Email: tianyuchen@nju.edu.cn

I'm a geochemist working on the application of various kinds of isotopes (radioactive: U-Th, 14C, radiogenic Nd-Sr-Pb-Hf and stable isotopes such as Fe, Re isotopes) in understanding the carbon and trace element cycling of the ocean from orbital time scale to abrupt climate events. My research fields include (1) the reconstruction of Quaternary paleoceanography and global climate change based on deep sea corals and marine sediments; (2) the geochemistry and geochronology of U-Th-Ra-Pb decay chains of carbonates and detrital zircons; (3) trace metal cycling in the marine system. 

Please contact me if you are looking for a PhD or postdoc position and are interested in joining my research group.

Educational Background

2010 – 2013, PhD in Earth Sciences (Marine Geology/Paleoceanography), awarded With Distinction (summa cum laude, 1 in 22), GEOMAR, University of Kiel, Germany. 

2007 – 2010, Master-PhD joint program in Isotope Geochemistry, Nanjing University, China. 

2003 – 2007, Undergraduate in Geochemistry, Nanjing University, China.

Work Experience

2017–    School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Professor of Geochemistry

2014 – 2017  School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Senior Research Associate

Academic Service

2018.09- Editorial member of Earth and Planetary Science Letters

Publications

Google Scholar Page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=d7ODTRcAAAAJ&hl=en

Wang, M., Xu, K., Li, T., Robinson, L.F., Liu, Y., Shao, Q., Li, G., Chen, T.*, 2022, The mineralization and early diagenesis of deep-sea coral Madrepora oculata. Chemical Geology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2022.120966

Zheng, J., Chen, T.*, Ng, H.C., Robinson, L.F., Zheng, X.Y., Shi, X.F., Huang, M., 2022, Determination of picogram-per-gram concentrations of 231Pa and 230Th in sediments by melt-quenching and laser ablation mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.2c00438.

Yang, R., Li, T., Stubbs, D., Chen, T., Liu, S., Kemp, D.B., Li, W., Yang, S., Chen, J., Elliott, T. and Dellwig, O., 2022. Stable tungsten isotope systematics on the Earth’s surface. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 322, pp.227-243.

Wang, M., Chen, T.*, Feng, D., Zhang, X., Li, T., Robinson, L.F., Liang, Q., Bialik, O.M., Liu, Y. and Makovsky, Y., 2022. Uranium-thorium isotope systematics of cold-seep carbonate and their constraints on geological methane leakage activities. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2021.12.016

Lv, C., Tang, C.S., Zhu, C., Li, W.Q., Chen, T., Zhao, L. and Pan, X.H., 2022. Environmental Dependence of Microbially Induced Calcium Carbonate Crystal Precipitations: Experimental Evidence and Insights. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 148(7), p.04022050.

Feng, X., Jiang, F., Zhang, Z., Xiong, Z., Zhong, Y., Dong, J., Chen, T., Li, A., Zou, X. and Shi, X., 2022. Long eccentricity forcing Asian dust input into the northwestern Pacific during the early Pleistocene. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 596, p.110963.

Shang, S., Hui, H., Yang, Y. and Chen, T., 2022. Martian hydrothermal fluids recorded in the Sm-Nd isotopic systematics of apatite in regolith breccia meteorites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 581, p.117413.

Li, L., Robinson, L.F., Chen, T., Xu, Z., Chen, J. and Li, G., 2022. Limited Contribution of Preferential Dissolution to Radiogenic Uranium Isotope Disequilibrium Observed in Weathered Moraines. Journal of Earth Science, 33(1), pp.57-66.

Stewart, J.A., Li, T., Spooner, P.T., Burke, A., Chen, T., Roberts, J., Rae, J.W., Peck, V., Kender, S., Liu, Q. and Robinson, L.F., 2021. Productivity and dissolved oxygen controls on the Southern Ocean deep‐sea benthos during the Antarctic Cold Reversal. Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, p.e2021PA004288.

Qu, Y., Xu, K., Li, T., Wang, M., Zhong, H. and Chen, T.*, 2021. Deep-sea coral evidence for dissolved mercury evolution in the deep North Pacific Ocean over the last 700 years. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 39(5), pp.1622-1633.

Wei, G.Y., Chen, T., Poulton, S., Lin, Y.B., He, T., Shi, X., Chen, J., Li, H., Qiao, S., Liu, J., Li, D., Ling, H.F., 2021. A chemical weathering control on the delivery of particulate iron to the continental shelf. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2021.05.058

Li, C., Shen, J., Zhang, J., Lei, P., Kong, Y., Zhang, J., Tang, W., Chen., T., Xiang, X., Wang, S., Zhang, W., Zhong, H., 2021. The silver linings of mercury: Reconsideration of its impacts on living organisms from a multi-timescale perspective. Environment International, 155, 106670, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2021.106670

Zhu, C., Chen, T.*, Zhao L.*, 2021. Magnesium partitioning into vaterite and its potential role as a precursor phase in foraminiferal Mg/Ca thermometer. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 567, 116989, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2021.116989

He, M., Chen, T., Liu, X., Yang, Y.N., Xia, X., Yang, Q., He, P., Di, J., Zhang, Y., Wei, G., 2021. Accurate in situ oxygen isotopic analysis at high resolution by secondary ion mass spectrometry shows the potential of aragonite as a reference material. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1JA00072A

Dong, L.H., Wei, W., Yu, C.L., Hou, Z.H., Zeng, Z., Chen, T., Huang, F., 2021. Determination of Vanadium Isotope Compositions in Carbonates Using an Fe Coprecipitation Method and MC-ICP-MS. Analytical Chemistry,  93, 19, 7172–7179, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04800

Li, T., Robinson, L.F., Chen, T., Wang, X.T., Burke, A., Rae, J.W.B., Pegrum-Haram, A., Knowles, T.D.J., Li, G.J., Chen, J., Ng, H.C., Prokopenko, M., Rowland, G.H., Samperiz, A., Stewart, J.A., Southon, J., Spooner, P.T., 2020. Rapid shifts in circulation and biogeochemistry of the Southern Ocean during deglacial carbon cycle events. Science Advances, 6, eabb3807

Chen, T.*, Robinson, L.F., Burke, A., Claxton, L., Hain, M.P., Li, T., Rae, J.W.B., Stewart, J., Knowles, T.D.J., Fornari, D.J., Harpp, K.S., 2020. Persistently well-ventilated intermediate-depth ocean through the last deglaciation. Nature Geoscience, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-0638-6

Wilson, D.J., Struve, T., van de Flierdt, T., Chen, T., Li, T., Burke, A., Robinson, L.F., 2020. Sea-ice control on deglacial lower cell circulation changes recorded by Drake Passage deep-sea corals. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 544, 116405

Liu, R.L., Guo, B., Wang, M.Y., Li, W.Q., Yang, T., Ling, H.F., Chen, T.*, 2020. Isotopic fingerprinting of dissolved iron sources in the deep western Pacific since the late Miocene, Science China Earth Sciences, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-020-9648-6

Liu, R.L., Wang, M.Y., Li, W.Q., Shi, X.F., Chen, T.*, 2020. Dissolved Thorium Isotope Evidence for Export Productivity in the Subtropical North Pacific During the Late Quaternary. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2019GL085995

Wei, G.Y., Wei, W., Wang, D., Li, T., Yang, X.P., Shields, G.A., Zhang, F.F., Li, G.J., Chen, T., Yang, T., Ling, H.F., 2020. Enhanced chemical weathering triggered an expansion of euxinic seawater in the aftermath of the Sturtian glaciation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 539, 116244

Chen, T.*, Li, W.Q., Guo, B., Liu, R.L., Li, G.J., Zhao, L., Ji, J.F., 2020. Reactive iron isotope signatures of the East Asian dust particles: Implications for iron cycling in the deep North Pacific. Chemical Geology, 531, 119342

Chen T.*, L.F. Robinson, 2019, Millennial to centennial changes in deep ocean ventilation during the last deglaciation, PAGES Magazine, 27, 50-51, https://doi.org/10.22498/pages.27.2.50 (invited non-peer reviewed Perspective)

Wei, G.Y., Ling, H.F., Shields, G.A., Chen, T., Lechte, M., Chen, X., Qiu, C., Lei, H.L., Zhu, M.Y., 2019. Long-term evolution of terrestrial inputs from the Ediacaran to early Cambrian: Clues from Nd isotopes in shallow-marine carbonates, South China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 535, 109367

Pratt, N., Chen, T., Li, T., Wilson, D.J., van de Flierdt, T., Little, S.H., Taylor, M.L., Robinson, L.F., Rogers, A.D., Santodomingo, N., 2019. Temporal distribution and diversity of cold-water corals in the southwest Indian Ocean over the past 25,000 years. Deep-Sea Research Pt I ,149, 103049

Li L., Chen J., Chen T., Chen Y., Hedding W.D., Li G., Li L., Li T., Robinson L.F., West A.J., Wu W., You CF., Zhao L., Li G.，2018. Weathering dynamics reflected by the response of riverine uranium isotope disequilibrium to changes in denudation rate, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 500, 136-144

Rae J. W. B., Burke A., Robinson L. F., Adkins J. F., Chen T., Cole C., Greenop R., Li T., Littley E. F. M., Nita D. C., Stewart J. A. & Taylor B. J., 2018. CO2 storage and release in the deep Southern Ocean on millennial to centennial timescales, Nature, 562, 569–573

Wei W., Frei R., Chen T., Klaebe R., Liu H., Li D., Wei GY, Ling HF, 2018. Marine ferromanganese oxide: A potentially important sink of light chromium isotopes? Chemical Geology, 495, 90-103

Ng H.C., Robinson L.F., McManus J.F., Mohamed K.J., Jacobel A.W., Ivanovic R.F., Gregoire L.J., Chen T., 2018. Coherent deglacial changes in western Atlantic Ocean circulation. Nature communications, 9, 2947

Wang, XT, Sigman, DM, Prokopenko, M, Adkins, JF, Robinson, L, Hines, SK, Chai, J, Garcia, aM, Chen, T & Haug, GH, 2017. ‘Deep-sea coral evidence for lower Southern Ocean surface nitrate concentrations during the last ice age’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114, 3352-3357.

Chen, T.*, Robinson L.F., Beasley M., Claxton L., Andersen M., Gregoire L.J., Wadham J., Fornari D.J., Harpp K., 2016. Ocean mixing and ice-sheet control of seawater ²³⁴U/²³⁸U during the last deglaciation, Science, 354, 626-629.

Chen, T.*, Robinson L.F., Burke A., Southon J., Spooner P., Morris P.J., Ng H. C., 2015. Synchronous Centennial Abrupt Events in the Ocean and Atmosphere during the Last Deglaciation, Science, 349,1537-1541.

Spooner P., Chen, T., Robinson L.F., Coath C.D., 2015. Uranium-Series Dating of Carbonates by Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry, Quaternary Geochronology, 31, 28-39, doi:10.1016/j.quageo.2015.10.004.

Chen, T.*, Stumpf, R., Frank, M., Bełdowski J., and Staubwasser M., 2013. Contrasting geochemical cycling of hafnium and neodymium in the central Baltic Sea. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 123, 166-180, doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2013.09.011.

Chen, T.*, Rempfer J., Frank, M., Stumpf R., and Molina-Kescher M., 2013. Upper ocean vertical supply: a neglected primary factor controlling the distribution of neodymium concentrations of open ocean surface waters?Journal of Geophysical Research-oceans, 118, 3887-3894, doi: 10.1002/jgrc.20288.

Jiang F.-Q., Frank, M., Li T., Chen, T., Xu Z., and Li A., 2013. Asian dust input in the western Philippine Sea: Evidence from radiogenic Sr and Nd isotopes. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, doi: 10.1002/ggge.20116.

Chen, T.*, Li G., Frank, M., and Ling, H.-F., 2013. Hafnium isotope fractionation during continental weathering: implications for the generation of seawater Nd-Hf isotope relationships. Geophysical Research Letters, 40, 916-920, doi: 10.1002/grl.50217.

Chen, T., Ling, H.-F., Hu, R., Frank, M., and Jiang, S.-Y., 2013. Lead isotope provinciality of central North Pacific Deep Water over the Cenozoic. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 14, 1523-1537, doi: 10.1002/ggge.20114.

Chen, T.*, Frank, M., Haley, B. A., Gutjahr, M., and Spielhagen, R. F., 2012. Variations of North Atlantic inflow to the central Arctic Ocean over the last 14 million years inferred from hafnium and neodymium isotopes. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 353–354, 82-92.

Chen, T., Ling, H.-F., Frank, M., Zhao, K.-D., and Jiang, S.-Y., 2011. Zircon effect alone insufficient to generate seawater Nd-Hf isotope relationships. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 12, Q05003, doi: 10.1029/2010gc003363.

Hu, R., Chen, T., and Ling, H.-F., 2012. Late Cenozoic history of deep water circulation in the western North Pacific: Evidence from Nd isotopes of ferromanganese crusts. Chinese Science Bulletin57, 4077-4086, doi: 10.1007/s11434-012-5322-9.

Chen, T., Ling, H.-F., and Hu, R., 2011. Neodymium isotopes distribution and transport in the central North Pacific deep water. Chinese Science Bulletin 56, 2243-2250, doi: 10.1007/s11434-011-4452-9.