Objective
The primary objective of this proposal is to determine the role of submarine basalt weathering in the global carbon cycle. Over Earth history, our climate and surface temperature have remained stable, despite a 30% increased solar energy flux, a changing atmospheric composition, growth of continents, evolution of life, and shifting ocean chemistry. This climate stability requires a self-regulating thermostat that keeps our surface from getting too hot or too cold. This thermostat has long been thought to be related to terrestrial (on-land) silicate mineral weathering that leads to precipitation of carbon as carbonate minerals in the ocean. Basalt is an igneous rock that, despite not being abundant in terrestrial environments, plays an outsized role in the terrestrial silicate weathering flux. In contrast, basalt covers the ocean floor, where it is altered by seawater, leading to carbon mineral precipitation in the crust, but the role that this submarine basalt weathering plays in the global carbon cycle remains enigmatic.
BASCARB will fill this critical knowledge gap. I will build a team leveraging my expertise in isotope geochemistry and ocean chemistry evolution to address this fundamental aspect of how Earth’s climate is regulated. Experiments with basalt using novel isotope doping methods will quantify the role of temperature and ocean chemistry in carbonation of the oceanic crust. Measurements of natural samples will reconstruct how submarine basalt weathering has changed over time. Reactive Transport Modelling will determine how weathering reactions progress and how permeability evolves with changing boundary conditions. Earth system modelling using both forward and inverse models will allow us to understand how these processes have evolved over critical intervals of Earth history. BASCARB will answer these fundamental questions to quantify the role that submarine basalt weathering plays in regulation of the global carbon cycle over Earth history.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geology petrology igneous petrology
- humanities history and archaeology history
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry inorganic compounds
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences geochemistry isotope geochemistry
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences oceanography ocean chemistry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.