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Earth is unique in the Solar System because the surface comprises continents and ocean basins.
This tectonic configuration is a consequence of the evolution of Earth’s largest body – the mantle.
Unlike any other planet, Earth’s mantle evolved from an initial state of planetary differentiation to
dramatic melting 1.5 billion years later that resulted in formation of the first continents. The cause of
this globally fundamental geological change is not known because mantle rocks from the early
Earth are not preserved. Our novel solution is to utilise proxy isotopic information from mineral
inclusions trapped in ancient magmatic zircon crystals, coupled with Earth's Archean mantle, to see back into the ancient mantle history.
When coupled with meteorite data from the Moon, Vesta and Mars, which are differentiated but
unevolved rocky bodies, we will generate a conceptual model for planetary interior evolution and
thus explain how Earth alone has undergone an exceptional history. Funded by Danmarks Frei Forsksningsfond.Beskrivelse
01/08-2026 → 01/05-2028
Stéphane Bodin & Anna Buhl Pedersen
CO2 mineralisation is a promising approach for permanent and safe underground removal of carbon dioxide at scale. This method involves the reaction of CO2 with silicate minerals to produce divalent cations and bicarbonate ions, which then recombine to form stable carbonate minerals, effectively sequestering CO2 in a solid state. So far, this method has been tested on basalt lava and ultramafic rocks, but never on volcanic ash. Given the substantial deposits of Eocene volcanic ash in western Denmark, this project aims to clarify the potential for gigaton-scale CO2-mineralisation in the Danish subsurface. Via geochemical analysis and laboratory experiments, we will determine how the ash deposits’ composition, texture, and alteration state affect their ability to generate alkalinity and precipitate carbonate minerals. Our goal is to lay the scientific groundwork for establishing the first CO2-mineralisation facility in Denmark and continental Europe.Beskrivelse
01/05-2025 → 30/04-2028
A citizen science project involving building and deploying meteor cameras across Denmark and Greenland. Beskrivelse
01/09-2024 → 28/02-2026
