Maureen Raymo

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Maureen E. Raymo
Maureen Raymo.jpg
Maureen Raymo
Born (1959-12-27) December 27, 1959 (age 65)
Alma mater
Awards Wollaston Medal, Milutin Milankovic Medal, Maurice Ewing Medal
Scientific career
Fields Climate Scientist and Marine Geologist
Institutions

Maureen E. Raymo (born 1959) is an American paleoclimatologist and marine geologist. She is the Co-Founding Dean Emerita of the Columbia Climate School [1] and the G. Unger Vetlesen Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Columbia University. From 2011 to 2022, she was also Director of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's (LDEO) Core Repository and, until 2024, was the Founding Director of the LDEO Hudson River Field Station. [2] From 2020 to 2023, she was first Interim Director then Director of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the first climate scientist and first female scientist to head the institution. [3]

Contents

Raymo has done pioneering work on the origin of the ice ages, the geologic temperature record of the Earth, and past sea level change, publishing over 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles. Her work underlies fundamental ideas in paleoceanography including the uplift weathering hypothesis, the "41,000-year problem," the Pliocene sea-level paradox, and the Lisiecki-Raymo δ18O stack. [4] [5] [6] [7]


Early life and education

Raymo was born in Los Angeles, [8] and at age eight sailed with her family to Europe on the ocean liner S.S. United States and resolved to dedicate her life to studying the ocean. The books and films of Jacques Cousteau were also important early influences. [9] Raymo attended Oliver Ames High School in Easton, Massachusetts, where she graduated with the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award, and then attended Brown University, receiving her Sc.B. Geology in 1982. After a brief stint working in a lab, she then attended Columbia University, where she earned her M.A. in geological sciences in 1985, M.Phil. in geology in 1988, and Ph.D. in geology in 1989. [8]

Career

Early climate research

Raymo is known for developing (with William Ruddiman and Philip Froelich) the Uplift-Weathering Hypothesis. [10] [11] According to this hypothesis, tectonic uplift of areas such as the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau over the last 40 million years enhanced the chemical weathering of minerals, which removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and resulted in cooling that spurred the growth of large ice sheets. Over 35 years later, the hypothesis continues to be actively researched. [12] [13] [14] [15] Their proposed mechanism of CO2 removal, the chemical weathering of rock, also now underpins projects to sequester anthropogenic CO2 via artificially enhanced chemical weathering. [16]

Reconstruction of the past 5 million years of climate history, based on oxygen isotope composition of microfossils in deep sea sediment cores (serving as a proxy for the total global mass of glacial ice sheets)(Lisiecki and Raymo 2005) and to the temperature scale derived from Vostok ice cores following Petit et al. (1999). Five Myr Climate Change.png
Reconstruction of the past 5 million years of climate history, based on oxygen isotope composition of microfossils in deep sea sediment cores (serving as a proxy for the total global mass of glacial ice sheets)(Lisiecki and Raymo 2005) and to the temperature scale derived from Vostok ice cores following Petit et al. (1999).

Raymo is known for her research using deep sea cores to better understand past oceanic thermohaline circulation, as well as how Earth's Milankovitch cycles influenced ice age pacing over the Pleistocene and Pliocene. [18] Raymo's Anti-phase Hypothesis [19] explains the 41,000 year pacing of Earth's climate cycles from 3 to 1 million years ago as due to the out-of-phase response of the polar ice sheets to orbital precession.

Raymo has also advanced stratigraphy and dating of the past via oxygen isotope analysis of foraminifera from deep ocean sediments. This included publishing the first continuous oxygen isotope stratigraphy and time scale of the northern hemisphere ice ages from DSDP Site 607. [20] [21] In 2005, with her post-doc Lorraine Lisiecki, Raymo published the widely adopted 5-million-year LR04 benthic isotope stack, which remains the benchmark against which most Plio-Pleistocene studies are measured. [22]

In 1996, Raymo used carbon isotopes of marine organic matter to produce the first paleo-CO2 estimate for the Middle Pliocene Warm Period [23] , a time when global temperatures were about 2-3 °C above preindustrial levels. Their CO2 estimate, between 350 and 400 ppm, later inspired the name of the activist organization 350.org [24] which advocates for a return to 350 ppm as a safe level of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Sea level research

Raymo has led or coauthored numerous influential studies on sea level. During the PLIOMAX project [25] , Raymo and her colleagues examined how polar ice sheets evolved during past warm periods that are close analogues for modern warming. The first PLIOMAX paper showed how to correct ancient shorelines for glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA, [26] ) and identified this process as one of the reasons for the Pliocene sea level paradox—namely the different elevations of Pliocene shorelines around the globe. Next, Raymo and Jerry X. Mitrovica focused on the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 interglacial, merging relative sea level indicators with glacial isostatic adjustment models to show that global mean sea level during MIS-11 reached 6-13 meters above present during the second half of the interglacial [27] . Raymo then coauthored a series of papers based on field work on four continents that showed that Pliocene shorelines can help constrain the magnitude of dynamic topography (DT) over millions of years [28] [29] [30] . Numerical simulations of glacial isostatic adjustment, mantle convection, and ice sheet evolution supported these findings [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] . Raymo and colleagues conducted similarly thorough field- and modeling-based studies for the Last Interglacial (MIS-5e), the most recent time when global mean sea level was substantial higher than present [40] [41] [42] . Together, these constraints on past sea level were used to calibrate the physics underpinning ice sheet simulations of the future Antarctic response to warming [43] [44] . More recent work by Raymo and colleagues continues to refine estimates of Plio-Pleistocene sea level [45] [46] [47] and ice sheet evolution [48] and explore the implications for future climate projections [49] .

Awards and honors

In 2002, she was named one of the 50 most important women in science by Discover [50] [51] magazine. In her nomination for the Wollaston Medal, Professor James Scourse described her as "one of the foremost and influential figures in the last 30 years...She's been an important role model to women scientists—you can get to the top. " [52] . Following this, in 2003 she became a fellow of John Simons. [53]

In 2014, Raymo became the first woman in 183 years to win the prestigious Wollaston Medal - the highest award of the Geological Society of London. [52] [54] She also received the 2014 Milutin Milankovic Medal [55] [51] at the European Geosciences Union’s annual meeting for her use of geochemistry, geology and geophysics to solve paleoclimatology’s big problems. [56] In 2016 she was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences. [51] , and in 2017 became a fellow of the Explorers Club and received Honoris Causa from the University of Lancaster. [51] In 2019 she was awarded the Maurice Ewing Medal by the American Geophysical Union. [57] Raymo is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2022 she was elected as a Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Class for Geosciences. [51]

See also

References

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  11. Raymo, Maureen; Ruddiman, William (1992). "Tectonic forcing of late Cenozoic climate". Nature. 359 (6391): 117-122. Bibcode:1992Natur.359..117R. doi:10.1038/359117a0.
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  15. Li, Shilei; Raymo, Maureen; Goldstein, Stephen (2021). "Neogene continental denudation and the Beryllium conundrum". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 118 (42) e2026456118. Bibcode:2021PNAS..11826456L. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2026456118 . PMC   8545494 . PMID   34649990.
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  17. Lisiecki, Lorraine E.; Raymo, Maureen E. (January 2005). "A Pliocene-Pleistocene stack of 57 globally distributed benthic d18O records" (PDF). Paleoceanography. 20 (1): PA1003. Bibcode:2005PalOc..20.1003L. doi:10.1029/2004PA001071. hdl:2027.42/149224. S2CID   12788441.
    • Supplement: Lisiecki, L. E.; Raymo, M. E. (2005). "Pliocene-Pleistocene stack of globally distributed benthic stable oxygen isotope records". Pangaea. doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.704257.
    Lisiecki, L. E.; Raymo, M. E. (May 2005). "Correction to "A Pliocene-Pleistocene stack of 57 globally distributed benthic δ18O records"". Paleoceanography. 20 (2): PA2007. Bibcode:2005PalOc..20.2007L. doi: 10.1029/2005PA001164 . S2CID   128995657.
    data: doi : 10.1594/PANGAEA.704257.
  18. Raymo, M. E.; Huybers, P. (2008). "Unlocking the mysteries of the Ice Ages". Nature. 451 (7176): 284–285. Bibcode:2008Natur.451..284R. doi: 10.1038/nature06589 . PMID   18202644. S2CID   4360319.
  19. Raymo, Maureen; Lisiecki, Lorraine; Nisancioglu, Kerim (2006). "Plio-Pleistocene ice volume, Antarctic climate, and the global δ18O record". Science. 313 (5786): 492–495. doi:10.1126/science.1123296. PMID   16794038.
  20. Raymo, Maureen; Ruddiman, William; Backman, Jan; Clement, Stephen; Martinson, Douglas (1989). "Late Pliocene variation in Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and North Atlantic deep circulation". Paleoceanography. 4: 413-446. doi:10.1029/PA004i004p00413.
  21. Ruddiman, William; Raymo, Maureen; Martinson, Douglas; Clement, Stephen; Backman, Jan (1989). "Pleistocene evolution of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and North Atlantic Ocean" (PDF). Paleoceanography. 4 (4): 353-412. Bibcode:1989PalOc...4..353R. doi:10.1029/PA004i004p00353.
  22. Lisiecki, Lorraine E.; Raymo, Maureen E. (March 2005). "A Pliocene-Pleistocene stack of 57 globally distributed benthic D 18 O records" (PDF). Paleoceanography. 20 (1): n/a. Bibcode:2005PalOc..20.1003L. doi:10.1029/2004PA001071. hdl:2027.42/149224. S2CID   12788441.
  23. Raymo, Maureen; Grant, Barry; Horowitz, Michael (1996). "Mid Pliocene warmth: stronger greenhouse and stronger conveyor". Marine Micropaleontology. 27 (1–4): 313-326. Bibcode:1996MarMP..27..313R. doi:10.1016/0377-8398(95)00048-8.
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  26. Raymo, Maureen E.; Mitrovica, Jerry X.; O'Leary, Mick; Deconto, Robert; Heary, Paul (2011). [hhttps://www.nature.com/articles/ngeo1118 "Departures from eustasy in Pliocene sea-level records"]. Nature Geoscience. 4 (5): 453–456. Bibcode:2011NatGe...4..328R. doi:10.1038/ngeo1118. PMID   22419155.
  27. Raymo, Maureen E.; Mitrovica, Jerry X. (March 2012). "Collapse of polar ice sheets during the stage 11 interglacial". Nature. 483 (7390): 453–456. Bibcode:2012Natur.483..453R. doi:10.1038/nature10891. ISSN   1476-4687. PMID   22419155. S2CID   4425122.
  28. Rovere, A.; Raymo, M. E.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Hearty, P. J.; O’Leary, M. J.; Inglis, J. D. (2014). "The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 387: 27–33. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2013.11.015.
  29. Rovere, A.; Hearty, P. J.; Austermann, J.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Gale, J.; Moucha, R.; Raymo, M. E. (2015). "Mid-Pliocene shorelines of the US Atlantic Coastal Plain—An improved elevation database with comparison to Earth model predictions". Earth-Science Reviews. 145: 117–131. Bibcode:2015ESRv..145..117R. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.02.007.
  30. Rowley, D. B.; Forte, A. M.; Moucha, R.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Simmons, N. A.; Grand, S. P. (2013). "Dynamic topography change of the eastern United States since 3 million years ago". Science. 340 (6140): 1560–1563. Bibcode:2013Sci...340.1560R. doi:10.1126/science.1229180. PMID   23686342.
  31. Austermann, J.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Huybers, P.; Rovere, A. (2017). "Detection of a dynamic topography signal in last interglacial sea-level records". Science Advances. 3 (7): e1700457. Bibcode:2017SciA....3E0457A. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1700457. PMID   28695210.
  32. Austermann, J.; Pollard, D.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Moucha, R.; Forte, A. M.; DeConto, R. M.; Raymo, M. E. (2015). "The impact of dynamic topography change on Antarctic ice sheet stability during the mid-Pliocene warm period". Geology. 43 (10): 927–930. Bibcode:2015Geo....43..927A. doi:10.1130/G36988.1.
  33. Gasson, E.; DeConto, R. M.; Pollard, D. (2016). "Modeling the oxygen isotope composition of the Antarctic ice sheet and its significance to Pliocene sea level". Geology. 44 (10): 827–830. doi:10.1130/G38284.1.
  34. Gasson, E.; DeConto, R.; Pollard, D.; Levy, R. (2016). "Dynamic Antarctic ice sheet during the early to mid-Miocene". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 113 (13): 3459–3464. Bibcode:2016PNAS..113.3459G. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1516130113 . PMID   26903645.
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  36. Gomez, N.; Pollard, D.; Mitrovica, J. X. (2013). "A 3-D coupled ice sheet–sea level model applied to Antarctica through the last 40 ky". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 384: 88–99. Bibcode:2013E&PSL.384...88G. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2013.09.042.
  37. Gomez, N.; Pollard, D.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Huybers, P.; Clark, P. U. (2012). "Evolution of a coupled marine ice sheet–sea level model". Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface. 117 (F1): F01013. Bibcode:2012JGRF..117.1013G. doi:10.1029/2011JF002128.
  38. Lau, H. C.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Austermann, J.; Crawford, O.; Al-Attar, D.; Latychev, K. (2016). "Inferences of mantle viscosity based on ice age data sets: Radial structure". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 121 (10): 6991–7012. Bibcode:2016JGRB..121.6991L. doi:10.1002/2016JB013043.
  39. Scherer, R. P.; DeConto, R. M.; Pollard, D.; Alley, R. B. (2016). "Windblown Pliocene diatoms and East Antarctic ice sheet retreat". Nature Communications. 7 12957. Bibcode:2016NatCo...712957S. doi:10.1038/ncomms12957. PMC   5034352 . PMID   27649516.
  40. O’Leary, M. J.; Hearty, P. J.; Thompson, W. G.; Raymo, M. E.; Mitrovica, J. X.; Webster, J. M. (2013). "Ice sheet collapse following a prolonged period of stable sea level during the last interglacial". Nature Geoscience. 6 (9): 796–800. Bibcode:2013NatGe...6..796O. doi:10.1038/ngeo1890.
  41. Rovere, A.; Raymo, M. E.; Vacchi, M.; Lorscheid, T.; Stocchi, P.; Gomez-Pujol, L.; Hearty, P. J. (2016). "The analysis of Last Interglacial (MIS 5e) relative sea-level indicators: Reconstructing sea-level in a warmer world". Earth-Science Reviews. 159: 404–427. Bibcode:2016ESRv..159..404R. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.06.006.
  42. Dutton, A.; Carlson, A. E.; Long, A.; Milne, G. A.; Clark, P. U.; DeConto, R.; Raymo, M. E. (2015). "Sea-level rise due to polar ice-sheet mass loss during past warm periods". Science. 349 (6244): aaa4019. doi:10.1126/science.aaa4019. PMID   26160951.
  43. Pollard, D.; DeConto, R. M.; Alley, R. B. (2015). "Potential Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat driven by hydrofracturing and ice cliff failure". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 412: 112–121. Bibcode:2015E&PSL.412..112P. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2014.12.035.
  44. DeConto, R.; Pollard, D. (2016). "Antarctica's contribution to past and future sea-level rise". Nature. 531 (7596): 591–597. doi:10.1038/nature17145. PMID   27029274.
  45. Hollyday, Andrew; Raymo, Maureen E.; Austermann, Jacqueline; Richards, Fred; Hoggard, Mark; Rovere, Alessio (2024). "Pliocene shorelines and the epeirogenic motion of continental margins: a target dataset for dynamic topography models". Earth Surface Dynamics. 12 (4). Copernicus GmbH: 883–905. Bibcode:2024ESuD...12..883H. doi: 10.5194/esurf-12-883-2024 .
  46. Dumitru, Oana A.; Dyer, Blake; Austermann, Jacqueline; Sandstrom, Michael R.; Cashman, M.; Goldstein, S. L.; D’Andrea, William; Creel, Roger; Bolge, Louise; Raymo, Maureen E. (2024). "Last interglacial global mean sea level derived from U-series ages of Bahamian fossil coral reefs". Quaternary Science Reviews. 318: 108415. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108415 (inactive 30 August 2025). ISSN   0277-3791.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of August 2025 (link)
  47. Dyer, Blake; Austermann, Jacqueline; D’Andrea, William J.; Creel, Roger C.; Sandstrom, Michael R.; Cashman, Miranda; Rovere, Alessio; Raymo, Maureen E. (2021). "Sea-level trends across The Bahamas constrain peak last interglacial ice melt". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 118 (33). National Academy of Sciences: e2026839118. Bibcode:2021PNAS..11826839D. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2026839118 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   8379915 . PMID   34373328.
  48. Jasper, Claire E.; Dyer, Blake; Reilly, Brendan T.; Williams, Trevor; Hemming, Sidney; Raymo, Maureen E. (2024). "A 3.3-million-year record of Antarctic iceberg rafted debris and ice sheet evolution quantified by machine learning". Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology. 39 (9): e2024PA004897. Bibcode:2024PaPa...39.4897J. doi:10.1029/2024PA004897.
  49. Creel, Roger Cameron; Kopp, Robert; Dutton, Andrea; Raymo, Maureen; Britt, Catherine; DeConto, Robert (2023). "North American ice sheet persistence during past warm periods should inform future projections". EarthArXiv. doi:10.31223/X5P960.
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