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The Biogeochemical Particle Flux and Sedimentation Group at SMAST, led by Dr. Cynthia H. Pilskaln (Ph.D., Geosciences, Harvard University,1985), focuses on the temporal and spatial relationships between water column particle fluxes and sedimentation. Our goal is to quantify and model particulate carbon, silica and related elemental fluxes through the water column and their sedimentary accumulation in relation to climate change. Research projects emphasize the dynamics of particle formation, sinking, remineralization, resuspension and/or sedimentation as a function of biological, physical and chemical forcing functions. We examine these processes over variable time scales at study sites across the globe and use moored, high-resolution time-series instrumentation, underwater vehicle technologies, sediment coring, and state of the art laboratory t echniques to measure major elemental fluxes and deposition. Applications of our research are to basin and global-scale C, N and Si budgets, remineralization and burial models, and paleoceanography/paleolimnology. |
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Cynthia H. Pilskaln
(My story: http://vimeo.com/20516848) Professor and Marine Sciences Graduate Program Director SMAST Department of Estuarine & Ocean Sciences 706 South Rodney French Blvd New Bedford, MA 02744-1221 cpilskaln@umassd.edu 508 910-6327 | |
Awards and Honors
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Gulf of Maine sediment traps and time-series filtration sampler deployments, 2008-2011.
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Long-coring, multi-coring and sediment trap deployments, North Atlantic, R/V Knorr, 2010-2011.
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Visit to Institute of Oceanography, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
2012 as Adjunct Professor to develop new research and academic partnerships.
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Laboratory
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Seagoing
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Tuesday-Thursday 1:30-2:45pm, SMAST I, Room 204
Course Description
This 3-credit course is open to graduate-level and upper-level under-grad. (science majors) students. It consists of an introduction to the principal topics in geological oceanography starting with the history of ocean floor exploration, theories of ocean basin formation, determination of geologic time and going through the major dynamic processes shaping and characterizing the seafloor--from beaches to basins, reefs to estuaries. Overviews of marine geophysics and plate tectonics, sea level variation and the formation of coastlines and reefs, and the importance of paleoceanography to assessing climate change will be presented and discussed. Throughout the course a highly interdisciplinary approach is taken and pertinent material on the interaction between marine geology/sedimentology, marine chemistry, physics, and biology will be presented. Wherever possible, the results of recent studies and special topics will be incorporated into the class material. Anticipated class size should permit student participation during lectures with respect to instructor-initiated discussion.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of course, students will be able to:
Monday 11:00-12:30pm, SMAST I, Room 204
Course Description
Three-credit graduate course involves readings and discussion of the most recent comprehensive reports and books on evidence for and issues related to anthropogenic, greenhouse gas-induced climate change, impacts on the marine and terrestrial environment, CO2 mitigation/sequestration strategies, plus reviews of specific regional and local climate change issues and solutions. All reports, reprints and book chapters will be provided on-line or as hard copies. We will also make use of “late-breaking” news and reports on the overall topic of anthropogenic CO2-induced climate change and strategies for the future. Students will be expected to participate in all discussions, will be asked to prepare and lead one topic/class discussion and will complete a short research paper using original literature on a climate change topic of their choosing.
Monday-Thursday 8:00 am-7:00 pm / Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm
Registration available in May for any 4-6 week period within June through end August summer sessions.
Contact UMass Dartmouth Registrar’s Office/University Enrollment Center; 508-999-8857 or 999-8866.
Course Description
The School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) which includes the Department of Estuarine and Ocean Sciences (DEOS) and Department of Fisheries Oceanography (DFO), offers a 4-6 week, summer research internship for 2 credits open to undergraduate science and engineering majors within and outside UMass Dartmouth. The goals of the internship are to provide undergraduates with hands-on research experiences in marine science and to engage students who may have an interest in pursuing a graduate degree and professional career in oceanography. Modest living expense support/stipend payment is available on an individual basis.
Examples of internship topics in the following general research areas are:
Each intern will work with a particular faculty member determined by mutual research interests and development of an internship project/activity. Students are encouraged to review SMAST faculty web pages and directly contact faculty with whom they may want to work as a summer intern. Pertinent readings and/or background information relative to each internship research area and project will be provided by the individual SMAST faculty hosting/advising the summer intern. Evaluation of the internship performance/credit will be based on an agreed upon attendance and interaction schedule and the completion of a research activity report by the student at the end of the internship period.
Pertinent readings and/or background information relative to each internship research area and project will be provided by the individual SMAST faculty hosting/advising the summer intern.
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Course Description
A new course abroad is being developed UMD undergraduate science and engineering majors to study marine science and ecology at a Brazilian coastal research station operated by the University of Sao Paulo (USP). Hands-on activities in the field (i.e., conducted aboard a coastal research vessel, shoreline and mangrove excursions on foot and in small boats, etc.) and in laboratories will be emphasized. Topics will be diverse and range from estuarine biology/chemistry/geology, coastal currents and tidal flow, tropical marine ecology, coastal sedimentation and transport processes, oceanographic connections between the coast and the open-ocean, modern oceanographic methods and techniques, etc., dependent upon the instructors' specialty areas.
The course is planned for a start date of late May 2015 (following the end of spring semester). Following a week of UMD on-campus meetings to discuss and organize the course plan and logistics, students and faculty to coastal Brazil research station located in Cananeia, Brazil for 2 weeks where field and lab-based activities will be conducted. A course web site will be available where students will obtain travel information, course requirement details and background reading materials. At the Brazilian coastal station, student teams will be organized to work in the field and in the lab on a specific marine topic, guided and mentored by the instructors. Each student will submit a short written report at the end of the course on their topic area, describe what was accomplished in the field and lab, and give their impressions of their Brazil experience.
For all students and faculty: Lodging and meals at the coastal station plus transportation within Brazil will be covered by USP. Estimated total cost per student for the first-offering of the course (including the 3 credit course, round trip airfare, and program coordination) is ~$2000, with substantial cost-offsets being provided by UMD and USP. Contact: UMD International Programs Office: 508-910-6506.
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Kazuhiro Hayashi (BS, Chemistry, Nihon University, Japan, 1995; MS, Geoscience, Hokkaido University, 1998; Ph.D., Univ, MA Dartmouth awarded 2014.
Thesis title: Biogeochemical Particle Flux, Resuspension and Deposition in the Western Gulf of Maine
Elissa Ward (BS, Biochemistry, Penn State University, 2007), Ph.D. candidate.
Tentative thesis title: Diatom Flux and Deposition in the Gulf of Maine: Indicators of Seasonal to Decadal Environmental and Production Variability
James Littrell (BS, Marine Science, Boston University, 2014), MS candidate.
Crystal Falkner (University of New England); Gulf of Maine biogeochemical particle fluxes and benthic nepheloid layer dynamics.
Katherine Knight (Mt. Holyoke College); Gulf of Maine biogeochemical particle fluxes and benthic nepheloid layer dynamics.
Hannah Allen (Hamilton College); Buzzard's Bay side-scan sonar survey and data analysis.
Amit Sarkar (Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar); Seasonal temperature and salinity variability with depth in Western Gulf of Maine.
Steve Manganini (Wishing Moon Hill, LLC), elemental geochemistry specialist.
Jon Wood (Ocean Data Technology, Inc.), mooring technical specialist.