Dr. Sarah Aarons

BIOGRAPHY:

Sarah Aarons is an Assistant Professor at Columbia University and part of the Geochemistry Division of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Her research focuses on the relationship between climate and the Earth’s surface and applies radiogenic and non-traditional stable isotopes from rocks and materials found in the Critical Zone (water, sediment, dust) to provide information about what formed that material, where it came from, its nutrient content, and what it can tell us about dynamic processes such as past wind direction or ice sheet coverage. One of the main goals of her research group is to provide a more mechanistic understanding of these processes in the modern so we can more accurately interpret the paleoclimate record. She uses an array of geochemical and isotopic techniques along with physical measurements and modeling to inform on sources and transport processes of elements. Her research includes independent and collaborative field campaigns, and some requires large scale cooperative efforts such as the development of new Antarctic ice core records.