Research summary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent geologic era, spanning the last 2.6 million years. It is famous for multiple cycles of glacial growth and retreat as well as the extinction of many species of large mammals and birds. As Canada Research Chair in Quaternary Volcanism, Dr. Britta Jensen is studying the surface processes, climates and environments present on Earth during this period.
She and research team are using tephrochronology—the study of volcanic ash—to gain insights into natural climate variation, sedimentary processes, and volcano-climate interactions and hazards. Their goal is to build a detailed record of volcanism in northwestern North America. This could, for example, improve our understanding of how volcanoes respond to deglaciation. It could also provide insights into future warming by shedding light on natural climate sensitivity on glacial-interglacial time-scales. Finally, it could support the development of eruption histories of poorly studied, but potentially hazardous, volcanoes.