Project Details
Projekt
The Role of High- and Low-Temperature Ocean Crust Alteration for the Marine Calcium Budget
Applicant
Professor Dr. Anton Eisenhauer
Subject Area
Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
Term
from 2003 to 2007
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5414771
The circulation of seawater through hydrothermal systems at mid-ocean ridges has been proposed as a source for calcium (Ca) which is a major chemical constituent of seawater controlling oceans alkalinity and climate change. Although oceans alkalinity and Ca concentrations are supposed to be directly linked to each other it has been shown that deep ocean water contain higher levels of dissolved Ca than expected from calcium carbonate (CaCO3 dissolution only). The magnitude of the anomalies suggests that fluxes associated with the low-temperature circulation of seawater at mid-ocean ridge systems are much larger than previously thought. In particular, the role of low temperature alteration of basalts has been unterestimated in this respect. In order to better understand the processes of chemical alteration and to better constrain the mass balance of Ca in the ocean this project will study the Ca cycle during high and low-temperature alteration at mid ocean ridges.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
Participating Persons
Dr. Folkmar Hauff; Dr. Klas S. Lackschewitz
