Geological Society of America

T245 Machine Learning for Advancing Data Analysis Toolkit in Geoscience

Wednesday, 13 October 2021
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
B113/B114 (Hybrid Room)

INSIGHTS FROM RIVER CHEMISTRY INTO CARBON CAPTURE POTENTIAL THROUGH SURFICIAL ENHANCED ROCK WEATHERING

Paper number: T245-14
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 4:35 PM – 4:50 PM

Authors

Shuang Zhang Presenting Author
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Noah Planavsky
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Joachim Katchinoff
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Peter Raymond
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Yoshiki Kanzaki
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Tom Reershemius
Yale University, New Haven, CT
Chris Reinhard
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Abstract

Capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from Earth’s atmosphere is generally regarded as necessary to keep global temperature increases below those predicted to cause significant degradation of livelihoods, food security, and water supplies in the coming century. Carbon capture through surficial enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is one extensively discussed carbon mitigation strategy. Estimates of potential carbon capture through ERW have typically come from the evaluation of dissolution potentials in soils. Here we provide new insights into the potential for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) through enhanced basalt and carbonate mineral weathering considering the limits imposed by river water chemistry. Specifically, we consider the capacity of rivers to transport cations and alkalinity without inducing calcite precipitation, which leads to rerelease of CO₂ to the atmosphere. Using an iterative model coupling enhanced rock weathering to river/stream carbonate chemistry, we estimate regional (U.S.) and global carbon capture potentials for plausible threshold saturation states. Our model yields significant U.S. and global CDR potentials (at the gigaton scale) and provides new support for the notion that accelerated carbonate mineral weathering should be considered as a component of accelerated rock weathering portfolios and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies. Overall, our results suggest that there is significant untapped carbon capture potential in surficial weathering systems relative to existing estimates for enhanced rock weathering.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 53, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2021AM-370182

© Copyright 2021 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.