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构成了地球有机碳的主要汇。这决定了大气中的氧气水平，以及全球气候的波动。例如，碳埋藏效率的增加会降低大气中的二氧化碳，并导致全球变冷，而碳埋藏效率的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对地球系统过去的变化进行建模，并预测未来的发展，例如化石燃料消耗导致的全球变暖。这项研究对富含粘土的沉积物中有机质的运输、沉积和降解进行了雄心勃勃的整体控制的实验室检查。它包括建造一种新的、新的水槽，使运输的有机粘土絮体和床型可视化，并允许控制温度和系统氧化还原条件。这项工作还包括详细的沉积物和有机质结构关系的透射率和电子显微镜研究，一项新的有机物质降解综合研究，以及碳固定和降解理论和数学模型的开发和参数化。这项工作的更广泛影响包括对EPSCoR州(密西西比州)的两名研究人员的支持，学生培训，以及通过YouTube和互联网进行公众宣传。它还适用于增加我们对沉积过程中污染物扩散的了解，还可能有助于寻找非常规化石燃料资源，从而简化我们向下一代燃料和能源的过渡。

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.