5 questions for scientists and students studying carbon storage
This story is adapted from a fragment originally published Barnard College, Columbia University.
Martin Stute and Grace Brown are working on the process of turning carbon dioxide into stone.
When Grace Brown decided to attend Barnard College, she wasn’t thinking about climate science. Growing up in Westfield, New Jersey, Brown has always been passionate about outdoor conservation. When she came to Barnard, she was considering majoring in political science.But her environmental studies course and Barnard’s in Columbia Climate School took Brown into a new realm of exploration.
Last spring, Brown, now a senior environmental studies major, was looking for a project for her senior thesis.She asked an environmental science professor for advice martin mare, a leader in hydrology and groundwater research.Adjunct Senior Research Scientist at the Climate Institute Lamont-Doherty Earth ObservatoryStute has also been advancing a key area of climate science research and development: carbon capture and storage.
Stute needs help with an ongoing, high-profile project Oman. Brown only needs to travel to Palisades, New York and Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Be part of groundbreaking science. Carbon dioxide removal—using science to remove carbon dioxide from the air and then store it safely—once an elusive goal, is now considered an important emerging technology that is critical to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, And in doing so, help address the larger climate change crisis.
Grace Brown’s love of the outdoors began as a child.She is at the Stone Harbor Wetland Institute in New Jersey
In the Q&A below, Stute and Brown talk about the Oman project and the prospects for carbon capture.
What does carbon capture and storage involve?
Multiple Sclerosis: To limit the impact of climate changewe not only need to reduce our emission of greenhouse gases (most carbon dioxide and methane) but also removes some of the gases we emit into the atmosphere. Carbon (in the form of CO2 and methane) can be captured at source—for example, in power plants—or directly from the air, and stored in plants, industrial materials, or in subterranean pores and cavities. I’m researching the safest way to use a method called “carbon mineralization,’ where CO2 is dissolved in water and pumped into reactive rocks, e.g. Basalt, which then converts the CO2 into a solid carbonate mineral (similar to limestone).I am part of an international team that is in Iceland.
What happened to Oman?
Multiple Sclerosis: This project is part of a larger project International Study Program Exploring the geochemistry and microbiology of ancient raised seafloors oman desertIn addition to being used to study fundamental biogeochemical processes, this formation can store large amounts of carbon dioxide, similar to Icelandic basalts. A key question for the study was how quickly water circulated through this formation.Our research – by NSF with California State University Sacramento and Oman Drilling Project — Using substances that occur naturally in groundwater in very low concentrations (so-called “tracers,” such as radiocarbon, tritium, and noble gases) to determine when and how fast water is moving underground. This information is critical to determining the rate of chemical reactions and how that formation can be used for CO2 storage.
How close are we to the goal of removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it safely?
Multiple Sclerosis: The capture and storage of a large number of CO2 sources is well known and economically feasible. Free air capture remains expensive; large-scale demonstrations must be developed and deployed. However, many commercial carbon capture and storage plants are now operating globally.In fact, a company named 44.01, received last year’s earth prize, has begun CO2 injection experiments in Oman. All of this is not to say that carbon capture and storage is a panacea for our greenhouse gas problems.it’s just one way need to take If we want to limit the worst effects of climate change. We still need to switch to renewable energy as quickly as possible and transition to a sustainable economy.
What surprised you most about the Oman project and your work supporting it?
National standard: I was amazed by the amount of technical hands-on work I did on method development and instrumentation. We spent a lot of time last summer modifying our different analytical instruments in the lab, allowing us to develop techniques specifically for measuring samples and collecting data for projects. While this method development is a large part of the research process, I was surprised to see this kind of behind-the-scenes look at the more technical aspects of scientific instrumentation. It amazes me that I haven’t realized how students can get involved and directly contribute to groundbreaking projects. I have found that through dissertations and other opportunities that we have access to, students can really make an impact and contribute to extremely relevant research. This is very exciting and rewarding.
Given what we know about the threat of climate change, does being so involved in emerging research make you more hopeful about the future?National standard: Participating in emerging research definitely makes me more hopeful for the future. I think a major factor in pessimism about climate change is the feeling that there is nothing we can do about it, so I feel more optimistic when I can do something about it. After spending time at places like the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, I can’t help but feel hopeful because I’m surrounded by so many leading scientists in their fields who are working to better understand the planet and its changing climate.
