Breadcrumb
![Portrait of Jim White](/instaar/sites/default/files/styles/small/public/people/white_jim.png?itok=RQS8o6Xi)
Ìý
Ìý
Bio
My research interests are broad, but all revolve around the use of environmental stable isotope ratios.
I established and operated the Stable Isotope Laboratory for the analysis of stable isotope ratios of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. My specific areas of research include modeling the global carbon cycle using isotope ratios in atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane, development of techniques for measuring isotope ratios in atmospheric gases, reconstructions of paleo-environmental conditions using isotopes in ice cores, reconstructions of past environments from isotopes in organic materials, and tracing of ground water flow and recharge. I have been a member of several deep ice coring projects in Greenland (GISP2, NorthGRIP, and NEEM) and Antarctica (Siple Dome and Inland WAIS). I am also an affiliate of NOAA and work closely with the there.
Starting in the late 1980s, my ice core research has helped to show that large climate changes tend to occur in the natural system as abrupt and rapid shifts in mode probably driven by internal adjustments in the Earth climate system, rather than slow and gradual adjustments to changing external conditions, such as the amount of energy received from the sun. Shifts of more than 10ËšC in mean temperature in less than a human lifetime are common in the paleoclimate record, and serve as a warning that adaptation to future climate changes may not be easy. My research in isotopes in the carbon cycle has also helped to show that land plants are capable of removing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, amounts that equal our input of CO2 from fossil fuel burning on short time scales. Such large changes in the uptake of CO2 by plants is a key piece in the puzzle we must solve to formulate workable policy on CO2 levels and climate change.
Education
- PhD: Columbia University, 1983
Awards
- Highly Cited Researcher (2016-2019), Web of Science Group, 2019
- Robert L. Stearns Award, CU Boulder Alumni Association, 2016
- Highly Cited Researcher, Thomson Reuters, 2014
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2014
- Highly Cited Researcher, ISI, 2001
Research
Research interests: global scale climate and environmental dynamics; carbon dioxide concentrations and climate from stable hydrogen isotopes, peats and other organics; climate from deuterium excess and hydrogen isotopes in ice cores; isotopes in general circulation models; modern carbon cycle dynamics via isotopes of carbon dioxide and methane.
Publications
Recent publications
Current Inventories of Methane Emissions
White JWC; Allen D; Amar PK; Bogner J; Bruhwiler L; Cooley D; Frankenberg C; George F; Hanle L; Hristov AH...
- White JWC
- Allen D
- Amar PK
- Bogner J
- Bruhwiler L
- Cooley D
- Frankenberg C
- George F
- Hanle L
- Hristov AH
Type: Chapter
Improving Characterization of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in the United States Introduction
White JWC; Allen D; Amar PK; Bogner J; Bruhwiler L; Cooley D; Frankenberg C; George F; Hanle L; Hristov AH...
- White JWC
- Allen D
- Amar PK
- Bogner J
- Bruhwiler L
- Cooley D
- Frankenberg C
- George F
- Hanle L
- Hristov AH
Type: Book
Graven H; Allison CE; Etheridge DM; Hammer S; Keeling RF; Levin I; Meijer HAJ; Rubino M; Tans PP; Trudinger CM...
- Graven H
- Allison CE
- Etheridge DM
- Hammer S
- Keeling RF
- Levin I
- Meijer HAJ
- Rubino M
- Tans PP
- Trudinger CM
Publication Date: 2017-12-05
Type: Journal Article
Vimont IJ; Turnbull JC; Petrenko VV; Place PF; Karion A; Miles NL; Richardson SJ; Gurney K; Patarasuk R; Sweeney C...
- Vimont IJ
- Turnbull JC
- Petrenko VV
- Place PF
- Karion A
- Miles NL
- Richardson SJ
- Gurney K
- Patarasuk R
- Sweeney C
Publication Date: 2017-11-07
Type: Journal Article
Rigby M; Montzka SA; Prinn RG; White JWC; Young D; O'Doherty S; Lunt MF; Ganesan AL; Manning AJ; Simmonds PG...
- Rigby M
- Montzka SA
- Prinn RG
- White JWC
- Young D
- O'Doherty S
- Lunt MF
- Ganesan AL
- Manning AJ
- Simmonds PG
Publication Date: 2017-05-23
Type: Journal Article
Pandey S; Houweling S; Krol M; Aben I; Monteil G; Nechita-Banda N; Dlugokencky EJ; Detmers R; Hasekamp O; Xu X...
- Pandey S
- Houweling S
- Krol M
- Aben I
- Monteil G
- Nechita-Banda N
- Dlugokencky EJ
- Detmers R
- Hasekamp O
- Xu X
Publication Date: 2017-04-10
Type: Journal Article
Schwietzke S; Sherwood OA; Bruhwiler LMP; Miller JB; Etiope G; Dlugokencky EJ; Michel SE; Arling VA; Vaughn BH; White JW...
- Schwietzke S
- Sherwood OA
- Bruhwiler LMP
- Miller JB
- Etiope G
- Dlugokencky EJ
- Michel SE
- Arling VA
- Vaughn BH
- White JWC
Publication Date: 2017-03-16
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2017-02-27
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2017-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Markle BR; Steig EJ; Buizert C; Schoenemann SW; Bitz CM; Fudge TJ; Pedro JB; Ding Q; Jones TR; White JC...
- Markle BR
- Steig EJ
- Buizert C
- Schoenemann SW
- Bitz CM
- Fudge TJ
- Pedro JB
- Ding Q
- Jones TR
- White JC
Publication Date: 2017-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Warwick NJ; Cain ML; Fisher R; France JL; Lowry D; Michel SE; Nisbet EG; Vaughn BH; White JWC; Pyle JA...
- Warwick NJ
- Cain ML
- Fisher R
- France JL
- Lowry D
- Michel SE
- Nisbet EG
- Vaughn BH
- White JWC
- Pyle JA
Publication Date: 2016-12-01
Type: Journal Article
Nisbet EG; Dlugokencky EJ; Manning MR; Lowry D; Fisher RE; France JL; Michel SE; Miller JB; White JWC; Vaughn B...
- Nisbet EG
- Dlugokencky EJ
- Manning MR
- Lowry D
- Fisher RE
- France JL
- Michel SE
- Miller JB
- White JWC
- Vaughn B
Publication Date: 2016-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Berkelhammer M; Noone DC; Steen-Larsen HC; Bailey A; Cox CJ; O'Neill MS; Schneider D; Steffen K; White JWC...
- Berkelhammer M
- Noone DC
- Steen-Larsen HC
- Bailey A
- Cox CJ
- O'Neill MS
- Schneider D
- Steffen K
- White JWC
Publication Date: 2016-04-01
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2016-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2015-07-28
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2015-06-28
Type: Journal Article
Thompson RL; Stohl A; Zhou LX; Dlugokencky E; Fukuyama Y; Tohjima Y; Kim S-Y; Lee H; Nisbet EG; Fisher RE...
- Thompson RL
- Stohl A
- Zhou LX
- Dlugokencky E
- Fukuyama Y
- Tohjima Y
- Kim S-Y
- Lee H
- Nisbet EG
- Fisher RE
Publication Date: 2015-05-16
Type: Journal Article
Ballantyne AP; Andres R; Houghton R; Stocker BD; Wanninkhof R; Anderegg W; Cooper LA; DeGrandpre M; Tans PP; Miller JB...
- Ballantyne AP
- Andres R
- Houghton R
- Stocker BD
- Wanninkhof R
- Anderegg W
- Cooper LA
- DeGrandpre M
- Tans PP
- Miller JB
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Ghosh A; Patra PK; Ishijima K; Umezawa T; Ito A; Etheridge DM; Sugawara S; Kawamura K; Miller JB; Dlugokencky EJ...
- Ghosh A
- Patra PK
- Ishijima K
- Umezawa T
- Ito A
- Etheridge DM
- Sugawara S
- Kawamura K
- Miller JB
- Dlugokencky EJ
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Masson-Delmotte V; Steen-Larsen HC; Ortega P; Swingedouw D; Popp T; Vinther BM; Oerter H; Sveinbjornsdottir AE; Gudlaugs...
- Masson-Delmotte V
- Steen-Larsen HC
- Ortega P
- Swingedouw D
- Popp T
- Vinther BM
- Oerter H
- Sveinbjornsdottir AE
- Gudlaugsdottir H
- Box JE
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Publication Date: 2014-11-01
Type: Journal Article
Marcott SA; Bauska TK; Buizert C; Steig EJ; Rosen JL; Cuffey KM; Fudge TJ; Severinghaus JP; Ahn J; Kalk ML...
- Marcott SA
- Bauska TK
- Buizert C
- Steig EJ
- Rosen JL
- Cuffey KM
- Fudge TJ
- Severinghaus JP
- Ahn J
- Kalk ML
Publication Date: 2014-10-30
Type: Journal Article
Buizert C; Gkinis V; Severinghaus JP; He F; Lecavalier BS; Kindler P; Leuenberger M; Carlson AE; Vinther B; Masson-Delmo...
- Buizert C
- Gkinis V
- Severinghaus JP
- He F
- Lecavalier BS
- Kindler P
- Leuenberger M
- Carlson AE
- Vinther B
- Masson-Delmotte V
Publication Date: 2014-09-05
Type: Journal Article
Steen-Larsen HC; Sveinbjoernsdottir AE; Peters AJ; Masson-Delmotte V; Guishard MP; Hsiao G; Jouzel J; Noone D; Warren JK...
- Steen-Larsen HC
- Sveinbjoernsdottir AE
- Peters AJ
- Masson-Delmotte V
- Guishard MP
- Hsiao G
- Jouzel J
- Noone D
- Warren JK
- White JWC
Publication Date: 2014-01-01
Type: Journal Article
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Apt J; Jaramillo P; Dowds JR; Dworkin M; Fertig E; Handschy M; Hines P; Hittinger E; Katzenstein W; Kirby E...
- Apt J
- Jaramillo P
- Dowds JR
- Dworkin M
- Fertig E
- Handschy M
- Hines P
- Hittinger E
- Katzenstein W
- Kirby E
Type: Chapter
Pages
Teaching
My teaching interests at the undergraduate level focus on human interactions with the environment, as well as general geosciences. I have a strong commitment to undergraduate education in this area, as I believe that an educated citizenry is important in ensuring that reasonable environmental policy is made and implemented. I teach and helped to develop a large lecture class, Introduction to Environmental Studies (ENVS 1000). This course covers the broad spectrum of environmental studies, from the social to the natural sciences.Ìý In addition, I developed and teach a large upper level undergraduate course, GEOL 3520, Environmental Issues. This course addresses our present and future energy sources, and how those energy sources affect the Earth’s systems, including climate and biogeochemistry. At the graduate level, I teach courses in my research specialty, stable isotope geochemistry and biogeochemistry.Ìý I have also taught the ENVS Honor’s course, and supervised the ENVS Internship Program. I have also been relatively successful in securing funding for education at CU. With a number of other faculty at CU, I have had grants funded by NASA (Earth System Science Education), as well as a multi-million dollar NSF-IGERT graduate training grant. This grant supported 13 graduate students per year for five years in an experiment in team building, disciplinary silo breaking, and co-educating social science, natural science, and journalism graduate students in carbon cycle dynamics, economics and policy.
Past Courses
- ENVS 1000: Introduction to Environmental Studies
- ENVS 3930: Internship in Environmental Studies
- ENVS 4990: Senior Thesis in Environmental Studies
- ENVS 5900: Carbon, Climate, and Society
- ENVS/GEOL 3520: Environmental Issues in Geosciences
- GEOL 1070: Global Change
- GEOL 1110: Global Change Lab
- GEOL 5700: Environmental Isotopes
- GEOL 5700: Current Literature in Global Change Research
---
Outreach
Videos about climate change
- Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change: Anticipating surprises
- 120 Seconds of Science with Doc Ryan
- Climate Change Impacts are Happening Faster and Faster