Project Info
Do largest changes in climate correspond to largest drivers?
Piret Plink-Bjorklund | pplink@mines.edu
Is climate change a gradual process where successively stronger drivers cause successively stronger responses, or are there critical thresholds? The goal of this project is to use the best studied past extreme global warming period in Paleogene to compare the occurrence of major shifts in climate to major drivers, based on literature data. We hypothesize that major shifts pre- and post-date the peak drivers as they are rather driven by critical thresholds.
More Information
A paper on Paleogene climate conditions: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2017.07.014
Research group website: https://www.mines.edu/sedimentology/
Grand Engineering Challenge: Not applicable
Student Preparation
Qualifications
No specific qualifications other than the wish to learn.
Time Commitment
4-5 hours hours/week
Skills/Techniques Gained
The student will learn how to set up and conduct research projects, including scientific questions and testable hypothesis, how to plan and conduct work that ensures results, and how to disseminate the results by conference presentations or publications. The student will learn what characterizes different climate types and how they change during global warming. The student will also develop techniques for spatial and temporal data analyses and presentation using GIS or other platforms.
Mentoring Plan
The student will work closely with me. We will set up regular bi-weekly meetings to monitor the progress. We will together develop a research plan and decide on expected outcomes. The student is also invited to join weekly research group meetings and any other activities. I will encourage the student to present at the department’s yearly science fair as well as at a major conference, and to co-author a publication.