“Foundation of the Carbon Cycle Science: What We Know and What We Don’t” with Taro Takahashi (Oct 2008)

with Dr. Taro Takahashi

Originally present 18 Oct 2008

We are honored to have Dr. Taro Takahashi, Doherty Senior Scholar and PI for Lamont’s Carbon Dioxide Research Group.

Dr. Takahashi’s main research is aimed at understanding the fate of industrial CO2 released in the air. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased by nearly 30% in the 1990s and it is anticipated that it will double the pre industrial level by the middle of the 21st century. This could cause a global warming and changes in climate, which may extensively impact upon the global community. The observed increase in this “greenhouse” gas in the air is half of that which is expected from the full released amount. Thus, this suggests that about one-half the industrial CO2 released is being absorbed by the global oceans and land plants. However, the relative importance of these two CO2 sinks is not understood. Furthermore, the uptake capacity of these CO2 sinks conceivably could be reduced as more CO2 accumulates in the air.

LDEO’s Carbon Dioxide Research Group investigates sequestration of CO₂ generated by power plants by injection into deep aquifers (geological sequestration), which has been proposed as a possible alternative for the reduction of excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For a long-term geological sequestration of CO₂ solid end products such as (Ca,Mg)CO₃ are desirable due to their chemical stability, non-toxic nature and lack of fluidity for rapid migration. Their hypothesis is that aquifers associated with mafic igneous rocks are good candidates for sequestering CO₂, presumed that the geological and hydrogeological conditions are suitable for high pressure CO₂ injections. When high pressure CO₂ is injected into deep aquifers it will acidify the groundwater.
http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/CO2/

Cutting-Edge Research

Dr. Taro Takahashi has contributed in many ways to the pre-eminent position of LDEO’s Geochemistry Division. He prizes an approach based on experimentation, rather than on computer modeling. He likes to find answers to two basic questions: “What can we measure? What can we deduce?”

Dr. Takahashi’s presentation: “CO2–What Can We Measure? What Can We Deduce?” pdf    ppt

As PI for the Carbon Dioxide Research Group, Dr. Takahashi has directed efforts over many years to collect seawater while research vessels are underway in many parts of the world. More information about the methods used and examples of the data are available at:http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/CO2/carbondioxide/pages/pCO2data.html

One significant result of his research has been color-coded representations of Air-Sea CO2 flux estimates (net flow between these two reservoirs)over much of the oceans. Maps, data and explanations of methods are available at:http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/CO2/carbondioxide/pages/air_sea_flux_2000.html

His interest has also been piqued concerning sequestration, the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere and long-term deposition in carbonate compounds. In effect, this simulates natural processes, but could have an impact on reducing the increase of CO2 levels that act as greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming. More about this aspect of Dr. Takahashi’s research can be found at:http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/CO2/carbondioxide/pages/sequestration.html

Classroom Resources

“Using Oceanography Examples to Teach Chemical Principles: A Sea of Connections” byBruce G. Smith
http://www.aasd.k12.wi.us/staff/smithbruce/smithpage/ChemUsingOcean%20Exp(Draft).doc

What is the Carbon Cycle?

http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_4_2_15t.htm

This activity has students explore the carbon cycle and learn to identify carbon sources, sinks, and release agents. They will come to understand that carbon is critical to the biosphere and must continue cycling to support life on earth. The instructor guide contains detailed background material, learning goals, alignment to national standards, grade level/time, details on materials and preparation, procedure, assessment ideas, and modifications for alternative learners.

“Carbo” the Carbon Atom

http://www.letus.northwestern.edu/projects/gw/cycles/carbo/index.html

Students can learn about the carbon cycle by following a carbon atom through its “travels”. They can interact with the story by choosing which of several paths the atom may take through various sources and sinks for carbon. Because of the cyclical nature of the process, the students will find themselves returning to the portion of the cycle in which the atom exists as atmospheric carbondioxide.

Where in the World is Carbon Dioxide?

http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_4_2_17t.htm

This three part activity has students set up experiments to help them better understand the atmospheric portion of the carbon cycle. From this activity, they will be able to explain the concept of sources and sinks as they relate to carbon dioxide, the use of indicator solution bromothymol blue (BTB) to reveal the presence of carbon dioxide, and the qualitative differences between animal and fossil fuel sources of global carbon dioxide. The student guide has an overall description of all three parts of the activity, lists of materials, the procedure and observations and questions. The instructor guide contains detailed background material, learning goals, alignment to national standards, grade level/time, details on materials and preparation, procedure, assessment ideas, and modifications for alternative learners.

Climate and Carbon Dioxide: Analyzing Their Relationship  

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/g912/co2.html

Through this activity, students learn about atmospheric carbon dioxide and its role in the greenhouse effect. They can identify the leading producers of carbon dioxide emissions and read about the global climate conference that was held in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997 to set international limits on these emissions. The material provides information to increase students’ understanding of the implications and processes of possible changes in the world’s climate.

Carbon Cycle: Exchanging Carbon Dioxide between the Atmosphere and Ocean

http://www.chemsoc.org/networks/learnnet/jesei/oceans/index.htm

This lab investigates the exchange of carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the ocean’s surface. It is based on the fact that carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean and provides the source of that plants and plankton living in the ocean rely on for photosynthesis. Students will discover that the amount of carbon dioxide the ocean can contain depends on the temperature of the water and its salinity (whether it is sea water or fresh water) and that cold water can hold more carbon dioxide in solution than warm water. They will observe that when carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it forms carbonic acid which makes the water acidic, and they will test for the acidity caused by the presence of dissolved carbon dioxide using Universal Indicator, which turns yellow when the solution is acidic. This activity tests whether sea water or fresh water absorbs more carbon dioxide.

Carbon Cycle in the Lab: Carbon Products and the Processes That Link Them

http://www.chemsoc.org/networks/learnnet/jesei/lab/index.htm

This lab teaches students about the nature of carbon, the different types of compounds it exists in (e.g. charcoal, glucose, carbon dioxide), the biochemical reactions it takes part in (photosynthesis and respiration), the range of processes that carbon and carbon compounds are involved in on Earth, and how these link together form the carbon cycle. They will get a feel for how the whole carbon cycle works by turning the laboratory into a model of the carbon cycle and seeing how the different things that are produced in the cycle (the products) fit together with the way those products are made (the processes). The site contains teacher notes, a list of required materials, student instructions and questions, and a diagram of the carbon cycle.

Carbon Dioxide — Sources and Sinks

Windows to the Universe

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/teacher_resources/teach_CO2.html

• Students will be able to explain the concept of ‘sources’ and ‘sinks’ as they relate to carbon dioxide.
• Students will understand the use of an indicator solution (BTB) to reveal the presence of carbon dioxide.
• Students will understand the qualitative differences between animal and fossil fuel sources of global carbon dioxide.

Other Resources for This Theme

View of the Lake Pukaki basin with nearly 30 different lateral and terminal moraine ridges visible around the lake. Credit: Joerg Schaefer

The LDEO Division of Geochemistry

Researchers in the Geochemistry Division seek to understand Earth’s environments by studying its history—and the processes, past and present, that have governed these environments.

Using advanced chemical and isotope analyses, Division scientists study samples of air, water, biological remains, rocks and meteorites in order to elucidate a broad range of scientific issues. Research topics range from the particulate and chemical pollutants emitted by the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, to the climate changes of the ice ages, which began some 2.6 million years ago, to the fundamental chemical processes involved in the differentiation and formation of Earth’s mantle and core.

Observatory geochemists have also contributed greatly to our understanding of the socioeconomic issues associated with environmental changes, ranging from contaminated groundwater to the accumulation of industrial carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere, which may ultimately be seen as responsible for present-day global warming.

Some of the principal research themes in the Division include:

• Solid-earth dynamics, including the exchange of material between Earth’s core, mantle and crust.
• Structure and composition of Earth’s lower crust and upper mantle, with a focus on melt transport in the upper mantle, accretion of igneous lower crust at spreading ridges and arcs and the hydration and carbonation of mantle-derived material that has been tectonically exposed at Earth’s surface.
• The formation of Earth and its moon, and the transformations that occurred during the earliest phases of their histories.
• The oceans’ role in climate, tracing ocean currents that transport heat around the globe and their variability through time, and investigating ocean processes that regulate the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, from microscale physics at the air-sea interface to the global-scale meridional overturning ocean circulation.
• Causes and consequences of climate change over longer timescales, ranging from variability over many thousands of years paced by subtle changes in Earth’s orbit to abrupt changes, sometimes within the span of a human lifetime, forced by as-yet unidentified mechanisms internal to Earth’s climate system.
• Sources and fates of contaminants in the environment, transported both in air and water, with an emphasis on the New York metropolitan region and the Hudson River, but with projects extending worldwide.

Carbon Dioxide Research Group

Sequestration of CO₂ generated by power plants by injection into deep aquifers (geological sequestration) has been proposed as a possible alternative for the reduction of excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For a long-term geological sequestration of CO₂ solid end products such as (Ca,Mg)CO₃ are desirable due to their chemical stability, non-toxic nature and lack of fluidity for rapid migration. Our hypothesis is that aquifers associated with mafic igneous rocks are good canditates for sequestering CO₂, presumed that the geological and hydrogeological conditions are suitable for high pressure CO₂ injections. When high pressure CO₂ is injected into deep aquifers, it will acidify the groundwater.

Essential Principles and Concepts