About

Mark Pagani

Professor, Director of Yale Climate & Energy Institute

Office: Kline Geology Laboratory: Room 337

Mailing Address

Bio/Research:

Research interests encompass the fields of biogeochemistry, paleoceanography, and paleoclimatology, with a focus on understanding the factors driving climate during the Cenozoic era. Pagani applies the isotopic compositions and abundances of organic molecules (biomarkers), and records of stable isotope- and trace-element compositions of species-specific foraminifera to constrain the physical and environmental conditions of ancient oceans, terrestrial systems, and the atmosphere.

Research topics involve the reconstruction of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the evaluation of Earth System climate sensitivity. Particular focus has been directed towards the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (55 million years ago), the Eocene-Oligocene climate transition (34 million years ago), the Miocene (5 to 23 million years ago), and the early Pliocene (3 to 5 million years ago). The Pagani research group is also working to better understand the evolution of sea surface temperature and the application of new temperature proxies such as TEX86 and clumped isotopes, as well as evaluating environmental controls on the hydrogen isotopic compositions of lipids and establishing ancient records to assess hydrological changes during periods of substantial climate and cultural change.