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Petrology & Geochemistry
Sedimentary Geology & Paleontology
Tectonics & Structural Geology
Climate & Earth Surface Processes
Hydrological & Environmental Science
Planetary Sciences


Climate & Earth Surface Processes
 


The climate and earth surface processes researchers at UNLV study interactions between water, rock, atmosphere, and soils, that are affected by, affect, and record the global climate. These researchers use techniques such as stable isotopes, trace elements, microbiology, and geo- and soil chemistry to better understand processes at the earth's surface.

Subdisciplines

Paleoclimate and Climate
Soil Science
Earth Systems Change
Geomorphology
Stable Isotope Research


 


Participating Faculty

Brenda J. Buck
Professor


Soil Science & Geomorphology of Desert Landscapes (Modern & Ancient)
Elisabeth (Libby) M. Hausrath
Assistant Professor

Soil-forming Processes, Water-rock Interaction, Chemical Weathering
Ganqing Jiang
Associate Professor

Sequence and Chemostratigraphy, Sedimentology, Carbonate Diagensis
Matthew S. Lachniet
Associate Professor


Quaternary Geology, Paleoclimatology, Isotope Geochemistry

Cooperating Faculty

Henry Sun
Adjunct Faculty
Desert Research Institute (DRI)


Endolithic Microbes, Desert Microbiology, Geomicrobiology


Paleoclimate & Climate

Our faculty use a variety of techniques to better understand paleoclimate and climate. Isotope proxy records from speleothems are used to reconstruct climate, particularly rainfall histories, to evaluate climate change and variability in the neotropics. Paleotemperature proxies are also used to interpret seawater/surface temperature during times of elevated atmospheric CO2.

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Soil Science

Our faculty and students study the processes occurring in arid soils and paleosols to better understand and quantify them. Some recent topics include the study of dust emissions from Nellis Dunes, NV, and the Salton Sea, CA; the importance of microbiotic crusts and the controls on their distribution in arid landscapes, and their controls on soil formation; the genesis and distribution of salt and carbonate minerals in arid landscapes and their controls on heavy metals and radionuclide contamination, geomorphology, & paleoclimate interpretations.

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Earth Systems Change

The earth has changed significantly over time. UNLV Geoscience faculty work on various aspects of global change, including climate records, paleosols, and weathering relevant to the Archean and early biosphere.

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Geomorphology

Our faculty and students study several geomorphic topics, including the landscape evolution of arid landforms; the genesis of hyper-arid landforms in the Atacama Desert, Chile; geomorphic processes of patterned-ground formation; geomorphic and surficial maps of Nevada and their application towards flood hazard analyses & land-use planning; and interpreting the paleoclimate and landscape evolution of arid geomorphic surfaces containing petrocalcic horizons.

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Stable Isotope Research

Our faculty use stable isotopes to better understand paleoclimate and the paleoenvironment, including topics such as the role of climate change in the tropics, including rainfall histories and climate variability, the origin of the late Neoproterozoic to Cambrian carbon isotope excursions, the relationship between sea-level change and isotope excursions, and seawater and surface temperature during times of elevated atmospheric CO2. Research areas include Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Alaska, Utah, Nevada, and China.

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Lilly Fong Geoscience Building (LFG) 104B
Phone: 702.895.3262; FAX 702.895.4064
Email: geodept@unlv.edu
Department of Geoscience
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4010