Marine chemistry is one of the core disciplines of marine science; and research in this area is aimed at understanding chemical parameters that describe the ocean and atmosphere system. This discipline includes a study of how biological, geological and physical processes affect and are affected by the chemical character of the ocean. Our scientists work on a variety of scales, ranging from understanding the chemistry of individual atoms or the structure and cycling of individual molecules, to describing global biogeochemical cycles and determining the chemical composition of the oceans. Their work encompasses the entire geological timescale, from defining the chemistry of the modern ocean to defining the chemistry of the ocean at the time of its formation. As such, the group at Scripps is very diverse in its composition, expertise, and research approach, and so, offers a comprehensive perspective on the earth system as a whole.


The chemistry of the ocean has played and continues to play a pivotal role in making the earth a habitable place - mediating processes such as the synthesis of pre-biotic organic molecules or maintaining the earth's heat balance. Of particular relevance is the large role ocean chemistry plays in controlling atmospheric concentrations of CO₂, thereby greatly alleviating green house warming. The Marine Chemistry group at Scripps spans this whole spectrum of research areas.

The Marine Chemistry group within GRD consists of Lihini Aluwihare, Jeff Bada, Kathy Barbeau, Wolf Berger, Kevin Brown, Chris Charles, Neal Driscoll, Dave Hilton, Miriam Kastner, Dave Keeling, Ralph Keeling, Devendra Lal, Tim Lueker, Dick Norris, Jeff Severinghaus, Ray Weiss, and Martin Whalen .

Areas of research in Marine Chemistry include:

• Biogeochemical cycling of trace metals in marine systems (K. Barbeau)


• Chemical and biological controls on marine dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen cycling (L. Aluwihare)


• Climate change and ecosystem response (W. Berger) see Earth Guide


• Controls on atmospheric CO₂ and O₂ (C. D. Keeling, R. Keeling), T. Lueker).


• Coral and deep-sea sediment-core records of climate variability (C. Charles , R. Norris)


• Geochemistries of volcanic and geothermal phenomena (D. Hilton)


• Hydrological and biogeochemical interactions in hydrates and subduction zones (K. Brown, M. Kastner)


• Ice-core records of paleoatmospheres and paleoceanographic processes (J. Severinghaus, M. Whalen)


• Natural and anthropogenic trace gas emissions (R.Weiss)


• Planetary science studies based on nuclear processes including cosmic ray geophysics, with applications to meteoritics, meteorology, oceanography, hydrology, geomorphology, polar ice records and paleoclimatology (D.Lal)
  The Primary thrust of D. Lal's work is in the fields of cosmic ray physics, nuclear physics, earth sciences and solar system physics. His early work was in fields of composition and energy spectrum of primary cosmic radiation, and elementary particle physics. He currently explores different ways in which natural processes can be utilized with an advantage to understand planetary physical and chemical processes and their rate constants. His work has emphasized studies of cosmic ray produced radioisotopes in diverse terrestrial environments, atmosphere, lakes, polar ice caps, oceans and sediments; and of nuclear tracks and radioactivity in moon, meteorites and terrestrial samples. Several nuclear methods were developed by him in close collaboration with his students.)
  


• Sedimentation and stratigraphy (N. Driscoll)


• Terrestrial and extraterrestrial amino acid chemistry and biochemistry (J. Bada )


• Variations in the carbon cycle at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary (R. Norris)