Marine geochemistry uses chemical elements and their isotopes to study how the ocean works in terms of ocean circulation, chemical composition, biological activity and atmospheric CO2 regulation. This rapidly growing field is at a crossroad for many disciplines (physical, chemical and biological oceanography, geology, climatology, ecology, etc.). It provides important quantitative answers to questions such as: What is the deep ocean mixing rate? How much atmospheric CO2 is pumped by the ocean? How fast are pollutants removed from the ocean? How do ecosystems react to anthropogenic pressure? This text gives a simple introduction to the concepts, the methods and the applications of marine geochemistry with a particular emphasis on isotopic tracers. Overall introducing a very large number of topics (physical oceanography, ocean chemistry, isotopes, gas exchange, modelling, biogeochemical cycles), with a balance of didactic and indepth information, it provides an outline and a complete course in marine geochemistry.
Throughout, the book uses a hands-on approach with worked out exercises and problems (with answers provided at the end of the book), to help the students work through the concepts presented. A broad scale approach is take including ocean physics, marine biology, ocean-climate relations, remote sensing, pollutions and ecology, so that the reader acquires a global perspective of the ocean. It also includes new topics arising from ongoing research programs. This textbook is essential reading for students, scholars, researchers and other professionals.
Matthieu Roy-Barman, Professor, Versailles-Saint Quentin University and Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnent, France, Catherine Jeandel, Research Director, National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Etude en Geophysique et Oceanographie Spatiale, France
Matthieu Roy-Barman received his Doctorate in Fundamental Geochemistry in 1993 at the Institut de Physique du Globe in Paris, France. After 2 years of post-doc at the California Institute of Technology, USA, he joined the oceanography laboratory of Toulouse University (LEGOS), France, in 1995 as an assistant professor. In 2002, he moved to the "Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement" and the Versailles University, France, where he is professor since 2005. His research fields the role of marine particles in the ocean biogeochemical cycles and the fate of contaminant in the urban environment together with methodological developments for the analysis of natural radioactive isotopes.
Catherine Jeandel obtained a PhD in marine geochemistry at Paris VII University, France, and later a research position at CNRS. She moved in 1985 to the University of Toulouse, France, where she is working in the "Toulouse Isotopie Marine" research group of the Laboratoire d'Etudes en Geophysique et Oceanographie Spatiale (LEGOS). Her research is focused on quantifying the fluxes and processes that govern the chemical state of the ocean. She stands among the pioneers in developing trace element and their isotope analyses for seawater and marine particles. With other marine geochemists, she advocates multi-tracer approaches to resolve oceanic processes, yielding the ongoing international GEOTRACES program.
