Karsten Lorentz

Contact

Email: karsten.lorentz@vuw.ac.nz
Office: CO 531

Qualifications

BSc MSU (2015); MSc VUW (2019)
PhD Candidate in Geochronology and Erosion Mechanics

PhD thesis

Title

Enriching quantitative estimates of alpine bedrock erosion rates through joint OSL-TCN chronometric analysis

Supervisors

• A/Prof Kevin Norton (SGEES)
• Dr Shaun Eaves

Project aim and description

Our research focuses on applying the newly developed OSL-TCN composite chronometer to novel locations in the Southern Alps of New Zealand and the Cascade mountains of the United States of America. Our aims are to explore the sensitivity and detection limits of this technique and investigate modifications of de-trapping rate constant calibrations and sample transect characteristics for incremental improvements in uncertainty. The two sites, while located in opposing hemispheres, share a great number of characteristics and are ideal for testing methodological reproducibility and cross-examining identical paraglacial regions for any potential influences from Holocene global climate variability.