The Lab

Our home base is in the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics at the heart of the UH Mānoa campus. This is where we conduct all of our sample analyses and prepare for field expeditions.

Mass Spectrometry

A super-hot argon plasma breaks all chemical bonds in a sample. We use plasma mass spectrometry to measure elements.


Cleanroom chemistry

Our samples have the lowest levels of Fe, Zn and other metals on earth. We work in a clean room to keep them that way!


Voltammetry

Highly-sensitive electrodes allow us to make ultra-trace measurements of seawater micronutrients.


The Field

We collect samples from the open ocean, rivers, and everywhere in between.

The Open Ocean

From the surface it might be hard to tell, but the open ocean is changing. Our measurements help predict how these ecosystems will shift as climate change continues.

The Southern Ocean

The oceans are overturned around Antarctica: Atlantic waters flow into the Pacific, deep waters ascend to the surface. Its effects are felt far and wide, even in the relative warmth of Hawaiʻi.

The Coastal Ocean

The ocean is just one part of the great geochemical cycle. By working close to the coast, in rivers, and on land, we can figure out how the ocean gets its elements.