I use chemical and isotopic compositions (mainly Sm-Nd, Lu-Hf, Rb-Sr, and U-Th-Pb isotopic systems) of modern sediments or ancient sedimentary rocks to study the origin, composition, and evolution of the continents and the oceans through time. 

 

Detrital sediments and sedimentary rocks such as sandstone or shale are mixtures of mineral grains derived from the erosion of continents. I am interested in the chemical and isotopic signatures of these minerals because they record precious information on geological and sedimentary processes acting on continents as well as on the composition and the formation of crustal rocks. 

Chemical sedimentary rocks such as banded iron formation, carbonate, or chert that formed in seawater can trap complementary information on the composition of seawater, the oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans, and the interactions between oceans and continents. In my research, I use these chemical sedimentary rocks to better understand past environmental conditions at the beginning of Earth history. 

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​At the scale of the global sedimentary system, I also study the recycling of sedimentary materials in subduction zones and the effects that such a process may have on the long-term evolution of the mantle and crust compositions. 

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I am currently involved in several projects looking at both modern and ancient detrital sediments from different locations. This includes modern sediments from the Himalayan river system, Archean sedimentary rocks from South Africa and Canada, and oceanic sediments entering the Nankai through in Japan.

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