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The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security (The Carbon Cycle and Planetary…

- - - - 4 Stores of Carbon
        
        Atmosphere as CO2 and Hydrocarbon compounds ex. CH4
        
        Hydosphere as dissolved CO2
        
        Biosphere in living and dead organisms
        
        Lithosphere as carbonates in limesotne and fossil fuels(coal,gas and oil)
      - Geological Carbon Cycle
        
        This is the slowest part of the cycle, and it is centred on the huge carbon stores in rocks and sediment, with resevoir turnover rate of at least 100,000 years.
        
        CO2 is exchanged with the fast component through;
        Volcanic emissions of CO2
        Chemical weathering
        Erosion
        Sediment formation on the floor
        
        Key Processes in the Geological Carbon Cycle
        
        Transportation
        
        Rivers carry particles(ions) to the ocean where they are deposited
        
        Decomposition
        
        Animal and Plant particles that result from decompostion after death and surface erosion store carbon
        
        Sedimentation
        
        Over millenia these sediments accumulate, burying older sediments below, such as shale and limestone
        
        Mechanical,Chemical and Biological weathering of rocks on land
        
        Mechanical Weathering-Break up of rocks into easy ttransport particles
        
        Chemical Weathering-Breakdown of rocks by carbonic acid,dissolved carbonate based rocks
        
        The Geological part of the carbon cycle interacts with the rock cycle, a series of constant processes.
        
        Deposition and burial turns the calcite sediment into limestone
        
        Subduction to the seal floor under continental margins by tectonic spreading
        
        Transportation of these ions by river from the land to the ocean. Form Calcium Carbonate and precipitate out as minerals such as calcite
        
        Some of the Carbon rises back to the surfaec within heated magma, and is degassed as CO2 returns to the atmosphere.
        
        Water reacts with CO2 to form H2CO3, reacts with some surface materials slowly dissolvign them
        
        Biological Weathering-Break rocks
        
        Metamorphosis
        
        Layering and buriying of sediment causes pressure build up. So that sediments can turn into rock
        
        Volcanic Outgassing
        
        Pockets of CO2 exist in the Earth's crust. Disturbance by volcanic eruptions or earthquake activity may allow pulses or more diffuse fluxes into the atmosphere
        
        Can occur at:
        
        Places with no current volcanic activity, such as the hot springs and geysers in Yellowstone
        
        Direct emissions from fractures
        
        Active or passive volcanic zones associated with tectonic plate boundaries, including subduction zones and spreading ridges
      - Biological/Physical Carbon Cycle
        
        This fast compnet of the carbon cycle has relatively large exchange fluxes and 'rapid' resevoir turnovers of a few years up to millenia. Carbon is sequesterd in, and flows between the atmosphere,oceans, ocean sediments and on land in vegetation,soils and freshwater
      - Stores
        
        Long Term
        
        Terrestrial Geoloical
        Sedimentary rocks,very slow cylcing over millenia
        
        Oceanic(DEEP)
        Most carbon is dissolved inorganic carbon, stored at great depths,very slowly cycled
        
        Short Term
        
        Terrestrial Soil
        From plant materials(biomass); micro-organisms break most organic matter down to CO2 in a process that can take days in hot, humid climates to decades in colder climates
        
        Atmospheric
        CO2 and CH4 store carbon as greenhouse gases with a life time of up to 100 years
        
        Oceanic Surface
        Exchanges are rapid with the atmopshere through;
        Physical processes(CO2 gas dissolving into the water)
        Biological processes(plankton)
        Some of this carbon sinks to the deeper ocean pool
        
        Terrestrial Ecosystems
        CO2 is taken from the atmosphere by plant photosynthesis; carbon is stored organically, especially in trees; rapid interchange with atmosphere over second/minutes
      - Fluxes
        
        Fast(1-10 years)
        Surface water and atmosphere fluxes diffusion into ocean
        Diffusion out of ocean
        Vegetation to soil decomposition
        
        Slow(10-100 years)
        Weathering and Erosion
        
        Very Fast
        Photosynthesis
        Respiration
        Gases from volcanic eruptions
        
        VerySlow(over 100 years)
        Sedimentation/Fossilation
      - Biological Processes Seuqestering Carbon
        
        Carbon Cycle Pumps
        
        Biological Pump and Carbonate Pump involving thermahaline circulation. This ciruclation is part of the physical pump. These pumps flux surface ocean CO2 to the deep ocean.