Leveraging the Geologic Record to Constrain Solar System Evolution, Earth-Moon Dynamics, Paleoclimate Change, and Geological Time: The CycloAstro Project 2.0

Award Period
to
Award Amount
$499,753
Agency Name
Heising-Simons Foundation
Award Number
2026-6743
PI First Name
Lorraine
PI Last Name
Lisiecki
MSI People
Area/s of Research
Climate Change Science
Marine Geology and Geophysics
Abstract

The CycloAstro Project is a research collaboration between geoscience and astronomy that seeks new fundamental knowledge about solar system and Earth-Moon dynamics. Projects 1-5 focused on new approaches to the modeling of these dynamics, and on the analysis of Earth’s cyclostratigraphy, which contains a record of the actual dynamics preserved in climate signals. The knowledge gained was used to investigate: (1) Earth-Moon parameters and solar system fundamental frequencies, Precambrian to present; (2) astronomical forcing of the paleoclimate system, 0-66 Ma; (3) astronomical solutions beyond a ~50 Ma predictability limit imposed by chaos; (4) solar system dynamics from continental climate rhythms, 200-240 Ma; and (5) close encounters, collisional fragmentation, and tidal evolution in chaotic systems. Project 6, the CycloCohort Program, led the recruitment and hiring for all projects, and provided support to advise, train, mentor, and facilitate connections among the five research project teams. Building on these accomplishments, CycloAstro Project 2.0 will now pursue more closely coordinated, comprehensive studies focused on (1) the time-evolution of solar system dynamics indicated by cyclostratigraphy and supported by modeling; (2) Earth- Moon dynamics and the evidence for tidal resonances through geologic time; and (3) Earth’s icehouse and greenhouse paleoclimate sensitivity to astronomical forcing with extensions to exoplanets.