A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon (ARC LIEF grant administered by James Cook University) (2018-2019)
Abstract
Pyrogenic carbon (PyC - charcoal, soot, black carbon) is i. an important `slow cycling¿ component the global carbon cycle ii. a component of aerosols capable of climate forcing and impacting human health iii. a proxy used for inferring human-fire-climate interactions iv. able to provide the chronologies underpinning our understanding of environmental change and human history v. as 'biochar', a tool for terrestrial carbon sequestration. We will develop a National Facility for Pyrogenic Carbon Analysis by hydrogen pyrolysis to provide robust measurement of the abundance and isotope (13C, 14C) composition to advance research agendas across palaeoecology, geomorphology, geochronology, archaeology and carbon cycle/sequestration science.
