A Modeling Perspective on Carbon Cycling and the Impacts of Astronomical Forcing

Planetary climates are controlled by the delicate radiative balance between incoming and outgoing energy. Any perturbation to either side of the equation disrupts the surface temperature with implications for the physical environment and (bio) geochemical processes that in their turn impose additional alterations to the radiative energy balance. In this dissertation, I use numerical approaches to investigate the role of changing greenhouse gas concentrations and astronomical forcing (quasi-periodic variations in solar radiation via gradual changes in Earth's orbit and tilt) on the surface climate, carbon cycling, and the environmental consequences of associated feedback processes, on Earth and beyond.