Research

Earth science is one of the broadest and most interdisciplinary fields. It combines chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and geology to study the Earth’s interior, atmosphere, oceans, environment, causes of global climate change, and the history of life and climate on our planet.

Atmosphere, Oceans, Climate Dynamics

Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics (AOCD) has a long history at Yale, encompassing a wide range of theoretical, observational, and experimental research on geophysical fluid dynamics and climate.

Ocean and dunes

Geochemistry

Geochemistry is the study of the Earth system and other planetary systems using chemical principles. It focuses on how rocks, fluids, gases, and biology interact and exchange matter and energy over varying time scales.

glowing lavaa in a crater

Biogeochemistry, Paleoceanography, Paleoclimate

The Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences at Yale University pioneered Earth system science and continues exploring the complex interplay between the biosphere, hydrosphere, land surface, atmosphere, and climate.

glacial lake

Paleontology, Evolution

Paleontology research at Yale includes both fossils and living organisms, encompassing taphonomy, biogeochemistry, morphology, systematics, macroevolution, paleoclimatology, paleoecology, paleogeography, and the study of diverse groups from plants to dinosaurs.

large rock in a desert

Lithosphere and Surface Processes

Lithosphere and surface processes integrates geological processes across scales, shaping the Earth’s surface through interactions among the deep interior, lithosphere, hydro-atmosphere, and biosphere.

cliffs above water and shoreline

Solid Earth Geophysics

Earth’s geological and geophysical activity is driven by cooling to space, creating convection currents. At Yale, we study this with a multidisciplinary approach.

volcano eruption with smoke