Seminar: Modelling atmospheric CO2 and O2 concentrations over geological time

Benjamin Mills

Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen have varied considerably over Earth history, and these gases have played a crucial role in maintaining habitable conditions. Simple biogeochemical box models, such as Robert Berner’s ‘GEOCARB’, have allowed us to explore the mechanisms that control the evolution and stability of CO2 and O2 over long timescales, and have provided predictions for atmospheric composition for times when proxy data is unavailable or uncertain. My work focuses on further exploration of these modelling techniques, including extending them beyond Phanerozoic time into earlier Earth history