Carbon Cycle Science & Technology Group

Soil Carbon Monitoring

This program is developing a robust, flexible, non-invasive, and practical method for monitoring and verifying temporal changes in soil carbon in situ over large areas.  The objectives of this project are: (1) to finalize tests with an Alfa prototype and construct a Beta prototype for field measurements, and (2) to characterize, calibrate and test the soil carbon measurement system in Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) facilities. The method is based on Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) of fast neutrons from a carbon nucleus and subsequent detection of the emitted 4.4 MeV gamma rays.  Initial calibration of the system in a sand pit yielded very good results when field measurements were compared with chemical analysis of core samples taken from the same site.  The results from feasibility studies suggested that the requirement to measure changes of 100 gC/M² could be met with a precision of about 5%.  During the last year of the study, the sensitivity of the instrument was improved six fold.

An important goal of this program is to produce an instrument that is field deployable, and can be operated safely with minimum shielding.  Preparations are being made to replace the current counting system with a faster one with improved detection efficiency.  At present the system can be operated in both static and dynamic modes requiring a safety area of about 3 feet.  The proposed system improvements will enhance the deployment capability for multiple and sequential measurements of large areas in both static and scanning modes.

Last Modified: January 31, 2008
Please forward all questions about this site to: Linda Satalino

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE’s Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

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