The deep carbon cycle was one of Earth’s most essential processes, regulating the movement of carbon between the planet’s surface and its deep interior over millions to billions of years. While most people are familiar with the short-term carbon cycle—where carbon moves through plants, animals, and the atmosphere—the deep carbon cycle operates on a much larger scale, shaping Earth’s climate and geology. This blog will explore how the deep carbon cycle works, why it matters, and the critical role it plays in maintaining Earth’s long-term balance.
Twenty-eight DCO members came together from 29 April – 4 May, 2018 at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC to calculate a new estimate of global carbon dioxide (CO2) degassing from large volcanic emitters, small volcanic sources and diffuse degassing from volcanic regions. The synthesis of massive amounts
Applications were invited for a highly qualified and motivated postdoctoral research scientist with a geologic background in computational geophysical fluid dynamics, whose primary responsibility will be to develop new codes to study carbon transport in numerical models of fluid flow in subduction zones.
A joint study between Carnegie and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has determined that the average temperature of Earth’s mantle beneath ocean basins was about 110 degrees Fahrenheit (60 Celsius) higher than previously thought, due to water present in deep minerals. The results are published in Science. Earth’s mantle, the
The atmosphere that allows our planet to sustain life formed from gases emitted by volcanoes early in Earth’s history. These volatile elements are constantly recycled back into the deep Earth at subduction zones, where tectonic plates sink into the mantle. During this process the sinking plate was subjected to increasing
Even though carbon was one of the most abundant elements on Earth, it was actually very difficult to determine how much of it exists below the surface in Earth’s interior. Research by Deep Carbon Observatory scientists Marion Le Voyer, Erik Hauri (Carnegie Institution for Science, USA), Katherine Kelley (University of
When volcanoes erupt, they spew lava, ash, and gas into the atmosphere and over the surrounding landscape. The impacts of volcanic eruptions in populated areas are well documented, since scientists can monitor gas emissions and collect physical samples with relative ease. However, a significant fraction of Earth’s volcanoes are remote,
Super-deep diamonds, which form more than 380 km deep in Earth’s mantle, were invaluable tools for deep carbon scientists. Super-deep diamonds, which form more than 380 km deep in Earth’s mantle, were invaluable tools for deep carbon scientists. Not only do they harbor clues about how they formed and therefore
The 15 November 2016 edition of the journal Lithos delves into the role of natural diamonds in deep Earth research. Titled “The nature of diamonds and their use in Earth’s study,” the 15 November 2016 edition of the journal Lithos delves into the role of natural diamonds in deep Earth research.
The Third International Diamond School took place at the University of Alberta, with the Deep Carbon Observatory as the main event sponsor (together with De Beers and IsoMass). The Third International Diamond School took place at the University of Alberta, with the Deep Carbon Observatory as the main event sponsor (together with De Beers
Turrialba volcano had deposited ash on the capital city of Costa Rica and its 3 million inhabitants numerous times since 2014. In a new article in the Journal of Geophysical Research and an online Earthchem database, a DCO-DECADE team led by Maarten de Moor (National University, Costa Rica) and Alessandro Aiuppa (Palermo University, Italy) tracked
An international team of scientists was traveling to the islands of Papua New Guinea this September to study degassing from active volcanoes in remote jungles there. An international team of scientists was traveling to the islands of Papua New Guinea this September to study degassing from active volcanoes in remote
New app shows intimate ties between volcanoes and earthquakes and gives open access to 50+ years of data on quakes, eruptions, and related emissions. On average, 40 volcanoes on land erupt into the atmosphere each month, while scores of others on the seafloor erupt into the ocean. A new time-lapse
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