Collaborative Research ETBC: Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Physical Mechanisms Underlying Deposition, Degradation and Preservation of Marine Organic Carbon

富含粘土的海洋沉积物是地球上有机碳的主要储存库。这决定了大气中的氧含量，以及全球气候的波动。例如，碳埋藏效率的提高会降低大气中的二氧化碳并导致全球变冷，而增加则会产生相反的效果。因此，了解海洋碳埋藏直接关系到我们如何模拟地球系统过去的变化，并预测未来的发展，例如化石燃料消耗导致的全球变暖。本研究对富粘土沉积物中有机物的运输、沉积和降解进行了雄心勃勃和全面的控制实验室检查。它涉及到一种新型水槽的建设，这种水槽可以使输送的有机粘土絮凝体和床状可视化，并可以控制温度和系统氧化还原条件。工作还包括沉积物和有机质结构关系的详细透射和电子显微镜研究，一种新的综合有机质降解研究，以及碳固存和降解的理论和数学模型的发展和参数化。这项工作的更广泛影响包括为EPSCoR州（密西西比州）的两名研究人员提供支持，为学生提供培训，并通过YouTube和互联网向公众宣传。它也适用于增加我们对沉积过程中污染物扩散的理解，也可能有助于寻找非常规化石燃料资源，从而使我们更容易过渡到下一代燃料和能源。

Clay-rich marine sediments form Earth's main sink for organic carbon. This determines atmospheric oxygen levels, as well as fluctuations of global climate. For example, an increase in carbon burial effectiveness lowers atmospheric CO2 and induces global cooling, with an increase creating the opposite effect. Understanding oceanic carbon burial therefore has a direct bearing on how we model past changes of the earth system and predict future developments, such as global warming due to fossil fuel consumption. This research carries out an ambitious and holistic controlled laboratory examination of the transport, deposition, and degradation of organic matter in clay-rich sediments. It involves construction of a novel, new flume that allows visualization of transported organo-clay flocs and bed forms and allows for the control of temperature and system redox conditions. The work also involves detailed transmission and electron microscopic studies of sediment and organic matter textural relations, a novel integrated organic matter degradation study, and development and parameterization of theoretical and mathematical models of carbon sequestration and degradation. Broader impacts of the work include support of two researchers in an EPSCoR state (Mississippi), student training, and public outreach through YouTube and the Internet. It is also applicable to increasing our understanding of the dispersal of pollutants by sedimentary processes and may also help the search for unconventional fossil fuel resources that can ease our transition to the next generation of fuels and power sources.