John Barron, Ph.D.
John is a Scientist Emeritus with the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science center in Menlo Park, CA.
John is a marine micropaleontologist (diatoms) with expertise in and biostratigraphy and paleoceanography. His biostratigraphic expertise extends from the Late Cretaceous to the Holocene, with an emphasis on the North Pacific, eastern equatorial Pacific, and Southern Ocean. John's paleoclimate expertise is mostly on the Holocene of the North Pacific, ranging from the Gulf of California to the Gulf of Alaska. As an Emeritus Research Geologist, his research is directed toward developing and comparing Holocene sea surface temperature records in these eastern North Pacific regions with hydroclimate records in western North America and suggesting links.
Professional Experience
2012- 2016 (June) - Project Chief, Pacific Ocean Climate Variability: Effects on North American Precipitation Patterns Project, Climate and Land Use Change, Research & Development Program
1995-1997 – Project Chief: Pliocene, Research, Interpretation, and Synoptic Mapping(PRISM), Global Change & Climate History Program, Volcano Hazards Team, Menlo Park
1984-1995 – Project Chief and micropaleontologist of various USGS biochronology projects providing support to USGS mapping projects, Paleontology & Stratigraphy Branch
1974-1983 –Micropaleontolgist (diatoms), Paleontology & Stratigraphy Branch
Scientific Cruise Experience
Deep Sea Drilling Project (Leg 57-Japan; 63 (California margin; 85 (eastern equatorial Pacific); micropaleontologist
Ocean Drilling Project 119 (Antarctic margin, Indian Ocean; Co-Chief Scientist), 145 (North Pacific transect, micropaleotologist).
Education and Certifications
1969 BS (Geology), University of California, Los Angeles
1974 PhD (Geology), University of California, Los Angeles
Honors and Awards
2011 - The Brady Medal of the Micropalaeological Society (UK)
1994 - U.S. Dept. of Interior Meritorious Service Award
1986 - Charles Schuchert Award - from the Paleontological Society for excellence and promise in paleontology for scientists under 40 years old
Science and Products
Neogene geohistory analysis of Santa Maria Basin, California, and its relationship to transfer of Central California to the Pacific Plate. Diatom biochronology of the Sisquoc Formation in the Santa Maria Basin, California, and its paleoceanographic and te
Joint investigations of the Middle Pliocene climate I: PRISM paleoenvironmental reconstructions
PRISM 8 degrees X 10 degrees North Hemisphere paleoclimate reconstruction; digital data
Supplementary data on diatoms and calcareous nannofossils and preliminary revised ages for rock samples (KG-1 to KG-24) in the Cooperative Monterey Organic Geochemistry Study, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara-Ventura basins, California
Preliminary data and age-correlation for extra rock samples (KG-25 to KG-47) in the Cooperative Monterey Organic Geochemistry Study, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara-Ventura basins, California
Exceptionally well-preserved early Oligocene diatoms from glacial sediments of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica
Miocene intensification of upwelling along the California margin as recorded in siliceous facies of the Monterey Formation and offshore DSDP sites
Diatom stratigraphy of selected Sisquoc Formation sections, Santa Maria Basin, California
Diatoms from ice-rafted sediment collected from the Beaufort Sea, Arctic Alaska
Preliminary data on rock samples (KG-1 to KG-24) in the Cooperative Monterey Organic Geochemistry Study, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara-Ventura basins, California
Paleoceanographic and tectonic controls on the Pliocene diatom record of California
Science and Products
- Science
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 114
Neogene geohistory analysis of Santa Maria Basin, California, and its relationship to transfer of Central California to the Pacific Plate. Diatom biochronology of the Sisquoc Formation in the Santa Maria Basin, California, and its paleoceanographic and te
No abstract available.AuthorsPatricia A. McCrory, Douglas S. Wilson, James C. Ingle, Richard G. Stanley, Michael P. Dumont, John A. BarronJoint investigations of the Middle Pliocene climate I: PRISM paleoenvironmental reconstructions
The Pliocene epoch represents an important transition from a climate regime with high-frequency, low-amplitude oscillations when the Northern Hemisphere lacked substantial ice sheets, to the typical high-frequency, high-amplitude Middle to Late Pleistocene regime characterized by glacial—interglacial cycles that involve waxing and waning of major Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. Analysis of middleAuthorsHarry J. Dowsett, Robert S. Thompson, John A. Barron, Thomas M. Cronin, Farley R. Fleming, Scott Ishman, Richard Z. Poore, Debra A. Willard, Thomas R. HoltzPRISM 8 degrees X 10 degrees North Hemisphere paleoclimate reconstruction; digital data
The PRISM 8?x10? data set represents several years of investigation by PRISM (Pliocene Research, Interpretation, and Synoptic Mapping) Project members. One of the goals of PRISM is to produce time-slice reconstructions of intervals of warmer than modern climate within the Pliocene Epoch. The first of these was chosen to be at 3.0 Ma (time scale of Berggren et al., 1985) and is published in GlobalAuthorsJohn A. Barron, Thomas M. Cronin, Harry J. Dowsett, Farley R. Fleming, Thomas R. Holtz, Scott E. Ishman, Richard Z. Poore, Robert S. Thompson, Debra A. WillardSupplementary data on diatoms and calcareous nannofossils and preliminary revised ages for rock samples (KG-1 to KG-24) in the Cooperative Monterey Organic Geochemistry Study, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara-Ventura basins, California
No abstract available.AuthorsC.M. Isaacs, J.A. Barron, David BukryPreliminary data and age-correlation for extra rock samples (KG-25 to KG-47) in the Cooperative Monterey Organic Geochemistry Study, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara-Ventura basins, California
No abstract available.AuthorsC.M. Isaacs, J.H. Tomson, J.A. Barron, David Bukry, M. D. LewanExceptionally well-preserved early Oligocene diatoms from glacial sediments of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica
An exceptionally well-preserved early Oligocene diatom assemblage is documented and illustrated from the internal sediment of a gastropod shell, which was collected from glacial sedments recovered at ODP Site 739, Prydz Bay, Antarctica. The diatoms were deposited between 35.9 and 34.8 Ma according to diatom and calcareous nannofossil stratigraphy, apparently soon after a period of major ice sheetAuthorsJ.A. Barron, A.D. MahoodMiocene intensification of upwelling along the California margin as recorded in siliceous facies of the Monterey Formation and offshore DSDP sites
Diatomaceous sediments and their diagenetic equivalents in the Monterey Formation record a variable history of upwelling along the California margin. Distrinctive dark opal-CT and quartz chertz found in distal basins of the Monterey Formation are the result of burial diagenesis of pure biosiliceous oozes (biosiliceous oozes without significant admixtures of clay) and are therefore evidence of inteAuthorsLisa D. White, Robert E. Garrison, John A. BarronDiatom stratigraphy of selected Sisquoc Formation sections, Santa Maria Basin, California
No abstract available.AuthorsJohn A. Barron, Pedro C. RamirezDiatoms from ice-rafted sediment collected from the Beaufort Sea, Arctic Alaska
No abstract available.AuthorsJ.A. BarronPreliminary data on rock samples (KG-1 to KG-24) in the Cooperative Monterey Organic Geochemistry Study, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara-Ventura basins, California
No abstract available.AuthorsC.M. Isaacs, R. M. Pollastro, R.G. Arends, J.A. Barron, M.L. Cotton, M.V. Filewicz, B.P. Flower, D. Z. PiperPaleoceanographic and tectonic controls on the Pliocene diatom record of California
No abstract availableAuthorsJ.A. Barron - News