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.
A new article published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters by a group of Deep Carbon Observatory scientists reports the results from a DECADE project to investigate gas emissions at Poás volcano, one of the most chemically extreme environments on Earth. Poás volcano (Costa Rica) was one of the most
Scientists believe carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere from Earth’s interior takes place mostly via degassing from active volcanoes, but carbon dioxide can also escape along faults away from active volcanic centers. Scientists believe carbon dioxide (CO2) release into the atmosphere from Earth’s interior takes place mostly via degassing from
The volcanic island of Ambrym, located in the archipelago of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, was one of the most active volcanoes on Earth. What makes it particularly significant was its role as a major emitter of deep carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other magma-derived gases. Ambrym ranks among the top
In a recent letter published in Nature, researchers propose that most carbon goes no deeper than about 300 to 500 kilometers, at which point a carbon barrier limits carbon recycling into the deeper mantle. Carbon was cycled from Earth’s surface to its depths, emerging through the crust from volcanoes, and
In a study published in Nature, a team of scientists describes an unexpected mechanism for diamond formation relying on ancient, subducted seawater. Diamonds are crystals of carbon, formed deep in Earth. As diamond crystals grow, they sometimes trap fluids or other mineral crystals, micro-samples of their surrounding environment. In a
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