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Contenido archivado el 2024-05-29

Advanced laser techniques to investigate C isotope discrimination during decomposition

Objetivo

The ALICE project is aimed at acquiring two post-doctoral fellows with a research experience of less than 10 years to develop and apply an advanced laser spectroscopic methodology for laboratory and field investigations on isotopic fractionation effects associated to soil-atmosphere exchange processes. If C isotopic fractionation associated to photosynthesis and to dark respiration and photorespiration processes is quantified, our understanding of discrimination during decomposition is still poor.

Current isotopic research on the C Cycle is based on the assumption that no discrimination occurs during respiration and decomposition processes. This hypothesis needs unambiguous testing. The research proposed is highly innovative not only for its scientific component but also for the methodological approach. In fact, the ALICE project is designed to convert the state-of-the-art spectroscopic technique into a deployable technology capable of providing accurate determinations of d13C-CO2 at atmospheric concentrations. Off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy will be implemented, using a room-temperature semiconductor diode laser at the unusual wavelength of 2.053 micron.

In this spectral region, 12CO2 and 13CO2 molecules exhibit interesting absorption features, with optimum spectroscopic parameters for isotope ratio determinations. The use of a diode laser and a pair of small optical cavities enables to build a very compact device, suitable for field applications, satisfying, at the same time, the need of an extremely high detection sensitivity, as required to measure d13C in atmospheric CO2.

Exploiting the high temporal resolution and the non-invasive nature of the analysis, the diode laser spectrometer will enable to design a number of laboratory and field experiments aimed at shining light on isotopic fractionation effects in soil respiration processes. As a result, we expect to produce a complete isotope discrimination model as well as to test the existing ones.

Ámbito científico (EuroSciVoc)

Palabras clave

Tema(s)

Convocatoria de propuestas

FP6-2002-MOBILITY-3
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Régimen de financiación

TOK - Marie Curie actions-Transfer of Knowledge

Coordinador

SECONDA UNIVERSITA DI NAPOLI
Aportación de la UE
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Coste total
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