We have been a centre of excellence for speleothem studies since 2003, with a distinctive character in integrating high-resolution palaeoclimate studies (including much work at the cutting edge of analytical geochemistry), as well as significant advances on modern geomorphic and hydrological influences on seasonal cave environments in karst.
This activity is underpinned by the stable isotope water analyses and carbonate isotope analyses in the isotope laboratory.
Related projects
- Atlantic Seaboard Climatic Reconstructions including Bounding Errors (ASCRIBE)
(NERC RAPID climate change programme)
This project uses speleothems from western Europe to constrain Holocene climates
- Atmospheric forcing of sulphate in speleothem carbonate
(NERC standard grant 2005-2009)
Collaboration with dendrochronologists at University of Wales Swansea, and the Museo Tridentino (Italy)
- Leverhulme network on annual phenomena in speleothems
(2006-2008)
In partnership with CNRS (Paris), Museo Tridentino, University of Georgia and the Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Reconstruction of Australian rainfall
Initiated under a Royal Society exchange (2007) and continues with the support of the Australian government and a Leverhulme Trust Study abroad award (2009-2010)
- Turkish speleothems
Linked with the Turkish palaeoenvironment work of Warren Eastwood
- Ethiopian speleothem records
Supported by a NERC standard grant (2009-2011) and NERC facility awards for isotope studies
Long-term project in collaboration with the NERC Isotope Geosciences Laboratory and the University of Addis Abbaba, integrating climate proxy and modelling approaches
- Elemental transport by colloids in karst
NERC support
Current work of research student Adam Hartland linked to a current NERC grant collaborative with Jamie Lead