John Kessler

John Kessler

Professor

PhD, University of California Irvine, 2005

Office Location
210 Hutchison Hall
Telephone
(585) 273-4572

Office Hours: By appointment

Curriculum Vitae

Research Overview

John Kessler and his lab investigate chemical oceanography and limnology to elucidate natural and anthropogenic greenhouse gas dynamics within marine and freshwater systems as well as across other Earth systems. Of particular interest are the dynamics of methane and carbon dioxide, and how the dynamics of these gases influence, and are influenced by, changing climate. This is a field-going, experimental laboratory that takes a fundamental approach to analytical chemistry, often developing new and unique measurement techniques to enable their investigations. This laboratory also specializes in natural isotopic measurements to determine sources and sinks of methane and carbon dioxide as well as rates of their emission and removal.

Research Interests

  • Marine and freshwater chemistry
  • Isotope geochemistry
  • Analytical chemistry

Courses Offered (subject to change)

  • EES 212 / 412:  Chemical Oceanography, Syllabus
  • EES 261 / 461:  Stable Isotope Geochemistry: Fractionation Equations and Models, Syllabus
  • EES 307 / 407:  Advanced Seminar in Climate and Environmental Change, Syllabus
  • EES 312W:  Research in Ocean Biogeochemistry, Syllabus

Selected Publications

Bold indicates graduate student authors.

  • Every, M.M., Dugan, J.T., and Kessler, J.D. (2025). A low-cost, automated, and adaptable system for field-based measurement of pCO2, pCH4, and associated variables in groundwater. Limnology & Oceanography: Methods. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.70012
  • Rust, R.L., Frizzell, A*. and Kessler, J.D. (2025). Waterfalls enhance regional methane emissions by enabling dissolved methane to bypass microbial oxidation. Communication Earth & Environment, 6, 140. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02060-3
  • Dugan, J.T., Weber, T. and Kessler, J.D. (2024), Development of a fast-response system with integrated calibration for high-resolution mapping of dissolved methane concentration in surface waters. Limnology & Oceanography: Methods. 22(5), 321-332. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10609
  • Louden, S. L. & Kessler, J. D. (2023). The emission of low pH water from Gulf of Mexico seeps as revealed by δ13C-CO2 and methane oxidation data. Environmental Science: Advances, 2, 1600-1606. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3VA00117B
  • Joung, D.-J., Ruppel, C. D., Southon, J., Weber, T. S., & Kessler, J. D. (2022). Negligible atmospheric release of methane from decomposing hydrates in mid-latitude oceans. Nature: Geoscience, 15, 885-891. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01044-8
  • Garcia‐Tigreros, F., Leonte, M., Ruppel, C. D., Ruiz‐Angulo, A., Joung, D. J., Young, B.*, & Kessler, J. D. (2021). Estimating the impact of seep methane oxidation on ocean pH and dissolved inorganic radiocarbon along the U.S. Mid‐Atlantic Bight. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 126, e2019JG005621. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JG005621
  • Chan, E.W., A.M. Shiller, D.J. Joung, E.C. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, M.C. Redmond, J.A. Breier, S.A. Socolofsky, and J.D. Kessler (2019). Investigations of Aerobic Methane Oxidation in Two Marine Seep Environments: Part 1-Chemical Kinetics. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124, 8852-8868. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015594
  • Sparrow, K. J., J. D. Kessler, J. R. Southon, F. Garcia-Tigreros, K. M. Schreiner, C. D. Ruppel, J. B. Miller, S. J. Lehman, and X. Xu (2018). Limited contribution of ancient methane to surface waters of the U.S. Beaufort Sea shelf. Science Advances, 4(1), eaao4842. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aao4842
  • Leonte, M., J. D. Kessler, M. Y. Kellermann, E. C. Arrington, D. L. Valentine, and S. P. Sylva (2017). Rapid rates of aerobic methane oxidation at the feather edge of gas hydrate stability in the waters of Hudson Canyon, US Atlantic Margin. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 204, 375-387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2017.01.009
  • Ruppel, C. D. and J. D. Kessler (2017). The Interaction of Climate Change and Methane Hydrates. Reviews of Geophysics, 55(1), 126-168. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016RG000534
  • Paytan, A., A. Lecher, N. Dimova, K. Sparrow, F. Garcia-Tigreros Kodovska, and J.D. Kessler (2015). Methane transport from the active layer to lakes in the Arctic using Toolik Lake, Alaska, as a case study. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(12), 3636-3640. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1417392112
  • Kessler, J.D. (2014). Atlantic Bubble Bath. Nature: Geoscience, 7(9), 625-626. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2238
  • Du, M., and J.D. Kessler (2012). Assessment of the Spatial and Temporal Variability of Bulk Hydrocarbon Respiration Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.  Environmental Science & Technology, 46(19), 10499-10507. https://doi.org/10.1021/es301363k
  • Kessler, J.D., D.L. Valentine, M.C. Redmond, M. Du, E.W. Chan, S.D. Mendes, E.W. Quiroz, C.J. Villanueva, S.S. Shusta, L.M. Werra, S.A. Yvon-Lewis, and T.C. Weber (2011). A Persistent Oxygen Anomaly Reveals the Fate of Spilled Methane in the Deep Gulf of Mexico. Science, 331(6015), 312-315. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199697
  • Valentine, D.L., J.D. Kessler, M.C. Redmond, S.D. Mendes, M.B. Heintz, C. Farwell, L. Hu, F.S. Kinnaman, S.A. Yvon-Lewis, M. Du, E.W. Chan, F. Garcia-Tigreros, and C.J. Villanueva (2010). Propane respiration jump-starts microbial response to a deep oil spill. Science, 330(6001), 208-211. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1196830
  • Onstott, T.C., D. McGown, J. Kessler, B. Sherwood Lollar, K.K. Lehmann, and S.M. Clifford (2006). Martian CH4: Sources, Flux, and Detection.  Astrobiology, 6(2), 377-395. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2006.6.377

Research and Student Opportunities

Research in my laboratory focuses on oceanic methane isotope biogeochemistry investigations. Our projects are heavily rooted in analytical chemistry, while also being very multidisciplinary drawing from the fields of chemistry, geology, biology, physics, mathematics, and engineering. I am always interesting in talking with intelligent, enthusiastic, and hardworking students about the possibility of joining our team. I encourage prospective Master’s of Science and Ph.D. students to contact me directly before submitting an application to our graduate program.  I also strongly encourage interested undergraduates to contact me about conducting independent research in my laboratory.