Research project: Marine diagenesis of tephra and the carbon cycle
Currently Active:
Yes
Subaerial volcanism generates ~1015 g of tephra every year. The proximity of most volcanoes to the oceans means a high proportion of this highly reactive material enters the oceans.
We have been studying the early diagenesis of tephra in the Caribbean Sea around the island of Montserrat in an effort to constrain the impact of this process on the global carbon cycle and have recently extended this work to include analyses of sediments collected during IODP Expedition 340.
Project Overview
Location of IODP 340 Drill sites
Potential links to carbon cycle
Stimulating surface water productivity
Pore water O2 depletion and organic carbon preservation
Fe-organic carbon complexation
Formation of calcium carbonate cements
Tephra diagenesis and carbon cycle
Scientific Aims
To determine the extent and mechanism by which organic carbon preservation in volcanic sediments is de-pendent on the composition of tephra layers and surrounding sediments
To determine the extent and mechanism of secondary carbonate formation in tephra in marine sediments and its dependence on the composition of the tephra and surrounding sediments
To develop models quantifying organic carbon and carbonate behaviour during marine diagenesis of tephra
