His specialties are marine geology, geophysics, seismology, volcanology, and marine archaeology. Oppenheimer's research interests are in volcanology and geochemistry, particularly in Antarctica. It has been used in many fields of research, including astrophysics, ballistics, volcanology, and oceanography. The stratigraphy, mineral compositions and surrounding volcanology suggests an infilling island arc basin. Together with M.G. Rutten he started research on the volcanology and paleomagnetism of Iceland. Since 1987, the center is devoted to science and volcanology. He is a member of the Cambridge Volcanology unit. Their obituary appeared in the "Bulletin of Volcanology". The term "volcanology" is derived from the Latin word "vulcan". Volcanology as a science currently faces a shift of its epistemological foundations of volcanology.