Tracking Rainfall with Magnets in Stalagmites

Position Description: Over the coming century, climate change is expected to alter rainfall patterns worldwide. To better understand these changes, we use a combination of computational models and preserved proxies that allow us to reconstruct how rainfall has changed in the past.

One proxy which has been recently shown to track rainfall over time is the amount of magnetic content in stalagmites; however, the relationship between the two is not entirely understood. In this project, the students will participate in characterizing the mechanisms by which rainfall changes magnetic content by:

-Learning about the currently proposed methods of interaction

-Using MATLAB scripts to examine the magnetic properties of grains in a stalagmite

-Comparing these properties to those from grains which are already understood to “fingerprint” the interaction between rainfall and magnetism

Project Dates: August 1-19, 2022

Number of Available Positions: 1-2

Location: In-person or remote

Pay Rate: $700 stipend at completion of program

Qualifications/Requirements:

• No prior knowledge of the topic is necessary

• Computer-related skills (MATLAB exposure preferred)

• Computer and internet connection required

Project host requests that the student participate in lab group meetings and department social activities.

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) welcomes everyone and aims for a diverse and inclusive community. Preference will be given to freshman and sophomore students, but we encourage all interested students to apply. Students who are already working with members of the EPS community and non-Harvard students are not eligible for this position.