Earth Sciences

An upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in a discipline related to the MScR or PhD project for which you are applying, such as geology, biological sciences, environmental sciences, physics, chemistry or mathematics.

For PhD-level study, a masters in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience is desirable.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

The research programme at Bristol is characterised by an expanding range of exciting subject areas. Research in the School of Earth Sciences encourages interdisciplinary collaboration between its six research groups, which in turn nurtures revolutionary research.

Geochemistry

The Geochemistry group uses fundamental chemical techniques to understand natural processes on a range of temporal and spatial scales. This can be from single atoms on mineral surfaces and the environmental geochemistry of the modern Earth to the large-scale chemical structure of planets and the birth of the solar system. The group has considerable expertise in isotopic measurements, spectroscopy and first-principles calculations.

Geophysics

Geophysics uses physical properties of the solid Earth to measure structure and processes on scales from the single crystal to the entire planet. Members of the Bristol Geophysics group use gravity, seismic and satellite data to image the Earth in a variety of different contexts. These include the Earth's core, mantle and tectonic processes, volcanoes, oil and gas reservoirs and mines.

Environments

The MATES (Marine and Terrestrial Environments) research group uses a wide range of techniques and facilities across the school to understand processes of relevance to any and all environments (surface, subsurface, marine) or that take place in an environmental context. MATES is highly interdisciplinary in both membership and the research that is undertaken, and spans the fields of Earth surface processes, environmental geochemistry and mineralogy, marine geosciences, fluid-rock interaction and geomicrobiology.

Palaeobiology

The Palaeobiology group uses the fossil record to study the history of life. Research focuses on major diversifications; mass extinctions; dating the tree of life; phylogenomics and molecular palaeobiology; morphological innovation; biomechanics; and links between evolution and development. The organisms of interest range from foraminifera to dinosaurs.

Petrology

The Petrology group uses a combination of high-pressure and high-temperature experiments, petrology, geochemistry and mineral physics to attack a wide range of problems in the solid Earth - from the core to the surface.

Volcanology

The Volcanology group at Bristol aims to understand the physical processes underlying volcanic phenomena and develop methods of hazard and risk assessment that can be applied to volcanoes worldwide.

Recent case studies and collaborators include the Met Office, Montserrat Volcano Observatory, Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland and INGEOMINAS in Columbia.

Research centres

The School of Earth Sciences is involved in a number of collaborative research groups on an international level. Inter-faculty research centres such as the Biogeochemistry Research Centre and the Cabot Institute involve collaboration across several departments and faculties.

Full details can be found on school research pages, with examples including:

• Biogeochemistry Research Centre
  The Biogeochemistry Research Centre involves staff from the Schools of Earth Sciences, Geographical Sciences and Chemistry. The research aims to develop our understanding of the biogeochemistry of modern-day and ancient environments and the way that it is affected by natural processes and the actions of mankind.
• Bristol Isotope Group
  The Bristol Isotope Group is a world-class research facility for isotope measurements directed at understanding natural processes, from the formation of the solar system and the origin of Earth - its deep structure and atmosphere - through to the evolution of that atmosphere and contemporary climate change.
• Interface Analysis Centre
  The Interface Analysis Centre specialises in the application of a wide range of analytical techniques and is used by the Schools of Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Physics.
• The Cabot Institute
  The Cabot Institute carries out fundamental and responsive research on risks and uncertainty in a changing environment. Interests include climate change, natural hazards, food and energy security, resilience and governance, and human impacts on the environment.
• Bristol Oceans Past and Present (BOPP)
  BOPP's main focus is to further understand the chemical and physical conditions of the oceans, both past and present. Our study of the oceans is made possible through the use of a diverse range geochemical techniques applied to geological, biological and oceanographic samples.
• Organic Geochemistry Unit
  The Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU) is an international research group that uses high-end analytical techniques such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry and compound specific light stable isotope mass spectrometry to investigate Earth systems at the molecular level.