A world model of soil carbon dioxide

Mean growing season soil PCO₂ data were obtained for 19 regions of the world in nine countries. Bivariate and multiple linear regression analysis with soil log(PCO₂) as the dependent variable and TEMP, PRECIP, log(AET), and log(PET) as the four climatic independent variables demonstrated that AET was the best independent predictor of soil PCO₂. An improved soil PCO₂-AET model was developed by assuming (1) that as AET approaches zero, soil PCO₂ approaches the atmospheric value and (2) that there is an upper limit to soil PCO₂ at very high AET. This model has the form log(PCO₂) = ?3·47 + 2·09 (1 ?e^{?0·0172 AET}) where AET is in mm. It explains 67 per cent of the initial variation in the soil PCO₂ data, predicts a soil log(PCO₂) of ? 3·47 at AET = 0, and an upper limit of 3·5 per cent (log(PCO₂) = ? 1·45) for mean growing season soil PCO₂ at AET values of 2000 mm and above. The results of this study suggest that soil PCO₂ levels in tropical areas are, on average, higher than those in temperate, alpine, and arctic regions.     

Organic fraction of the total carbon burial flux deduced from carbon isotopes across the Permo-Triassic boundary at Meishan,Zhejiang Province,China

By combining the carbon cycle model with the records of carbonate and organic (kerogen) carbon isotope, this paper presents the calculation of the fraction of organic carbon burial (f _org) of beds 23–40 at the global boundary stratotype section and point (GSSP) of the Permian-Triassic boundary at Meishan, Zhejiang Province. The resulting calculation produces two episodes of f _org maxima observed to occur at beds 23–24 and 27–29, which respectively corresponds to the two episodic anoxic events indicated by the flourish of green sulfur bacteria. Two episodic f _org minima occurred at beds 25–26 and 32–34, generally coincident with the flourish of cyanobacteria (bed 26 and upper part of beds 29 to 34) as shown by the high value of 2-melthyhopnoanes. It appears that the f _org is related to the redox conditions, with greater f _org values observed under the reductive condition. The relationship between f _org and the total organic carbon (TOC) content was complex. The f _org value was low at some beds with a high TOC content (such as bed 26), while high observed at some beds with a low TOC content (e.g. bed 27). This association infers the important contribution of primary productivity to the TOC content. The original organic burial could be thus calculated through the configuration of the function of the primary productivity and f _org, which can be used to correct the residual TOC measured today. This investigation indicates that compiling the organic-inorganic carbon isotopes with the carbon cycle model favors to understand the fraction of organic carbon burial, providing information for the reconstruction of the coupling among biota, environments and organic burial. Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2007, 32(6): 767–773 [译自: 地球科学—中国地质大学学报]     

Cleaning Using CO2‐Based Solvents

Cleaning with hierarchy of CO₂‐based solvents is advantageous from an environmental point of view because CO₂ is non‐flammable, virtually inert, and abundant. After cleaning, the only waste stuffs generated are the contaminants that are removed from the cleaned parts. The technology is especially well suited for precision cleaning applications in which parts have intricate geometries or for applications in which parts are sensitive to water or high temperature. This review will first introduce aqueous cleaning concepts and mechanism, which is helpful to understand how to design cleaning systems using high pressure CO₂. Recent microelectronic processes for cleaning and rising of circuit wafers using CO₂‐based solvents are the main focus of the review. Additional cleaning topics include dry cleaning, separation of dyestuffs, and extraction of contaminations from soils and regeneration of catalysts.     

Capillary pressure for the sand–CO2–water system under various pressure conditions. Application to CO2 sequestration

Accurate modeling of storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in heterogeneous aquifers requires experiments of the capillary pressure as function of temperature and pressure. We present a method with which static drainage and imbibition capillary pressures can be measured continuously as a function of saturation at various temperature (T) and pressure (P) conditions. The measurements are carried out at (T, P) conditions of practical interest. Static conditions can be assumed as small injection rates are applied. The capillary pressure curves are obtained for the unconsolidated sand–distilled water–CO₂ system. The experimental results show a decrease of drainage and imbibition capillary pressure for increasing CO₂ pressures and pronounced dissolution rate effects for gaseous CO₂. Significant capillary pressure fluctuations and negative values during imbibition are observed at near critical conditions. The measurement procedure is validated by a numerical model that simulates the experiments.     

三级层序界面野外露头的识别判断标志——以南盘江坳陷晚古生界地层为例

在岩性及岩相观察基础上以不同类型的米级旋回层序作为分层和描述地层的基本工作单元，把米级旋回层及其有序叠加形式作为识别三级层序的基础，通过野外露头的详细观察、描述认为：在南盘江坳陷晚古生界地层中SB1型层序界面是以区域平行不整合面、古风化壳、古土壤层、下伏地层的强烈白云石化以及沉积物转化面为识别标志；SB2型序界面是以沉积物转化面、地层结构转化面及古土壤层为识别标志：SB3型层序界面是以凝缩段直接覆盖在下伏地层之上为识别标志；SB型层序界面是以上下地层的岩性组合、地层结构转化面及年代地层为识别标志。     

西藏地热气体的地球化学特征及其地质意义

西藏水热活动是青苦恼高原碰撞造山过程的产物，其成因类型、物质来源和时空分布与青藏高原的隆升过程密切相关，地热流体（气、液相）中携带有中上地壳乃至地幔物质的深部信息。西藏地热流体可以区分出CO2型和N2型两类气体，其中绝大多数的地热气体样品属于CO2型气体，而典型的N2型气体则较少。前者具有岩浆热源和深循环两种成因类型，后者都是深循环成因。西藏气体样品中的He含量变化范围非常宽，最高的可达到1．5％。在门士热泉，首次检测到地幔He组分，这说明西藏地壳深处有地幔物质侵位。根据He同位素组成推断，羊八井、谷露等处的地壳熔融体中约有3％的地幔组分。西藏地热气体中的N2和Ar组分主要是大气成因，CO2组分大多以海相碳酸盐岩成因为主，混有少量有机沉积物成因CO2。当Log(H2/Ar)处于－0．8－0．3的区间时，H2／Ar地热温度计可以良好地指示热储层的温度范围。实际调查表明：西藏水热活动区大多分布在斑公错－怒江链合带以南地区，高温水热活动区主要出现在雅鲁藏布缝合带和那曲－羊八井－亚东活动构造带沿线。     

利用非金属矿制备白炭黑现状及发展前景

简术了白炭黑的用途和制备方法，综述了利用非金属矿制备白炭黑的方法和技术现状，对充分利用非金属矿制备白炭黑提供思路并展望其发展前景。     

海洋碳循环模式的进展

本文综述了两类近年来国外使用的海洋碳循环数值模式.一类是国外通常使用的比较简单的箱模式;另一类是基于大洋环流模式的三维无机碳循环模式,以及在该模式的基础上引进了海洋生物群作用的海洋碳循环模式.后者是目前比较完整的模式,也是本文重点介绍的内容.     

Development and sensitivity analysis of a model for assessing stratification and safety of Lake Nyos during artificial degassing

To prevent the recurrence of a disastrous eruption of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from Lake Nyos, a degassing plan has been set up for the lake. Since there are concerns that the degassing of the lake may reduce the stability of the density stratification, there is an urgent need for a simulation tool to predict the evolution of the lake stratification in different scenarios. This paper describes the development of a numerical model to predict the CO₂ and dissolved solids concentrations, and the temperature structure as well as the stability of the water column of Lake Nyos. The model is tested with profiles of CO₂ concentrations and temperature taken in the years 1986 to 1996. It reproduces well the general mixing patterns observed in the lake. However, the intensity of the mixing tends to be overestimated in the epilimnion and underestimated in the monimolimnion. The overestimation of the mixing depth in the epilimnion is caused either by the parameterization of the k-epsilon model, or by the uncertainty in the calculation of the surface heat fluxes. The simulated mixing depth is highly sensitive to the surface heat fluxes, and errors in the mixing depth propagate from one year to the following. A precise simulation of the mixolimnion deepening therefore requires high accuracy in the meteorological forcing and the parameterization of the heat fluxes. Neither the meteorological data nor the formulae for the calculation of the heat fluxes are available with the necessary precision. Consequently, it will be indispensable to consider different forcing scenarios in the safety analysis in order to obtain robust boundary conditions for safe degassing. The input of temperature and CO₂ to the lake bottom can be adequately simulated for the years 1986 to 1996 with a constant sublacustrine source of 18 l s^–1 with a CO₂ concentration of 0.395 mol l^–1 and a temperature of 26 °C. The results of this study indicate that the model needs to be calibrated with more detailed field data before using it for its final purpose: the prediction of the stability and the safety of Lake Nyos during the degassing process.Responsible Editor: Hans Burchard     

The inhibition of marine nitrification by ocean disposal of carbon dioxide

In an attempt to reduce the threat of global warming, it has been proposed that the rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations be reduced by the ocean disposal of CO2 from the flue gases of fossil fuel-fired power plants. The release of large amounts of CO2 into mid or deep ocean waters will result in large plumes of acidified seawater with pH values ranging from 6 to 8. In an effort to determine whether these CO2-induced pH changes have any effect on marine nitrification processes, surficial (euphotic zone) and deep (aphotic zone) seawater samples were sparged with CO2 for varying time durations to achieve a specified pH reduction, and the rate of microbial ammonia oxidation was measured spectrophotometrically as a function of pH using an inhibitor technique. For both seawater samples taken from either the euphotic or aphotic zone, the nitrification rates dropped drastically with decreasing pH. Relative to nitrification rates in the original seawater at pH 8, nitrification rates were reduced by ca. 50% at pH 7 and more than 90% at pH 6.5. Nitrification was essentially completely inhibited at pH 6. These findings suggest that the disposal of CO2 into mid or deep oceans will most likely result in a drastic reduction of ammonia oxidation rates within the pH plume and the concomitant accumulation of ammonia instead of nitrate. It is unlikely that ammonia will reach the high concentration levels at which marine aquatic organisms are known to be negatively affected. However, if the ammonia-rich seawater from inside the pH plume is upwelled into the euphotic zone, it is likely that changes in phytoplankton abundance and community structure will occur. Finally, the large-scale inhibition of nitrification and the subsequent reduction of nitrite and nitrate concentrations could also result in a decrease of denitrification rates which, in turn, could lead to the buildup of nitrogen and unpredictable eutrophication phenomena. Clearly, more research on the environmental effects of ocean disposal of CO2 is needed to determine whether the potential costs related to marine ecosystem disturbance and disruption can be justified in terms of the perceived benefits that may be achieved by temporarily delaying global warming.