Dr. Wolbach is a Professor of Chemistry whose research focuses on Geochemistry. In particular, she is interested in the forms of inorganic carbon that are formed from large-scale historical events. Understanding the materials generated from these events has allowed Dr. Wolbach and her collaborators to date events such as meteor impacts and fires that led to geological changes and mass extinctions. This type of work is highly interdisciplinary and collaborative, involving groups from around the world. Dr. Wolbach processes samples collected by her colleagues at various sites to determine the type and quantity of inorganic carbon.
Her most recent paper was published in Scientific Reports and is entitled “Sedimentary record from Patagonia, southern Chile supports cosmic-impact triggering of biomass burning, climate change, and megafaunal extinctions at 12.8 ka”
In this paper, the authors look at the southern hemisphere and compare results with previous studies from the northern hemisphere. The results further support the theory that a major event happened 12800 years ago that caused megafaunal extinctions and other major climate changes. In addition, the results show that the effects were global and not just confined to the northern hemisphere.
A write-up about their paper can be found here.
Former Research Articles:
The Catalyst 