Profile

Dr Aubrey Zerkle
Reader; Director of Postgraduate Research
I am a biogeochemist and a PI of the Peter James Clark Centre for Philosophical Geobiology. My primary interests are in the early Earth and extraterrestrial environments.
Research in my group focuses on understanding the co-evolution of life with planetary environments over geologic timescales. We utilize a multi-disciplinary approach, including stable isotope geochemistry, microbiology, trace element and nutrient analyses, to examine these interactions and possible feedbacks in modern and paleo-environments. Current research projects revolve around three broad areas:
1. Investigating feedbacks between the geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere during important transitions in Earth history, including the Great Oxidation Event, Punctuated Haze Events, and mass extinction events;
2. Examining biogeochemical cycling in extreme environments that act as modern "analogues" to ancient Earth and exoplanetary systems (e.g., euxinic and acidic environments);
3. Establishing and evaluating stable isotope biosignatures for microbial activity, on Earth and beyond.
Recent publications
12 (of 12 published available) for az29 with keyword geochemistry clear keyword filter. (source: University of St Andrews PURE)
Please click title of any item for full details.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. A, Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
vol.376
(Review article)
Chemical Geology
vol.499 pp.151-164
(Article)
Kart Paiste, Aivo Lepland, Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Kalle Kirsimae, Gareth Izon, Neel Patel, Fiona McLean, T. Kreitsmann, K Mand, T Bui, A Romashkin, D Rychanchik, Tony Prave
Keywords: Paleoproterozoic, Zaonega Formation, Sulphur cycle, Carbon cycle, Great Oxidation Event
Astronomy and Astrophysics Review
vol.26
(Review article)
Helmut Lammer, Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Stefanie Gebauer, Nicola Tosi, Lena Noack, Manuel Scherf, Pilat-Lohinger Elke, Manuel Gudel, John Lee Grenfell, Mareike Godolt, Athanasia Nikolaou
Keywords: Primordial atmospheres, Secondary atmospheres, Atmospheric evolution , Early Earth, Venus, Mars, Habitability
Science
(Article)
Clara Blättler, Mark Claire, Tony Prave, Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Matthew Robert Warke
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
vol.114 pp.2571-2579
(Article)
Gareth Izon, Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Kenneth Williford, James Farquhar, Simon Poulton, Mark Claire
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
vol.485 pp.210-223
(Article)
Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Mark Claire, Gareth Izon, Christopher Junium, Richard Twitchett
Keywords: Ferruginous sea, Fe speciation, East Greenland, Stable isotopes, Palaeoenvironment
Nature
vol.542 pp.465-467
(Letter)
Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Simon W Poulton, Robert J Newton, Mark Claire, Andrey Bekker, Christopher K Junium
Geobiology
vol.15 pp.353-365
(Article)
Geobiology
vol.15 pp.343-352
(Article)
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
vol.173 pp.373-386
(Article)
Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Daniel Jones, James Farquhar, Jennifer Macalady
Keywords: Sulfur cycling, Chemolithotrophy, Sulfur isotopes, Cave systems
Elements
vol.11 pp.415-421
(Article)
Timothy Lyons, David Fike, Aubrey Lea Zerkle
Keywords: Early Earth, Microbiology, Environmental change, Biogeochemical cycles, Biosignatures, Isotopes, Astrobiology
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
vol.431 pp.264-273
(Article)
Gareth Izon, Aubrey Lea Zerkle, Yadviga Zhelezinskaya, James Farquhar, Robert J. Newton, Simon W. Poulton, Jennifer L. Eigenbrode, Mark Claire
Keywords: Neoarchaean, Multiple sulphur isotopes, MIF, Methane, Hydrocarbon haze, Atmospheric oxygen
Contact Details:
Dr Aubrey ZerkleIrvine Building
University of St Andrews
North Street
St Andrews
KY16 9AL
Fife
UK
tel: +44 01334 464949
fax: +44 01334 463949
room: 423 Irvine (office), D2-D4 Bute (labs)
email: az29@st-andrews.ac.uk
Related:
research@st-andrewsScottish Oceans Institute
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
STAIG
Centre for Exoplanet Science
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The Secretary
Scottish Oceans Institute
Institiud Chuantan na h-Alba
Gatty Marine Laboratory
East Sands St Andrews
KY16 8LB
Scotland
UK
tel: +44 (0) 1334 463472
fax: +44 (0) 1334 463443
email: soi@st-andrews.ac.uk
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