Affiliated Faculty

Ocean Sciences
Earth & Marine Sciences Bldg.
A-312 Office
A-316 Mailroom
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Phone: (831) 459-4730
Fax: (831) 459-4882
Email: Ocean Sciences
Directions & Parking

Matthew D. McCarthy Associate Professor of Ocean Sciences Ocean Sciences Department University of California Santa Cruz, CA 95064 Tel:  (831) 459-4718 Fax:  (831) 459-4882 Email:   mccarthy@pmc.ucsc.edu Lab:   McCarthy Lab and Research

• Employment History
• Education
• Professional Competence and Activity
• Published Writings and Creative Activities
• Graduate Students and Research Associates
• Teaching Assignments and Students Advised

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND ACTIVITY

Honors and Awards

GRANT SUPPORT

Grants Support & Extramural Funding History

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PUBLISHED WRITINGS AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES

Articles in preparation

Roland, L., McCarthy, M.D., and Guilderson, T.  Origin of hydrolysis-resistant sinking POC as revealed by D 14C  vs. 13C: Comparison of three ocean basins (in preparation for Organic Geochemistry).

McCarthy, M.D., Beaupre, S., Druffel, E.R.M., Voparil, I., Walker, B., & Guilderson, T. D 14C signatures of dissolved organic matter from off-axis crustal fluids:  a newly identified source of “old” DOC to the Oceans. (in preparation for Science)

McCarthy, M.D., Voparil, I.,  and Walker, B.  14C ages and cycling rates of major compound classes of oceanic dissolved organic matter. (in preparation for Marine Chemistry).

Articles In Press or In Review

Bronk, D. & McCarthy, M.D. (Accepted, in revisions) Analytical Chemistry of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen.  Invited book chapter for:  Dissolved Organic Nitrogen,  D. Capone,  Ed.

McCarthy M. D., Benner R., Lee C., and Fogel M. (In review).  Amino acid nitrogen isotopic fractionation patterns as indicators of zooplankton and microbial heterotrophy in plankton, dissolved and particulate organic matter in the central Pacific ocean. Geochimica et Cosmochima Acta.

Dekens, P.S., Ravelo, A.C. & McCarthy, M.D.  Warm Upwelling Regions in the Pliocene Warm Period. Paleoceanography

Walker, B., McCarthy, M.D., Fisher, A.T., and Guilderson, T. (In review) Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Isotopic Composition (d 13C  and D 14C) of Ridge Flank and Low-Temperature Axial Hydrothermal Fluids on the Juan de Fuca Ridge.  Marine Chemistry

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Peer-reviewed publications  (last 10 years)

Fedorov, A.V., Dekens, P. S., McCarthy, M., Ravelo, A. C., de Menocal, P. B. Barreiro, M., Pacanowski, R. C., Philander, S. G. (2006) The Pliocene Paradox: Mechanisms for a Permanent El Nino.  Science  312, 1485-1489.

Ravelo, A. C., Dekens, P. S., and McCarthy, M. (2006) Evidence for el niño–like conditions during the Pliocene.  GSA Today 16:3, 4-11.

McCarthy, M.D.,  Benner, R., Lee, C. Hedges, J.I.and Fogel, M.L. (2004) Amino acid carbon isotopic fractionation patterns in oceanic dissolved organic matter: evidence for predominant photoautotrophic source for DON in the ocean? 2004,  Mar. Chem. 92, 123-134.

Bjorkland, T. & McCarthy, M.D. (2003).  A Novel Deep-Ocean Sampler for Recovery of Very Large Volumes of Sea Floor Hydrothermal Fluids. Sea Tech.44, 49-51.

Johnson, H.P.,  Baross, J.,Bjorkland, T., Brazelton, J. Huber,M., Pruis, M., Lang, F. McCrosky,F., Meta, M., Butterfiled,D., Bowen, A., Howland, J., Martin,W., Roe, K., Channing, C., Kalk, P., Kammerer, C., Light,R., Miller, V., McCarthy, M., Moore, B., Sharma, M., and Voit, J.  (2003). Probing for Life in the Ocean Crust with the LEXEN Program.  EOS, 84, 109-116

McCarthy, M.D., Hedges, J.I. and Benner, R. (1998).  Bacterial origin of major fraction of dissolved organic nitrogen in the sea.  Science 281, 231-233.

McCarthy, M.D., Pratum, T., Hedges, J.I. and Benner, R. (1997). Chemical Composition of dissolved organic nitrogen in the ocean. Nature 390, 150-154.

Benner, R., Biddanda, B. Black, B. and McCarthy, M.D. (1997) Abundance, distribution, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of Marine Particulate and dissolved organic matter isolated by tangential-flow ultrafiltration, Mar. Chem. 57, 243-263.

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Published abstracts & presentations at professional conferences

First-authored abstracts & presentations:

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Exploring amino acid nitrogen isotopic fractionation patterns as indicators of trophic transfer and microbial heterotrophy in sinking particulate organic matter in the central Pacific ocean. Honolulu, HI. February 2006

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Elemental and isotopic composition of particulate organic matter from hydrothermal fluids in old vs young ocean crust. Salt Lake City, UT. February 2005

(Invited) Goldschmidt Conference.  Compound-specific d 15N measurements of amino acids in dissolved organic matter from the central Pacific Ocean. Kurishiki Japan. September 2003

(Invited)  NSF Symposium: New Approaches in Marine Organic Biogeochemistry.  Transformations on the molecular scale: Probing for altered amino acid structure in dissolved proteinaceous material preserved in the deep. Friday Harbor, WA. August 2003.

(Invited, session keynote speaker)  American Society of Limnology and Oceanography What is Dissolved Organic Nitrogen? Salt Lake City, UT. February 2003.

American Geophysical Union/American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. A New Compound-Specific Isotopic Tracer for Organic Nitrogen Metabolic Source: Amino Acid del 13C Fractionation Patterns.  Honolulu, HI.  February 2002.

American Chemical Society.  Prokaryotic vs. Eukaryotic N sources in the sea: Looking for signatures in amino acid C stable isotope patterns.  San Diego, CA. April 2001.

Gordon Research Conference: Organic Geochemistry.  Sources of proteinaceous material in the Central Pacific: Molecular level carbon and nitrogen amino acid isotopic signatures from POM and DOM in the Equatorial Pacific.  Holderness, New Hampshire. August 2000.

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography.  DON in the Amazon River: peptidoglycan vs. proteinaceous  sources indicated by amino acid enantiomers and N-pyrolysis products.  San Antonio, TX.  January 2000.

European Association of Organic Geochemistry.  Nitrogen Containing Pyrolysis Products:  Contrasting origin and nature of dissolved nitrogenous materials in riverine and oceanic environments.  Istanbul, Turkey. September 1999.

(Invited) American Society of Limnology and Oceanography.  Molecular-level stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of amino acids in oceanic dissolved organic matter.  Santa Fe, NM.  February 1999.

Goldschmidt Geochemistry Conference.  New views of oceanic DOM from molecular-level organic compositions (Oral). Toulouse, France.  September 1998.

Carnegie Institution, Perspectives in Amino Acid Geochemistry.  Amino acid enantiomeric signatures in dissolved oceanic material: implications for oceanic N cycle. WA, D.C.,  March 1998.

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography.   Bacterial origin of major fraction of dissolved organic nitrogen in the sea (Oral). San Diego, CA.  February 1998.

European Association of Organic Geochemistry. Composition of refractory dissolved organic nitrogen in the sea.(Oral) Masstrict, The Netherlands. September 1997.

NSF, Dissertations in Chemical Oceanography.  Major Biochemical Composition of dissolved high-molecular weight organic matter in seawater  Honolulu, HI. October 1997.  

American Society of Limnology and Oceanography.   Major composition of dissolved organic nitrogen in the ocean from 15N NMR and hydrolyzable amino acids (Oral). Santa Fe, New Mexico.  February 1997.

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First Authored by MDM Students or Post-Docs

Roland, L., McCarthy, M.D., & Guilderson, T. (2006) Composition of the Molecularly Uncharacterized Component of Sinking POM: Comparisons between CARIACO and Santa Barbara Basins., American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Honolulu, HI. February 2006

Dekens, P.S. A.C.Ravelo, M.D.McCarthy (2005) Warm upwelling regions during a period of global warmth. American Geophysical Union, San Fransisco, CA. December 2005.

Walker, B., McCarthy, M.D., Fischer, A. & Guilderson, T. (2005)  Using D 14C to determine Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Sources and Fates in Hydrothermal Systems. 10th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Berkely,CA. September 2005.

Voparil, I., McCarthy, M.D., Cody, G. & Guilderson, T. (2005- invited talk)  D 14C Ages and Differential Cycling of Major Biochemical Components of Oceanic DOM. 10th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Berkely,CA. September 2005.

Roland, L., McCarthy, M.D., & Guilderson, T. (2005) Using D 14C to Investigate Source and Composition of Sinking POM in the Oceans. 10th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry.  Berkely,CA. September 2005

B. Walker, A. Fischer, T. Guilderson & M.D. McCarthy.  DIC C-14 Ages of fluid from ridge-flank hydrothermal systems, Juan de Fuca Ridge.. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Salt Lake City, February 2005

Voparil, I, McCarthy, M.D., & Cody, G. 14C Dating and Solid-State NMR of Major Biochemical Components of Oceanic Dissolved Organic Matter: Evidence for a new major biopolymer (CRAM).  American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Salt Lake City, February 2005

Dekens, P.S., A.C.Ravelo., M.D.McCarthy.  Eastern Pacific Climate Evolution Through the Last 5 M. Y..International Conference on Paleoceanography VIII, September 2004, Biarritz, France. 

Dekens, P.S.,  A.C.Ravelo, M.W.Wara,  M.D.McCarthy.  Links between the Eastern equatorial and mid-latitude regions of the eastern Pacific ocean during the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition.  American Geophysical Union,  National Meeting, San Fransisco CA., December 2003.

Dekens, P. S., Ravelo, A.C. McCarthy, M. & R. Carmichael.  Pliocene-Pleistocene Sea Surface Temperature Record in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific and the California Margin. AGU European Meeting, Nice, France. 2003.

P.S. Dekens, A.C. Ravelo, M.W. Wara, M.D. McCarthy.  Pliocene-Pleistocene Sea Surface Temperature Record in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific as Recorded in Alkenone Saturation Ratios American Geophysical Union,  December 2002.

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Invited Lectures

2003: Oregon State University,  Biogeochemistry Seminar Series.
The Dissolved Organic N Reservoir in the Sea: What is it, where does it come from, and why does it stick around? New clues from compound-specific isotopes. Corvalis, OR. December 2003.

2003: Lawrence Livermore National Labs;  CAMS Guest Lecture.
Unraveling the composition of  the dissolved organic nitrogen in the sea. Livermore, CA. October 2003.

Professional Service Activities

Organizing Committee, 2006 ASLO Ocean Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque NM. Chemical Oceanography Representative.

Packard Ocean and Technology Endowment, 2004-2005 Advisory Committee.

Organizing Committee, 2004 AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting, Portland OR. Chemical Oceanography Representative.

Packard Ocean and Technology Endowment, 2004-2005 Advisory Committee.

Session Chair and Organizer:  2003 Goldschmidt Conference, Kurishiki Japan
Special session:  “Assessing biogeochemical cycles using nitrogen isotopes.”  Co-Chair with Dr. Carsten Schubert, AWAG Switzerland.

Session Chair and Organizer: 2001 ACS Spring Meeting,  San Diego CA.
Organizing special session: “Microbial  Biochemicals and Biomarkers in Aquatic Biogeochemical cycles.”  Under “Marine Chemistry” theme area for 2001 Spring ACS.  Co-Chair: Dr. Rodger Harvey.

Journal Reviewer
*Nature
*Marine Chemistry
*Limnology and Oceanography
*Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta

Proposal Reviewer 
*NSF, Chemical Oceanography 
*American Chemical Society, Petroleum Research Fund 
*The Netherlands,  National Science Foundation

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GRADUATE STUDENTS AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

ADVISING AND TEACHING

Students and post-docs advised

Postdocs

2002- Present  Dr. Ian Voparil.  Stable and Radio-isotopic studies and characterization of major biochemical components of DOM from deep oceans and crustal fluids.

Graduate Students 

2001- Present   Petra Dekens (Phd).  (Co-Advised with Dr. Christina Ravelo) Thesis topic:  UK-37 Alkenone proxy for paleotemperature off California Margin.

2004- Present   Leslie Roland (Phd).  Thesis Topic: coupled D14C, d 13C, d 15N investigation of “molecularly uncharacterized” fraction of POM in the Oceans.

2005- Present   Brett Walker (Phd). Thesis Topic: Compound-specific D 14C signatures of major biochemical classes in oceanic DOM: understanding differential cycling rates of oceanic DOC reservoir.

2006- Present   Jenny Lehman (MS). ThesisTopic:  Amino Acid compound-specific d15N and d 13C signatures as indicators of organic Nitrogen source and cycling in suspended POM from Central Pacific.

Undergraduates

2001- Present:    Brett Walker. Undergraduate Senior Thesis Research. (Co-Advised with Andy Fisher)  Thesis topic:  Inorganic Radiocarbon studies of crustal fluids from Juan De Fuca Ridge: constraining off-axis circulation.

2004- Present:   Jenny Lehman. Undergraduate Thesis Research.  Enantiomeric (D/L) AA ratios from an anoxic water column (Cariaco Basin).

Staff supervised

2003-2004  Dr. Sandip Vyas. Research Specialist-III (100% time).  Research area:  compound-specific radiocarbon methods development

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TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS

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