peter | Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Prof. Peter B. Demenocal

Professor

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Biology and Paleo Environment

Associate Chair

Earth and Environmental Sciences

211 Geoscience

61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000

Palisades

10964-8000

Phone:

(845) 365-8483

View Website

Fields of interest:

Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology

I study marine sediment to reconstruct past changes in ocean circulation and terrestrial climate. Our group primarily uses stable isotopic and trace metal (Mg/Ca) analyses of foraminifera and terrigenous sediment geochemistry to investigate how and why climates have changed in the past. Recent research projects include: Holocene climate and ocean circulation variability

Some of my projects include:

African climate change and Human evolution ( details )
Holocene climate variability ( details )
Abrupt onset and termination of the African Humid Period ( details )
Cultural responses to Holocene climate changes ( details )
Mollusc geochemistry and reconstructing seasonal to multiannual records of coastal oceean temperatures ( details)

Education

Ph.D. (Geology)

Columbia University

1991

M.S. (Oceanography)

University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography

1986

B.S. (Geology) cum laude

St. Lawrence University

1982

Honors & Awards:

ODP-USSAC Distinguished Lecturer 1998

Bruce Heezen Award, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory 1989

Educational Activities:

Director of Undergraduate Studies (DEES)

EESC V1003 - "Science and Society"

EESC W4937y ? ?Ocean Sedimentation and Stratigraphy?

Seminar in Geochemistry

Lamont Projects:

Abrupt Tropical Responses to Gradual Insolation Forcing

African Climate and Human Evolution

Selected Publications:

African climate change and faunal evolution during the Pliocene-Pleistocene, DeMenocal, P. B. , Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Mar 30, Volume 220, Issue 1-2, p.3-24, (2004), Doi 10.1016/S0012-821x(04)00003-2

Late Holocene variability of upper North Atlantic Deep Water temperature and salinity, Marchitto, T. M.; deMenocal, P. B. , Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, Dec 6, Volume 4, p.-, (2003), Doi 10.1029/2003gc000598

Cultural responses to climate change during the Late Holocene, deMenocal, P. B. , Science, Apr 27, Volume 292, Issue 5517, p.667-673, (2001)

Abrupt onset and termination of the African Humid Period: rapid climate responses to gradual insolation forcing, deMenocal, P.; Ortiz, J.; Guilderson, T.; Adkins, J.; Sarnthein, M.; Baker, L.; Yarusinsky, M. , Quaternary Science Reviews, Jan, Volume 19, Issue 1-5, p.347-361, (2000)

Coherent high- and low-latitude climate variability during the holocene warm period, deMenocal, P.; Ortiz, J.; Guilderson, T.; Sarnthein, M. , Science, Jun 23, Volume 288, Issue 5474, p.2198-2202, (2000)