Interhemispheric ocean circulation and climate variability during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition

Abstract

Abrupt shifts in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a key driver of global heat distribution, are closely tied to Pleistocene rapid climate changes. The absence of a continuous high-resolution flow strength record from the eastern component of the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT, ~1250–750 ka) limits our understanding of deep ocean circulation’s role in regulating Earth’s climate. This research will generate millennial-scale sortable silt grain size, ice-rafted debris, stable isotopic, and geochemical proxy data from Gardar Drift sediments (IODP Site U1564 near the Reykjanes Ridge south of Iceland) to reconstruct MPT bottom current flow strengths and iceberg discharge, clarifying the link and phasing associated with climate oscillations involving thermohaline circulation and ice sheet dynamics.

Biography

I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Geology in Nigeria before moving to the United States to pursue my PhD. At Ahmadu Bello University, my undergraduate research involved geological mapping and petrological analysis of sandstone outcrops, while my master’s thesis at the University of Lagos focused on sedimentary provenance using heavy minerals. After my master’s, I briefly explored a career in tech, working as a Project Manager, but soon realized my passion remained in geosciences and research. This led me to seek a PhD program aligned with my interests in sedimentary processes, climate, and environmental change, ultimately joining Dr. Molly Patterson’s research group at Binghamton University. My PhD focuses on reconstructing past climate, ocean circulation, and ice sheet interactions using proxy data from deep-sea sediment cores collected during two IODP Expeditions—one from the North Atlantic and another from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet margin. After my first year, I sailed on IODP Expedition 395 as a shipboard sedimentologist, an invaluable experience collaborating with researchers and technicians from diverse backgrounds. Supported by my advisor, USAC mentor, collaborators, and the Schlanger Fellowship, I am excited to advance this research and share its findings with the scientific community.