Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C511805/1
Atmospheric forcing of sulphate in speleothem carbonate.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor IJ Fairchild, University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor A Baker, University of New South Wales, Sch of Biol, Earth & Env Sciences (BEES)
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor NJ Loader, Swansea University, College of Science
- Grant held at:
- University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
- Science Area:
- Freshwater
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Pollution and Waste
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Earth Surface Processes
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Quaternary Science
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- We have recently discovered that in the caves of limestone karst areas, stalagmites change in their content of sulphur (S) in distinctive ways: the amount of S rises dramatically during the 20th century, similar to the increase in S pollution seen in the atmosphere; there is also evidence that short-lived high S loads caused by major volcanic eruptions can also be captured. This sulphur is in the form of sulphate which can substitute for carbonate ion in the lattice of calcium carbonate. We propose to make use of this discovery to aid our ongoing work on understanding palaeoenvironments, and specifically palaeoclimates, from stalagmites. We will make use of the fact that volcanic and pollution derived sulphur have a lower isotope ratios (34S/32S) compared with sulphate derived from sea salt or weathering of rocks containing sulphate. We need new experimental data to quantify the controls on how much sulphate precipitates into calcium carbonate. Together with field data on the amounts of S and the relative abundance of isotopes 34S and 32S, we will be able to model the response of particular karstic environments to atmospheric S loading and to test whether tree rings also preserve S pollution records. High-resolution S elemental data can also be used to show how much the cave environment is changing (e.g. in pH) seasonally and this may provide an index of cave environmental seasonality. Baseline isotopic data on S sources at different sites and S concentration and isotopic trends in speleothems over the past 150 years will characterize S inputs during the industrial period and enable sites to be selected for two further palaeoclimate applications. The first of these will be to select speleothems that can be directly correlated with ice core records by identification of S-enriched volcanic horizons by high-resolution S analysis. The second is to find a site where there is significant light S derived by weathering of sulphide from rocks. At this site we will look for periods of enhanced westerly circulation at different times during the past 10 thousand years: these will be recognized by episodes of higher S concentration with a heavier isotopic composition.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C511805/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £194,225
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| £16,016 | £95,534 | £38,731 | £43,945 |
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