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，碳埋效率的提高降低了大气中的二氧化碳，并导致全球变冷，而碳埋效率的提高则产生相反的效果。因此，了解海洋碳埋藏对我们如何模拟地球系统过去的变化和预测未来的发展有直接的影响，例如由于化石燃料消耗造成的全球变暖。这项研究进行了一个雄心勃勃的和全面的控制实验室检查的运输，沉积和降解的有机物在粘土丰富的沉积物。它涉及一个新的，新的水槽，允许运输有机粘土絮凝物和床的形式可视化，并允许温度和系统氧化还原条件的控制建设。这项工作还包括对沉积物和有机物结构关系进行详细的透射和电子显微镜研究，一项新的综合有机物降解研究，以及碳固存和降解的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支持EPSCoR州（密西西比）的两名研究人员，学生培训以及通过YouTube和互联网进行的公众宣传。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，从而使我们能够轻松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.