InSitu
Investigating the Rate of Potential Biological in Situ Gas Production of CO and CH4 in Arctic Ice (InSitu)
Faculty Advisor/PI: Nathan J. Chellman (DRI, PI); Prof. Christopher E. Carr (Co-PI, Georgia Tech)
Start Date: March 2022
Current Status: Planning for fieldwork
Collaborators: Joe McConnell (DRI), Edward J. Brook (Oregon State), Rachel A. Moore (Georgia Tech)
We will (1) investigate the timing and temperature-dependent rates of potential in situ biological production of carbon monoxide (CO) and methane in Arctic ice, (2) develop records of atmospheric CO and methane spanning recent centuries that are free of in situ production artifacts, and (3) determine the roles that ice impurity concentration and microbial community structure play in situ gas production. As part of this work, a new 150 m ice core will be drilled at Summit, Greenland, and analyzed using a melter system and via nucleic acid extraction and sequencing. Potential impacts include extending our understanding of the lower temperature limit of microbial metabolism, recommending changes in how ice cores are stored, and improving estimates of historical methane levels in the atmosphere, of significance for understanding methane’s role in climate change.
Funding: Supported by NSF Collaborative award 2139293 to Chellman (DRI, lead institution) and Carr (Georgia Tech).