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E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY:
- Advance the current state of knowledge regarding the functioning
of the biological pump and its consequences for global carbon
cycling
- Long-term deployments on conventional, autonomous, oceanographic
platforms
- Next-generation oceanographic platforms.
- Auxiliary sensor on CTD profilers
- Basic earth sciences research
- Monitoring and regulatory efforts
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Light transmitted
through parallel (left) and crossed (right) polarizers by
birefringent CaCO3 and two non-birefringent minerals (halite
and SiO2). Only the birefringent calcite (CaCO3) allows light
to pass through crossed polarizers.
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ADVANTAGES:
- Enable data to be collected on more extensive spatial scales
than currently possible;
- Allow work to be conducted in harsh environments and remote
areas otherwise impractical or impossible to access
- Improve computer-based simulations and forecasted responses
to different greenhouse gas emission scenarios
ABSTRACT:
The transport of biogenic carbon from the surface to deep ocean
(commonly referred to as the "biological pump") plays
a critical role in regulating the level of CO2 in the
Earth's atmosphere. Understanding of the biological pump is severely
limited because conventional, ship-based sampling methods cannot
adequately capture the spatial and temporal variability of biomass
and carbon species in the ocean. To advance the current state of
knowledge regarding the functioning of the biological pump and its
consequences for global carbon cycling, James Bishop and Christopher
Guay of Berkeley Lab have designed a new optical sensor for making
in situ measurements of particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) in seawater.
PIC in the marine environment consists of biogenic particles of
CaCO3. Berkeley Lab's new sensor is based on a distinguishing
mineralogical characteristic of CaCO3 its extreme
birefringence. When viewed under a microscope in cross-polarized
light, CaCO3 crystals appear to light up, and this property
can be used for making in situ determinations of PIC in the oceans.
The instrument will ultimately be designed to have spatial dimensions,
power requirements, and data storage/telemetry capacity appropriate
for long-term deployments on conventional, autonomous, oceanographic
platforms, as well as on next-generation platforms. Berkeley Lab's
new, in situ, optical PIC sensor will be useful as an auxiliary
sensor on CTD profilers; the sensor will enable data to be collected
on more extensive spatial scales than currently possible; and it
will allow work to be conducted in harsh environments and remote
areas otherwise impractical or impossible to access. Successful
development of this technology will represent a major advance in
marine carbon system monitoring and lead to a greater understanding
of the biological pump and its relation to global climate change,
thus improving computer-based simulations and forecasted responses
to different greenhouse gas emission scenarios. This important,
new technology should therefore find applications in basic earth
sciences research as well as monitoring and regulatory efforts.
STATUS: U.S. Patent #7,030,981. Available for licensing
REFERENCE NUMBER: IB-1595
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
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CONTACT:
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Technology
Transfer Department
E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
MS 90-1070
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 486-6467 FAX: (510) 486-6457
TTD@lbl.gov |
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