Sedimentology and Paleoclimate Lab
Occidental College
Sedimentary Geology
Sediments chronicle the evolution of the surface of our planet. Thus, sedimentary analyses have a wide range of applications in Earth sciences, including geomorphic, hydrologic, and ecosystem studies, and human-landscape interactions. For example, because virtually all surface processes involve the production, transport, and eventual deposition of sediment, the analysis of sediments (and particularly their physical, geochemical, or organic components) can be used to describe a site’s geomorphic setting in space and time. These data, and the surface processes they reflect, constrain the complex linkages between the deep Earth, hydrosphere, biological systems, atmosphere, and human systems.
Sedimentary Geology
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).
Larsen, D.J., Crump, S.E., Abbott, M.B., Harbert, W., *Blumm, A.R., Wattrus, N., Heberger, J., 2019. Paleoseismic evidence for climatic and magmatic controls on the Teton Fault, WY. Geophysical Research Letters 46, doi: 10.1029/2019GL085475.
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.
Reilly, B.T., Stoner, J.S., Hatfield, R.G., Abbott, M.B., Marchetti, D.W., Larsen, D.J., Finkenbinder, M.S., Hillman, A.L., Kuehn, S.C., Heil, C.W., 2018. Regionally Consistent Western North America Paleomagnetic Directions from 15-35 ka: Assessing Chronology and Uncertainty with Paleosecular Variation (PSV) Stratigraphy. Quaternary Science Reviews 201, 186-205.
Occidental College Richter Trust Faculty Scholarship. “Reconstructing Holocene landscape dynamics and ecosystem changes in the central Icelandic highlands”; (2019).
National Geographic Society Research Grant. “Lakes and Quakes: Using alpine lake sediments to unravel the earthquake history of Grand Teton National Park, WY”; Award #NGS-153R-18 (2018-2020).
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.
National Science Foundation Geomorphology and Land Use Dynamics (NSF-GLD) EAGER Program “Reconstructing the paleoseismic history of the Teton Fault using lake sediments at Grand Teton National Park, WY”; (Co-PI; M. Abbott); NSF Award #1546677 (2015-2017).
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.