Jim Bishop - Faculty
Professor Marine Geochemistry
499 McCone
Berkeley, CA
Phone: (510) 642 6110
Fax:
E-Mail: jkbishop@berkeley.edu
Home | Academic Background | Selected Publications | Group | Teaching / Office Hours | R/V New Horizon Expedition, May 2011 | Seagoing Expeditions | News |
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About me:
Degrees: B.Sc. (hon) Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, University of British Columbia; Sc.D. in Marine Chemistry, MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography.
Path to Berkeley: Columbia University, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, both in New York; University of Victoria, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, BC, Canada; and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Berkeley. I joined the EPS faculty in 2006.
Research Overview:
Our research investigates the mechanics of biogeochemical processes of aquatic and marine systems.
At sea, we explore new ways to follow the very fast --- but largely unobserved --- biological carbon cycle: photosynthesis, grazing, sedimentation, and respiration. These processes, collectively known as the "ocean biological carbon pump" transform CO2 into organic matter and sequester it in the deep sea, impacting levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. The biotic carbon flows in the ocean are substantial and there are open questions regarding the stability of these flows in the face of human induced warming and acidification of the ocean. Is the ocean biological carbon pump strengthening (good) or weakening (bad)? Every time we go to sea on ships we get surprises. We need to find out how this system works so it can be predicted.
On land, we study how water changes its chemistry as it moves from rain, through soils and fractured rock to ground water, to creek, to river, and to the ocean. This process transports micro-nutrient elements such as iron from land to ocean and is thus important to the biological productivity of coastal waters.
Carbon Explorers
Carbon Flux Explorers
Trace Metal Biogeochemistry
Aquatic Geochemistry at the Angelo Coast Mountain Reserve.
Laboratory:
The Ocean Biogeochemical Processes Laboratory and field facilities are located in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Earth Sciences Division. LBNL is a 15 minute walk (or bus ride) from McCone Hall.
Courses I enjoy teaching in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science include EPS 103/203, "Introduction to Aquatic and Marine Geochemistry"; EPS C82 "Oceans", EPS 24 "Oceans in the News". I am EPS marine science track advisor.
What I like most about oceanography is that I need to draw on all my undergraduate basics (math, physics, chemistry, biology, computers, engineering...) to answer the difficult questions about where carbon goes in the ocean. There are always new things to discover and we've just only begun.
I really enjoy going to sea and bicycling in the Berkeley Hills.
Bishop at sea aboard R/V Knorr - May 2009 - North Pacific Gyre 30oN 140oW
Professor Marine Geochemistry
499 McCone
Berkeley, CA
Phone: (510) 642 6110
Fax:
E-Mail: jkbishop@berkeley.edu
Home | Academic Background | Selected Publications | Group | Teaching / Office Hours | R/V New Horizon Expedition, May 2011 | Seagoing Expeditions | News |
Degrees: B.Sc. (hon) Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, University of British Columbia; Sc.D. in Marine Chemistry, MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography.
Path to Berkeley: Columbia University, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, both in New York; University of Victoria, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, BC, Canada; and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Berkeley. I joined the EPS faculty in 2006.
Research Overview:
Our research investigates the mechanics of biogeochemical processes of aquatic and marine systems.
At sea, we explore new ways to follow the very fast --- but largely unobserved --- biological carbon cycle: photosynthesis, grazing, sedimentation, and respiration. These processes, collectively known as the "ocean biological carbon pump" transform CO2 into organic matter and sequester it in the deep sea, impacting levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. The biotic carbon flows in the ocean are substantial and there are open questions regarding the stability of these flows in the face of human induced warming and acidification of the ocean. Is the ocean biological carbon pump strengthening (good) or weakening (bad)? Every time we go to sea on ships we get surprises. We need to find out how this system works so it can be predicted.
On land, we study how water changes its chemistry as it moves from rain, through soils and fractured rock to ground water, to creek, to river, and to the ocean. This process transports micro-nutrient elements such as iron from land to ocean and is thus important to the biological productivity of coastal waters.
Carbon Explorers
I love to go to sea and have logged about 1.8 years at sea during 41 oceanographic expeditions (as of May 2012). But ships can't follow fast biological processes year round in stormy seas. To bridge the gap, our group has launched a dozen new robotic "Carbon Explorers" since 2001. The Explorers have given us unparalleled insight into biological processes of far flung ocean regions, including the ice covered waters surrounding Antarctica. They have already logged 7 years of observations. We are working under NSF support jointly with WETLabs, Inc. to perfect our sensor for particulate inorganic carbon and ready it for wide spread deployment on Carbon Explorers. An updated Carbon Explorer was test deployed in May 2012.
Carbon Flux Explorers
In June 2007 we successfully tested our newest robot, the Carbon Flux Explorer, to 800 m depths near San Diego, CA. The Flux Explorer is designed to observe ocean carbon sedimentation changes, hourly, on a day to day basis for seasons to years, data are sent to shore in real time. We were at sea again in Oct 2010 (R/V Sproul) and May 2011 (R/V New Horizon), July 2011, September 2011 and Feb 2012 (R/V Point Sur) and May 2012 (R/V New Horizon). A highlight of this work was when two CFE's completed 41 day missions while tracking a plume of upwelled water off of Monterey Bay. In May 2012, they operated beneath an intense plankton bloom in the Santa Cruz Basin.
Trace Metal Biogeochemistry
We were at sea in 2008 and 2009 with the Multiple Unit Large Volume in-situ Filtration System (MULVFS) in Atlantic and Pacific oceans as part of the spin-up of the international program called GEOTRACES, a study of trace metals in the global ocean. The aim is to understand the trace metal recipe for phytoplankton, another of the 'keys' to the carbon prediction puzzle.
Aquatic Geochemistry at the Angelo Coast Mountain Reserve.
Since 2001 we have also focused on the transports of bio-significant trace metals like iron from the continental margin to ocean interior. Now we've come further ashore to investigate water chemistry from rain to soil to ground water to creek to river to ocean. We're applying oceanographic tools to capture the high-frequency variation of water chemistry at a site called "Rivendell" at the Angelo Coast Range Reserve which is located near the headwaters of the Eel River.
Laboratory:
The Ocean Biogeochemical Processes Laboratory and field facilities are located in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Earth Sciences Division. LBNL is a 15 minute walk (or bus ride) from McCone Hall.
Courses I enjoy teaching in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science include EPS 103/203, "Introduction to Aquatic and Marine Geochemistry"; EPS C82 "Oceans", EPS 24 "Oceans in the News". I am EPS marine science track advisor.
What I like most about oceanography is that I need to draw on all my undergraduate basics (math, physics, chemistry, biology, computers, engineering...) to answer the difficult questions about where carbon goes in the ocean. There are always new things to discover and we've just only begun.
I really enjoy going to sea and bicycling in the Berkeley Hills.