Marine Science

Degrees

• Ph.D., Geological Oceanography, University of South Florida
• M.S., Geological Oceanography, University of South Florida
• B.S. Marine Science, Eckerd College

Research interests

My research focuses on high resolution investigations in the sedimentary record for natural variability, change, and events, as well as environmental impacts of anthropogenic activities/events. This includes the refinement of short-lived radioisotope geochronology (primarily excess ²¹⁰Pb, excess ²³⁴Th) combined with high-resolution (mm) scanning elemental techniques (XRF) and sediment texture and bulk composition to define the sedimentary signature of events. Projects include investigations in the Gulf of Mexico including the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, West FL Shelf, Tampa Bay, St. Lucia, Dominica, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Cuba.

Courses taught

• Cultural and Natural Environments of the World: Cuba, US/British Virgin Islands, Ecuador/Galapagos, and South Africa
• Scientist at Sea

Selected publications

• Larson, R.A., Brooks, G.R., Schwing, P.T., Diercks, A.R., Holmes, C.W., Chanton, J., Diaz-Asencio, M., Hollander, D.J., 2020, Characterization of the Sedimentation Associated with the Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Depositional Pulse, Initial Response, and Stabilization (Chap. 14). In: Murawski SA, Ainsworth C, Gilbert S, Hollander D, Paris CB, Schlüter M, Wetzel D (eds) Deep oil spills – facts, fate and effects. Springer, Cham.
• Larson R.A., Brooks G.R., Schwing P.T., Carter S., Hollander D.J., 2018, High Resolution Investigation of Event-Driven Sedimentation: Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Anthropocene, 24; 40-50, DOI:10.1016/j.ancene.2018.11.002.
• Larson, R.A., Brooks, G.R., Devine, B., Schwing, P.T., Holmes, C.W., Jilbert, T.S., Reichart, G.J., 2015, Elemental signature of terrigenous sediment runoff as recorded in coastal salt ponds: US Virgin Islands, Applied Geochemistry. Vol. 63, p. 573-585, doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2015.01.008