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Phone:: (023) 8059 9005
Email:: R.H.James@soton.ac.uk

Professor Rachael James BSc, PhD

Professor of Geochemistry, Deputy Head of School

Rachael James is Professor of Geochemistry within the School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, based at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton.

She applies geochemical techniques to the study of ocean and earth systems and contributes to teaching within undergraduate and graduate Oceanography, Geology and Marine Biology degree programmes.

I use chemical and isotopic techniques to address environmental and societal challenges, including the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Academic qualifications and employement history:

2015-present: Professor, School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton

2013-2015: Reader, School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton

2008-2013: Principal Geochemist, National Oceanography Centre Southampton

2005-2008: Senior Lecturer in Oceanography, The Open University

2000-2005: Lecturer in Oceanography, The Open University

1999-2000: Research Fellow, The Natural History Museum, London

1996-1999: NERC/BRIDGE Independent Research Fellow, University of Bristol

1992-1996: PhD, University of Cambridge

Research

Responsibilities

Publications

Teaching

Contact

Research interests

I develop and apply novel chemical and isotopic techniques to improve our understanding of ocean and earth processes and to address critical environmental and societal challenges.

A key focus is on developing methods for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere to mitigate global warming. I am working on field trials for CO2 removal by enhanced rock weathering and mineral carbonation, and I am developing methodologies for monitoring and verifying potential leakage from sub-seafloor CO2 storage sites. I also study the fate of methane gas being released from sub-seafloor methane hydrates in the Arctic that have been destabilised by ocean warming.

I specialise in the development of novel non-traditional isotope techniques, including iron, chromium, lithium and magnesium. These techniques are being used to explore seafloor mineralisation processes at hydrothermal systems, to trace the history of ocean oxygenation, and to provide new constraints on marine biogeochemical cycles.

I am involved in a wide range of field programmes both on land and in the oceans, including sampling of agroecosystems, rivers, deep-sea ocean drilling and submersible studies of hydrothermal systems.

PhD supervision

Lead or co-supervisor for 3 PhD students (17 completed)

Research Projects

Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation

ULTRA: Ultramafic-hosted mineral resources assessment

Research group

Geochemistry

Affiliate research groups

Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation

Scientific Advisory Council GFZ Helmholtz Zentrum

Associate Editor, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

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Articles

Book

Austin, W. E. N., & James, R. H. (Eds.) (2008). Biogeochemical controls on palaeoceanographic environmental proxies. (Geological Society of London Special Publication; No. 303). Geological Society of London.

Book Chapter

James, R. H., & Austin, W. E. N. (2008). Biogeochemical controls on palaeoceanographic environmental proxies: a review. In W. E. N. Austin, & R. H. James (Eds.), Biogeochemical controls on palaeoceanographic environmental proxies (pp. 3-32). (Geological Society of London Special Publication; No. 303). Geological Society of London. https://doi.org/10.1144/SP303.2

Conference

Cevatoglu, M., Bull, J. M., Connelly, D., Lichtschlag, A., Wright, I. C., James, R., Le Bas, T., McPhail, S., & Shitashima, K. (2014). Monitoring techniques using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for potential seepage of CO2 from sub-seafloor storage sites. Near Surface Geoscience 2014 - First Applied Shallow Marine Geophysics Conference, Greece. https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.20142143

Letter/Editorial

Lough, A. J. M., Klar, J. K., Homoky, W. B., Comer-Warner, S. A., Milton, J. A., Connelly, D. P., James, R. H., & Mills, R. A. (2018). Corrigendum to “Opposing controls on the isotopic signature of dissolved iron in hydrothermal plumes” [Geochim. Cosmochim Acta 202 (2017) 1–20](S0016703716307311)(10.1016/j.gca.2016.12.022). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 232, 329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.04.021

Review

Reay, D. S., Smith, P., Christensen, T. R., James, R. H., & Clark, H. (2018). Methane and global environmental change. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 43, 165-192. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-030154

SOES1005 Introduction to Ocean Biogeochemistry – module co-ordinator

Professor Rachael James
Ocean and Earth Science
National Oceanography Centre Southampton
University of Southampton Waterfront Campus
European Way
Southampton SO14 3ZH
UK

Room Number: NOCS/566/19

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