Patrick Rafter
@oceanandclimate.bsky.social
Ocean, carbon cycling, and climate: yesterday, today, and tomorrow
@proteocean.bsky.social gives the keynote lecture at SoCal BOOM
November 22, 2025 at 7:12 PM
@proteocean.bsky.social gives the keynote lecture at SoCal BOOM
Today is the fifth annual SoCal BOOM (biogeochemical ocean obs & models)—this time @ UCLA!
Here Daniele Bianchi opens the event with the standard greeting “Hello BOOMers!”
Here Daniele Bianchi opens the event with the standard greeting “Hello BOOMers!”
November 22, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Today is the fifth annual SoCal BOOM (biogeochemical ocean obs & models)—this time @ UCLA!
Here Daniele Bianchi opens the event with the standard greeting “Hello BOOMers!”
Here Daniele Bianchi opens the event with the standard greeting “Hello BOOMers!”
💥California marine biogeochemists!
So Cal BOOM* is at UCLA on November 22, 2025 (*Biogeochemical Ocean Obs & Models). This is an event for grad student and post-doc marine biogeochemists of all kinds. More senior peeps (like me) are also welcome!
💥
Register here: socalboom.wordpress.com
So Cal BOOM* is at UCLA on November 22, 2025 (*Biogeochemical Ocean Obs & Models). This is an event for grad student and post-doc marine biogeochemists of all kinds. More senior peeps (like me) are also welcome!
💥
Register here: socalboom.wordpress.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
💥California marine biogeochemists!
So Cal BOOM* is at UCLA on November 22, 2025 (*Biogeochemical Ocean Obs & Models). This is an event for grad student and post-doc marine biogeochemists of all kinds. More senior peeps (like me) are also welcome!
💥
Register here: socalboom.wordpress.com
So Cal BOOM* is at UCLA on November 22, 2025 (*Biogeochemical Ocean Obs & Models). This is an event for grad student and post-doc marine biogeochemists of all kinds. More senior peeps (like me) are also welcome!
💥
Register here: socalboom.wordpress.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only
October 19, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Who robbed the Louvre? Right answers only
Them: Bluesky is a liberal monoculture.
Bluesky liberals:
Bluesky liberals:
October 16, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Them: Bluesky is a liberal monoculture.
Bluesky liberals:
Bluesky liberals:
So many people to thank for this (see acknowledgments below), but also my huge thanks to all the co-authors. Danny Sigman and his lab (where we made all the foram-bound N isotope measurements) and co-lead author @jfarmersalmanac.bsky.social for special shoutouts
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
So many people to thank for this (see acknowledgments below), but also my huge thanks to all the co-authors. Danny Sigman and his lab (where we made all the foram-bound N isotope measurements) and co-lead author @jfarmersalmanac.bsky.social for special shoutouts
We built a box model to help explain how changes in wind-forcing (x axis) in the warm Pliocene might be balanced by decreased surface ocean stratification / increased buoyancy (y axis). Huge shout out to anonymous reviewer for asking for this and @oceansclimatecu.bsky.social for making it happen!
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
We built a box model to help explain how changes in wind-forcing (x axis) in the warm Pliocene might be balanced by decreased surface ocean stratification / increased buoyancy (y axis). Huge shout out to anonymous reviewer for asking for this and @oceansclimatecu.bsky.social for making it happen!
The point of making planktic foraminifera-bound N isotopes is that they: (1) Largely record the same N isotope value as nitrate and (2) That N isotope value is safely locked inside the carbonate test of these microscopic fossils.
We found the same trends!
We found the same trends!
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
The point of making planktic foraminifera-bound N isotopes is that they: (1) Largely record the same N isotope value as nitrate and (2) That N isotope value is safely locked inside the carbonate test of these microscopic fossils.
We found the same trends!
We found the same trends!
The mystery of the weakened winds / upwelling deepens with our new bulk sediment N isotope (d15N) data from the east and western equatorial Pacific (top of image below). (This dataset was largely completed about 10 years ago, but their unusual nature made us cautious about publishing)
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
The mystery of the weakened winds / upwelling deepens with our new bulk sediment N isotope (d15N) data from the east and western equatorial Pacific (top of image below). (This dataset was largely completed about 10 years ago, but their unusual nature made us cautious about publishing)
Speaking of temperatures, a recent understanding of the equatorial SST suggests the eastern cold tongue has been getting colder relative to the west over the past 5 million years. This has important implications for global climate change (i.e., the ice ages) over this time (top of this plot)
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Speaking of temperatures, a recent understanding of the equatorial SST suggests the eastern cold tongue has been getting colder relative to the west over the past 5 million years. This has important implications for global climate change (i.e., the ice ages) over this time (top of this plot)
However, even though nutrients don’t “matter” with respect to ENSO, my work (see above) indicates that nutrient utilization in these iron limited waters is surprisingly linked to the same upper ocean physics altered by ENSO. See the Nature Communications paper or Oceanography Society papers above
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
However, even though nutrients don’t “matter” with respect to ENSO, my work (see above) indicates that nutrient utilization in these iron limited waters is surprisingly linked to the same upper ocean physics altered by ENSO. See the Nature Communications paper or Oceanography Society papers above
The key point in the figure above is that the trade winds drive upwelling along the equator, leading to the existence of both an eastern “cold tongue” and higher concentration “nutrient tongue”. The temperature distribution is critical for the air-sea feedback driving the trade winds and ENSO
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
The key point in the figure above is that the trade winds drive upwelling along the equator, leading to the existence of both an eastern “cold tongue” and higher concentration “nutrient tongue”. The temperature distribution is critical for the air-sea feedback driving the trade winds and ENSO
These earlier papers laid a foundation to accurately interpret the unusual records of east & west equatorial Pacific N isotopes (d15N) since the warm Pliocene (~5 million years ago). First, let's look at tropical Pacific nitrate and temperature with depth (A) and at the surface (B) and (C)
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
These earlier papers laid a foundation to accurately interpret the unusual records of east & west equatorial Pacific N isotopes (d15N) since the warm Pliocene (~5 million years ago). First, let's look at tropical Pacific nitrate and temperature with depth (A) and at the surface (B) and (C)
I'm also quite happy that Yair Rosenthal (a friend and mentor) and @anya-hess.bsky.social wrote a Perspective on our work.
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
October 3, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I'm also quite happy that Yair Rosenthal (a friend and mentor) and @anya-hess.bsky.social wrote a Perspective on our work.
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
September 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
🌊 🧪
Big day for me everyone—I have received my first ever copy of Tracers in the Sea. Thanks @ashevenell.bsky.social !
Big day for me everyone—I have received my first ever copy of Tracers in the Sea. Thanks @ashevenell.bsky.social !
May 8, 2025 at 4:31 PM
🌊 🧪
Big day for me everyone—I have received my first ever copy of Tracers in the Sea. Thanks @ashevenell.bsky.social !
Big day for me everyone—I have received my first ever copy of Tracers in the Sea. Thanks @ashevenell.bsky.social !
Beautiful hand drawn figures from Thompson & Shackleton 1980 published in @nature.com
April 14, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Beautiful hand drawn figures from Thompson & Shackleton 1980 published in @nature.com
Many NOAA databases are scheduled to be decommissioned, including several I frequently use (IMLGS; sediment core database) and are crucial to my work. But there's also databases that normal people care about (earthquakes!).
Can we download these in their entirety and host them somewhere else?
🌊🧪
Can we download these in their entirety and host them somewhere else?
🌊🧪
April 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Many NOAA databases are scheduled to be decommissioned, including several I frequently use (IMLGS; sediment core database) and are crucial to my work. But there's also databases that normal people care about (earthquakes!).
Can we download these in their entirety and host them somewhere else?
🌊🧪
Can we download these in their entirety and host them somewhere else?
🌊🧪
How could I turn down this invitation?
February 1, 2025 at 12:24 PM
How could I turn down this invitation?
If you see this, post a fictional artist / band that you would love to see live
January 27, 2025 at 1:43 AM
If you see this, post a fictional artist / band that you would love to see live
🌊🧪
Make sure to:
(1) Check out the Plan Sea podcast on #mCDR (in general)
(2) The @jaimepalter.bsky.social and #DariiaAtamanchuk (specifically)!
What a nice surprise to find this!
Make sure to:
(1) Check out the Plan Sea podcast on #mCDR (in general)
(2) The @jaimepalter.bsky.social and #DariiaAtamanchuk (specifically)!
What a nice surprise to find this!
January 8, 2025 at 6:14 PM
🌊🧪
Make sure to:
(1) Check out the Plan Sea podcast on #mCDR (in general)
(2) The @jaimepalter.bsky.social and #DariiaAtamanchuk (specifically)!
What a nice surprise to find this!
Make sure to:
(1) Check out the Plan Sea podcast on #mCDR (in general)
(2) The @jaimepalter.bsky.social and #DariiaAtamanchuk (specifically)!
What a nice surprise to find this!
I’m not sure I can thank @bobkopp.net enough for pointing us to this treasure trove of Richard Alley videos!
(I particularly love the Earth history video to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”)
(I particularly love the Earth history video to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”)
January 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM
I’m not sure I can thank @bobkopp.net enough for pointing us to this treasure trove of Richard Alley videos!
(I particularly love the Earth history video to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”)
(I particularly love the Earth history video to the tune of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”)
Congrats to all around good (also v. smart) guy Richard Alley!
He didn’t need to, but he recently helped me out of a really tight spot. I think he helped me because he’s a great person and wants to help science and scientists. Need more like him out there!
He didn’t need to, but he recently helped me out of a really tight spot. I think he helped me because he’s a great person and wants to help science and scientists. Need more like him out there!
January 4, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Congrats to all around good (also v. smart) guy Richard Alley!
He didn’t need to, but he recently helped me out of a really tight spot. I think he helped me because he’s a great person and wants to help science and scientists. Need more like him out there!
He didn’t need to, but he recently helped me out of a really tight spot. I think he helped me because he’s a great person and wants to help science and scientists. Need more like him out there!