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Zahn, Rainer
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ICREA Research Professor at UAB-ICTA (UAB-Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals). Experimental Sciences & Mathematics
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Rainer received his training in sedimentology and marine geology at the Universities of Tuebingen and Kiel in Germany.
In 1986 he graduated with a doctoral degree from the University of Kiel.
Academic path:
1986-1988 post-doctoral res. associate, Oregon State University
1988-1990 research associate, University of British Columbia
1990-2000 assistant professor, GEOMAR Research Center, Kiel
2000-2002 professor of marine geoscience, Cardiff University
2002-current ICREA research professor
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Research Interest
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The overarching topic of Rainer’s research is the ocean circulation and interlinking with global climate. He approaches this theme from the perspective of past ocean and climate changes. A specific thematic focus is the southern hemisphere ocean circulation and its influence on marine and terrestrial climates in the North Atlantic region, including Europe and Iberia. The ocean gateway circulation around southern Africa and ensuing water exchanges between the Indian Ocean and Atlantic play a central role in this research as they determine the mode of the Atlantic circulation basin-wide. They likewise influence coastal climates of South Africa, including the development of the Fynbos Cape Floral Kingdom, and hence were of significance for the evolution of modern humans in southern Africa between 400.000-250.000 years ago.
He sits on international scientific committees and regularly is at sea with oceanographic research expeditions.
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KeyWords
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palaeoclimate, ocean circulation, global environmental and climate change
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