Research | Geological Oceanography

Investigate the ocean floor and the processes that influence its structure.

Geological oceanographers study the composition, structure and processes associated with sedimentation and rock-forming processes in the ocean basins and within the Earth’s interior. Our faculty and staff are experts in marine geophysics, geodynamics, volcanology, geochemistry, paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, environmental magnetism, and seismology.

Topics

Monitoring Beach Changes
Hurricanes and Tsunamis
Deep Microbes
Oceanic Volcanic Activity
Data Collecting and Modeling
Coastal Management

Research

Name	Leaders	Themes
D’Hondt Lab (Geobiology)	Steve D’Hondt	The D’Hondt Lab addresses fundamental problems in geobiology, with particular focus on subseafloor life.
Kelley Group and Micro-Analytical Geochemistry Laboratory	Katherine Kelley	The Kelley Group focuses on what volcanoes can tell us about how the Earth’s interior works. They use samples of lava to study the composition of the Earth’s mantle and the processes that form magma beneath the surface.
Robinson Lab (Nitrogen and Carbon Cycles)	Rebecca Robinson	With a focus on biogeochemistry and paleoceanography, the Robinson Lab researchers the grand chemical cycles of nitrogen and carbon in the marine environment.
Seismology Lab	Yang Shen Matt Wei	The Seismology Lab uses seismic waves to investigate the structure and dynamics of the Earth’s interior and applies research in understanding earthquake and volcanic hazards and monitoring underground nuclear tests.
Walsh COAST Lab	J.P. Walsh	The COAST Lab strives to determine how materials move and accumulate along shorelines and in the sea.
Wei Lab	Matt Wei	The Wei Lab uses geophysical data, numerical models, and machine learning to study tectonics and earthquakes.

Service Centers & Collections

Micro-Analytical Geochemistry Laboratory

The Micro-Analytical Geochemistry Lab is a state-of the art facility, housing LA-ICP-MS and FTIR instruments for the analysis of geological, biological, hydrological, archaeological, and extraterrestrial materials for a variety of chemical attributes over a range of spatial scales

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Marine Geological Samples Laboratory

The Marine Geological Samples Laboratory (MGSL) is one of four NSF funded sample repositories for dredge rocks, deep-sea cores, and land-based geological samples. Its main purpose is to assure that geological samples are properly stored, described, preserved and available for use by qualified investigators from around the world.

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