.R., 2013. Substantial agreement on the timing and magnitude of Late Holocene ice cap expansion between East Greenland and the Eastern Canadian Arctic: A commentary on Lowell et al., 2013. Quaternary Science Reviews 77, 239-245.
Geirsdóttir, Á., Miller, G.H., Larsen, D.J., Ólafsdóttir, S., 2013. Abrupt Holocene climate transitions in the northern North Atlantic region recorded by synchronized lacustrine records in Iceland. Quaternary Science Reviews 70, 48-62.
Ólafsdóttir, K.B., Geirsdóttir, Á., Miller, G.H., Larsen, D.J., 2013. Evolution of NAO and AMO strength and cyclicity derived from a 3 ka varve-thickness record from Iceland. Quaternary Science Reviews 69, 142-154.
Larsen, D.J., Miller, G.H., Geirsdóttir, Á., Ólafsdóttir, S., 2012. Non-linear Holocene climate evolution in the North Atlantic: a high-resolution, multi-proxy record of glacier activity and environmental change from Hvítárvatn, central Iceland. Quaternary Science Reviews 39, 14-25.
Miller, G.H., Geirsdóttir, Á., Zhong, Y., Larsen, D.J., Otto-Bliesner, B.L., Holland, M., Bailey, D.A., Refsnider, K.A., Lehman, S.J., Southon, J.R., Anderson, C., Bjornsson, H., Thordarson, T., 2012. Abrupt onset of the Little Ice Age triggered by volcanism and sustained by sea-ice/ocean feedbacks. Geophysical Research Letters 39, L02708, doi:10.1029/2011GL050168.
Larsen, D.J., Miller, G.H., Geirsdóttir, Á., Thordarson, T., 2011. A 3000-year varved record of glacier activity and climate change from the proglacial lake Hvítárvatn, Iceland. Quaternary Science Reviews 30, 2715-2731.