Justin P. Dodd

Research Interests

My research focuses on applications of stable isotope geochemistry in a range of geological and environmental settings.

Research Activities

Hydrochemical Importance of the Icaiche Formation,

Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Actively seek graduate students for a developing project on stable isotope and geochemical analyses of the Icaiche Formation in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. This project will include opportunities for fieldwork in Mexico and focus on novel stable isotope analyses (d¹⁸O, D¹⁷O, and d³⁰Si) in biogenic opal and gypsum. This research is in collaboration with Dr. Gene Perry (NIU, emeritus) and Dr. Rosa Leal-Bautista (Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C., Unidad de Ciencias del Agua México). Please contact me if you are interested. Start date: summer or fall 2019.

Oxygen and Silicon Isotopes in Biogenic Silica

Oxygen and silicon isotope values in biogenic silica (e.g. diatoms, sponge spicules, phytoliths) provide excellent records of paleoenvironments in freshwater and marine locations. I currently have a number of active research projects aimed at developing records of past environmental change from Miocene marine sediment cores collected during IODP Expedition 374 to the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

Funded Student Projects

Please contact me if you are interested in pursuing a M.S. Ph.D.

Learn more about Expedition 374.

Diagenesis and Biogenic Silica

In order to understand the variations observed in biogenic silica from sedimentary records, it is necessary to quantify variables that can cause changes in the oxygen and silicon isotope values of biogenic silica during diagenesis (post-mortem alteration). My students and I are examining the effects of diagenetic conditions on the isotopic and structural composition in biogenic silica through laboratory experiments and natural calibration studies.

Holocene Water Availability in the Atacama Desert

Oxygen and carbon isotope variations in tree-ring cellulose record multiple climate variables (including source water, temperature and relative humidity). We are working with Chilean geologists, dendrochronologists and archeologists to develop a record of Holocene climate and water availability in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile using isotope variations in Prosopis tamarugo (similar to mesquite) trees that are well preserved for at least the past 10ka and perhaps longer (with Dr. Mario Rivera, Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile)

Groundwater in the Atacama

Geochemical and modeling based approaches to assessing groundwater recharge in the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin, Atacama Desert, northern Chile (w/ Dr. Ryan Pollyea, Virginia Tech and Dr. Susan Swanson, Beloit College).

Selected Publications

*Student research supervised by Dodd

Abbott, T.A.*, Dodd, J.P., Gibbons, J., Scherer, R., Frank, T., Powell, R., in prep., Cryogenic brine formation in the Pliocene Ross Embayment, Antarctica. Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology.

Lehman, A.*, Dodd, J.P., in prep., The effects of Mg, Al, Fe and Ca on diagenetically induced phase changes in biogenic opal-A: implications for diatom silica as a paleoenvironmental proxy. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P, Rivera, M.A., revisions pending, Prosopis sp. tree-ring carbon and oxygen isotope record of regional-scale hydroclimate variability during the last 9500 years in the Atacama Desert. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P, Diefendorf, A.F., Freimuth, E. in review, Prosopis tamarugo Phil. tree-ring α-cellulose d¹⁸O values: implications for arid-region paleoclimate reconstruction. Dendrochronologia, (submitted 08/14/2018)

McKay, R.M., De Santis, L., Kulhanek, D.K., and the Expedition 374 Scientists, 2018, Expedition 374 Preliminary Report: Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet History. International Ocean Discovery Program, 374. https://doi.org/​10.14379/​iodp.pr.374.2018

Yanes, Y., Al-Qattan, N.*, Rech, J.A., Pigati, J.S., Dodd, J.P., Nekola, J.C., 2018, Overview of the oxygen isotope systematics of land snails from North America. Quaternary Research. p. 1 – 16. https://doi.org/10.1017/qua.2018.79

Sutton, J.N., André, L. Cardinal, S. Conley, D.J., de Souza, G., Dean, J., Dodd, J.P., Ehlert, C., Ellwood, M.J., Frings, P.J., Grasse, P., Hendry, K., Leng, M.J., Michalopoulos, P.,Panizzo, V.N., and Swann, G.E.A., 2018, A review of the stable isotope bio-geochemistry of the global silicon cycle and its associated trace elements. Frontiers in Earth Science – Marine Biogeochemistry. p. 1 – 24. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00112

Stansell, N., Nelson, D., Klein, E., Finkenbinder, M., Fortney, C.*, Dodd, J.P., and Terasmaa, J., 2017, A stable isotope record of Holocene precipitation dynamics in the Baltic region from Lake Nuudsaku, Estonia. Quaternary Science Reviews. v. 175, p. 73-84. https:doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2017.09.013

Dodd, J.P., Weidenheft, W.*, Schwartz, J.*, 2017, Dehydroxylation and Diagenetic Variations in Diatom Oxygen Isotope Values. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. v. 199, p. 185 – 195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2016.11.034

Jayne, R.S.*, Pollyea, R.M., Dodd, J.P., Olson, E.J.*, Swanson, S.K., 2016, Regional-scale groundwater flow in the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin, Atacama Desert, Chile. Hydrogeology Journal. v. 24 (8), p. 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1454-3

Rivera, M.A. and Dodd, J.P., 2013, Domesticando el Desierto. Medio Ambiente y Ocupaciones Humanas en Ramaditas Desierto de Atacama (Taming the desert. Environment and human occupationsin Ramaditas, Atacama Desert). Dialogo Andino. v. 41, p. 45-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0719-26812013000100004

Bojar, A.-V., Dodd, J.P., Seghedi, I., 2013, Isotope geochemistry (O, H and Sr) of Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks, Haţeg basin, South Carpathians, Romania. In Isotopic Studies in Cretaceous Research, eds. Bojar, A.-V., Melinte-Dobrinescu, M. C. and Smit, J. Geological Society of London, Special Publication 382. p. 203 – 211. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP382.10

Dodd, J.P., Sharp, Z.D., Fawcett, P.J., Brearley, A. and McCubbin, F.M., 2012, Rapid post-mortem maturation of diatom silica oxygen isotope values. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 13 (9), Q09014. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GC004019

Chapligin, B., Leng, M.J., Webb, E., Alexandre, A., Dodd, J.P., Lücke, A., Ijiri, A., Shemesh, A., Abelmann, A., Okazaki, T., Longstaffe, F., Herzschuh, A., Meyer, H., Moschen, R., Sharp, Z., Sloane, H.J., Sonzogni, C., Swann, G E.A., Sylvestre, F., Tyler, J.J., & Yam, R.., 2011, Inter-laboratory comparison of oxygen isotopes from biogenic silica, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. v. 75 (22), p. 7242 – 7256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2011.08.011

Dodd, J.P. and Sharp, Z.D., 2010, A laser fluorination method for oxygen isotope analysis of biogenic silica and a new oxygen isotope calibration of modern diatoms in freshwater environments, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 74 (4), p. 1381-1390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2009.11.023

Schiff, C.J., Kaufman, D.S., Wolfe, A.P., Dodd, J.P. and Sharp, Z.D., 2009, Late Holocene storm-trajectory changes inferred from the oxygen isotope composition of lake diatoms, south Alaska. Journal of Paleolimnology. v. 41 (1), p.189-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-008-9261-z

Dodd, J.P., Patterson, W.P., Holmden, C., Brasseur, J.M., 2008. Robotic micromilling of tree rings: a new tool for obtaining subseasonal environmental isotope records. Chemical Geology. v. 252 (1-2), p. 21-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2008.01.021

Research Grants and Awards

Active

Enhanced Silicate Weathering and Silica Burial in the Ross Sea During the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum/Climate Transition. International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 374 Post Expedition Award.

Diatom and Oxygen Isotope Evidence of Pliocene Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics and Ross Sea Paleoceanography (Grant No. 1443420). Dodd – PI. Co-PI R.P. Scherer and J.P. Warnock. NSF-PLR Antarctic Earth Sciences. $211,337.

Silicon isotopes in biogenic silica as a novel proxy for exploring carbon cycle dynamics throughout the Cenozoic. Pending. American Chemical Society, Petroleum Research Fund – Doctoral New Investigator Grant. $100,000. 6/2014 – 8/2016.

Funded

Application to Sail: International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 374 – Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet History. January – March, 2018.

Demystifying the IODP Proposal Process for Early Career Scientists. PI, Chris Lowery, Co-PIs A.J. Fraass, J.P. Dodd, M.O. Patterson, J. Coenen. Workshop scheduled for January 22 – 25 2017, Austin, TX. $40,000.

Holocene Climate Variability, Water Resource Availability and Human Settlement in the Atacama Desert, Chile from Oxygen Isotope Values in Tree-Ring Cellulose. Pending. National Geographic Society, Waitt Grant. $12,000. 12/2013 – 12/2014.

Stable Isotope and Geochemical Approach to Regional Hydrologic Variability in the northern Atacama, Chile. 2013 Summer Research & Artistry Grant, Northern Illinois University. $15,000. 5/2013 – 5/2014

The Role of Groundwater in the Flooding History of Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Co-PI w/ S. K. Swanson (Beloit), Keck Geology Consortium, NSF-REU Award: 1062720, Department of Defense, the Keck Member Schools and the ExxonMobil Foundation. $40,000. 01/2012 to 05/2013.

Climate and Precipitation Variability in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico and the Atacama Desert, Chile from Oxygen Isotope Values in Tree-Ring Cellulose, 2012 Summer Research & Artistry Grant, Northern Illinois University. $15,000. 5/2012 – 5/2013.

Select Conference Abstracts and Presentations

*student research supervised by Dodd

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P., Rivera, M.A., 2018, Atmospheric Variability Over the Holocene Recorded in High-Resolution Tree Ring Oxygen and Carbon Isotope Series from the Atacama Desert. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington D.C. GC33I-2791

Shevenell, A., Browne, I.M., McKay, R.M., De Santis, L., Kulhanek, D.K., Dodd, J.P., and the Expedition 374 Scientists, 2018, Early to middle Miocene oceanographic conditions in the Ross Sea, Antarctica: Initial XRF results from IODP Site U1521. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington D.C. PP23E-3030.

De Santis, L., McKay, R.M., Kulhanek, D.K., and the Expedition 374 Scientists, 2018 Initial seismic stratigraphic results from IODP Exp. 374 in the Ross Sea (Invited). American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington D.C. PP22A-03.

Prunella, C., Shevenell, A., De Santis, L., McKay, R.M., Kulhanek, D.K., and the Expedition 374 Scientists, Plio-Pleistocene ocean temperatures at the Ross Sea shelf break: Foraminifer-based paleotemperature records from IODP Site U1523. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington D.C. PP23E-3028.

Browne, I.M., Shevenell, A., McKay, R.M., De Santis, L., Kulhanek, D.K., and the Expedition 374 Scientists, Antarctic ice sheet growth during the Miocene Climatic Optimum: paleotemperature insights from IODP Site U1521 on the Ross Sea shelf. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Washington D.C. PP23E-3029.

Dodd, J.P., Abbott, T.A.*, and Gibbons, J.A., 2017, A Pliocene marine diatom δ¹⁸O record of terrestrial-marine feedbacks and orbitally-paced cryogenic brine formation in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA

Sanderson, A.M.*, Frank, M.R., Dodd, J.P., and Walker, J.A., 2017, The Effects of Redox Reactions on Sulfur Isotopes in Sulfide Melts at 1200 °C: Implications for ³⁴S Enrichment in Magmas. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, New Orleans, LA.

Adelsberger, K.A., Lewis, J., Hill, D.N., Dodd, J.P., Smith, J.R., Garcia, E.A.A., 2017, Geoarcheological evidence of mid- to late-Holocene Environments at Sai Island, Sudan. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR; #299092.

Dodd, J.P., Abbott, T.A.*, Scherer, R.P., 2016, Diagenetic alteration of biogenic silica oxygen isotope values: implications for use as a paleoenvironmental proxy. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2016; PP14B-08.

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P., Rivera, M.A., 2016, Examining Basin-Scale Water and Climate Relations across the Pampa del Tamarugal, Atacama Desert through Spatial Analysis of Hydrogen, Carbon and Oxygen Isotopes in Tree Rings. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2016; PP33B-2367.

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P., Freimuth, E.*, Olson, E.J.*, Diefendorf, A.F., 2016, Reconstructing δ18O in groundwater from tree-ring cellulose in arid regions, Midwest Geobiology Symposium, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Abbott, T.*, Dodd, J.P., Findley, M.* and Scherer, R.P., 2016, Cryogenic brine formation in the Ross Sea Recorded by diatom silica oxygen isotope values from a Pliocene marine sediment core. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Paper No. 43-5.

Lehman, A.D.*, Dodd, J.P., 2016, The effects of MG, AL, FE and CA on diagenetically induced phase changes in biogenic opal-A: implications for diatom silica as a paleoenvironmental proxy. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Paper No. 15-2.

Abbott, T.*, Dodd, J.P., Hackett, H.* and Scherer, R.P., 2016, A First Look at Oxygen and Silicon Isotope Variations in Diatom Silica from a Pliocene Antarctic Marine Sediment Core. American Geophysical Union Ocean Sciences Meeting 2016; PC54A-2214.

Pryer, A.*, Dodd, J.P., 2016, The Effects of Mg and Al on Diagenetically Induced Phase Changes in Biogenic Opal-A: Implications for Biogenic Silica as Paleoenvironmental Proxy. American Geophysical Union Ocean Sciences Meeting 2016; PC54A-2215.

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P., 2015, Spatial and temporal variation in tree-ring α-cellulose oxygen andhydrogen isotope values as a record of water availability in the Atacama Desert. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2015; PP14A-05.

Dodd, J.P., Freimuth, E.*, Olson, E.J.*, Diefendorf, A.F., 2015, Oxygen isotope values of tree ring α-cellulose as a proxy of hydroclimate variability in arid regions. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2015; PP14A-04.

Jayne, R.S.*, Dodd, J.P., Pollyea, R.M., 2015, Assessing groundwater recharge mechanisms in the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin of northern Chile's Atacama Desert: American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2015, h41D-1399.

Rivera, M.A., Olson, E.J*, Dodd, J.P., 2015, Domesticando el Desierto. Medio Ambiente y Ocupaciones Humanas en Ramaditas 20th Congress of Chilean Archaeology, University of Concepcion.

Fortney, C.*, Stansell, N., Klein, E., Terasmaa, J., Dodd, J.P., 2015, Stable isotope record of Holocene precipitation changes from Lake Nuudsaku in southern Estonia. EGU General Assembly 2015; EGU2015-7329, vol. 17.

Wiedenheft, W.*, Dodd, J.P., Sunderlin, L. Rapid changes in diatom silica surface charge density, silanol abundance and oxygen isotope values elucidate silica maturation processes in biogenic silica. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2014; B51A-0008.

Dodd, J.P., Pollyea, R. Combining numerical modeling and stable isotope values to quantify groundwater recharge from the Chilean Andes to the Pampa del Tamarugal Basin, Atacama Desert, northern Chile. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2014; h21A-0583.

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P., Rivera, M.A., 2014, Holocene Water Availability in the Atacama Desert as Recorded by Seasonal Tree Ring Oxygen Isotope Variations: Goldschmidt Conference, Sacramento, CA (Gold2014:abs:2732)

Olson, E.J.*, Dodd, J.P., Rivera, M.A., 2014, Water Availability at the 2.5ka Archeological Site, Ramaditas, in the Atacama Desert. IGBP-PAGES 2k 3rd International Symposium South and Central America (LOTRED-SA), Climate Change and Human Impact in Central and South America over the Last 2000 Years: Observations and Models, July 9-11, 2014, Medellín. Colombia.

Dodd, J.P., Olson*, E.J., Rivera, M.A., 2014, Holocene water availability in the northern Atacama Desert as recorded by oxygen isotope variations in Prosopis tamarugo: 9th International Conference on Dendrochronology, Melbourne, Australia.

Van Dussen*, E.W., Fischer, M.P., Pollyea, R.M. and Dodd, J.P., 2013, The role of geometry and internal structures on fluid system evolution in narrowly tapered orogenic wedges: American Association of Peterolium Geologists and Society of Exploration Geophysicists Annual Student Expo. Houston, TX.

Hackett*, H., Dodd, J.P., 2013, Preliminary insights from an isotope study on an Antarctic Pliocene diatomite: 4th International Polar Marine Diatom Workshop, Cardiff, UK.

Craig*, A. Creamer, W., Dodd, J.P., 2013, The application of organic residue analysis to archeological ceramics: a study of Andean vessels: 41 Midwest Conference on Andean and Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory. Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois.

Brokus*, S.A. and Dodd, J.P., 2013, A hydrological investigation of groundwater and surface water geochemistry in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile: 41 Midwest Conference on Andean and Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory. Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois.

Swanson, S.K., Dodd, J.P., 2013, The Role of Groundwater in the Flooding History of Clear Lake, Wisconsin. Proceedings of the 26 Annual Keck Research Symposium in Geology.

Icks*, N.,F. Dodd, J.P., 2013, Sedimentological evidence of a persistent ground-water dominated systin in Duck Lake, WI over the past 8000 years. Proceedings of the 26 Annual Keck Research Symposium in Geology.

Swanson, S.K., Dodd, J.P., Chew*, B., Graham*, G., Honorof*, L., Icks*, N., Karr*, N., LaBriola*, C., 2013, The role of groundwater in the flooding history of Clear Lake, Wisconsin: 37th Annual Meeting AWRA-Wisconsin Section, Milwaukee, WI.

Bojar, A.V., Dodd, J.P., Seghedi, I., 2013, Isotope geochemistry of Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks, Hateg basin, South Carpathians, Romania: Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU General Assembly, v. 15, EGU2013-5716-1.

Dodd, J.P., Rivera, M.A., 2012,Variations in groundwater availability during the past 9,000 years in the Atacama Desert, Chile: A subannual record of oxygen isotope values from Prosopis tamarugo tree rings: EOS Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 93, h43A-1509.

Rivera, M.A., Dodd, J.P., & Shea, D.E., 2012, Water Availability during Prehispanic Human Settlement in the Atacama Desert: 40th Annual Midwest Conference on Andean and Amazonian Archaeology and Ethnohistory, Field Museum, Chicago, IL.

Dodd, J.P., Fawcett, P.J., & Sharp, Z.D., 2011, Rapid onset and collapse of the summer monsoon during interglacial and glacial periods MIS 11 and 12 as recorded by diatom silica δ¹⁸O values from the Valles Caldera: EOS Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 92, PP21A-1783.

Fawcett, P.J., Brown, E.T., Werne, J.P., Contreras, S. anderson, R.S., Dodd, J.P., Sharp, Z.D., Heikoop, J.M., & Allen, C.D., 2011, Millennial-scale climate variability during a mid-Pleistocene glacial (MIS 12) from a terrestrial lacustrine record in the Valles Caldera, New Mexico: EOS Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 92.

Ziegler, K., Dodd, J.P., Sharp, Z.D., Brearley, A.J., Young, E.D., 2011, Silicon and oxygen isotopes: The maturation of lacustrine diatoms: Mineralogical Magazine, v. 75, p. 2284, Gold2011:abs:5675.