Research Interests of Dr. Alan Wanamaker
My research is largely dedicated to documenting and understanding past climates from the tropical regions to high latitudes. Additionally, I am interested in developing new geochemical tools and proxy records for paleoclimatic applications. For my research, I primarily utilize light stable isotopes in both biogenic and inorganic carbonates. I direct the Stable Isotope Laboratory in the Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Climate.
Current Research
- Climate variability and mechanisms of climate change.
- Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) dynamics.
- Dynamics of atmospheric and oceanic shifts during recent climate anomalies, especially during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, the Little Ice Age, and the transition to Modern Climate.
- Carbon dynamics, cycling, and anthropogenic impacts (e.g., ocean acidification, 13C Suess effect) on Earth systems. Radiocarbon as a tracer of ocean circulation.
- Paleohydroclimate derived from the geochemistry of speleothems.
- Isotope geochemistry/clumped isotope geochemistry and thermometry in biogenic carbonates.
- Biomineralization in carbonates, and the development of new geochemical techniques and proxies using mollusks, corals, and corallines.
- Sclerochronology and isotope geochemistry of long-lived biogenic carbonates, and the development of advanced sclerochronology techniques.
- Error Estimation Methods using Proxy Archives.