PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
- Experimental maturation of sedimentary rocks to measure the potential for igneous intrusions to produce the climate-altering greenhouse gases that triggered past global warming and mass extinction events
- Interdisciplinary methods and supervisory team. This project spans geochemistry, geophysics, and palaeoclimates. Hands on training provided in multiple laboratory and numerical modelling techniques.
- Potential for student to shape the project depending on their interests, e.g. leaning more towards modelling, hands on labwork, or fieldwork to collect additional samples.
Overview
Past rapid climate change events like the end-Permian mass extinction, the end-Triassic mass extinction, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, and many of the Mesozoic Oceanic Anoxic Events constitute some of the best analogues we have for anthropogenic climate change. These events feature some combination of rising atmospheric CO₂, global warming, ocean acidification, and a negative carbon isotope excursion – all the hallmark signs of massive rapid emissions of carbon-based greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The suspected trigger for these events is the coincident emplacement of large igneous provinces (LIPs); the intrusion of LIP magma into sedimentary rock is thought to be capable of generating massive quantities of greenhouse gases like thermogenic methane. However, when magma intrudes into sedimentary rock of various compositions it is still uncertain exactly which greenhouse gases are produced (e.g., methane vs. CO₂) and in what quantities. Furthermore, the carbon isotopic composition of these gases is very poorly constrained. Carbon isotopes records (e.g. Fig. 1) show the net behaviour of the global carbon cycle across these past carbon cycle perturbation events. Knowing the mass and isotopic composition of LIP carbon emissions are critical to constraining Earth’s carbon cycle response – e.g., the short-term release of additional carbon as a response to the warming climate (positive feedbacks) and the longer-term subsequent carbon burial, cooling and restoring the climate (negative feedbacks).
In this project, you will conduct laboratory experiments subjecting a range of sedimentary host rocks to artificial thermal maturation to recreate the temperature and pressure conditions caused by magmatic intrusion. Your samples will include real exemplars of the host rocks into which the aforementioned LIPs were actually intruded. You will collect the thermogenic gases that result from this experimental maturation and measure the yields of the various gas types as well as their carbon isotopic compositions. Lastly, using numerical modelling, you will use your experimental results to make some predictions of the carbon emissions from several past LIPs, thereby constraining the Earth system carbon cycle response. Depending on the interests of the appointed candidate, the project could lean more heavily towards hands-on laboratory work or applying numerical modelling techniques.
Figure 1: Hyperthermal events, coincident large igneous provinces, and their typical seawater carbon isotope pattern from the Mesozoic to Paleogene. Zhang et al., 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1226349
Case Projects
This project does not offer a CASE studentship
Host
University of Birmingham
Theme
Climate and Environmental Sustainability, Dynamic Earth
Supervisors
Project investigator
- Sarah Greene — s.e.greene@bham.ac.uk
Co-investigators
- UoB: Steve Jones — s.jones.4@bham.ac.uk
- Nottingham: Will Meredith — william.meredith@nottingham.ac.uk; Colin Snape — colin.snape@nottingham.ac.uk; Clement Uguna — clement.uguna@nottingham.ac.uk
- BGS: Jan Hennissen — janh@bgs.ac.uk; Andrew Smith — andrews@bgs.ac.uk
How to apply
Each host has a slightly different application process.
Find out how to apply for this studentship.
All applications must include the CENTA application form.
Methodology
The British Geological Survey (BGS) has extensive samples of actual host rocks intruded by various LIPs. Working with the BGS, you will identify appropriate samples, including measuring vitrinite reflectance to ascertain thermal maturity. There is also the possibility of collecting additional samples in the field to supplement that which you find at the BGS. At the University of Nottingham, you will perform the pyrolysis experiments to mimic the temperature and pressure conditions of magma intrusion and collect the resulting thermogenic carbon-based gases; the carbon isotopic composition of these gases will be determined at the BGS. At the University of Birmingham, you will learn numerical modelling techniques to turn these hard-won laboratory data into predictions of the carbon emissions from past LIPs and/or the resulting carbon cycle feedbacks. This project could lean more towards hands on experimental work or numerical modelling, depending on the interests of the successful applicant.
Further details and How to Apply
Prospective applicants please contact me (Sarah Greene – s.e.greene@bham.ac.uk) in advance of applying. You are very welcome to ask questions about the project, to discuss whether working with me on this project at the University of Birmingham is a good fit for you, or to ask advice about putting together a strong application. I am also happy to put you in contact with my current and former students to ask questions about their experiences.
To apply to this project:
- You must include a CENTA studentship application form, downloadable from: CENTA Studentship Application Form 2027
- You must include a CV with the names of at least two referees (preferably three) who can comment on your academic abilities.
- Please submit your application and complete the host institution application process via: https://admissions.bham.ac.uk/course-finder-landing-page/?code=LES068 Please select the PhD in Geography (CENTA) 2027 entry year Apply Now button. The CENTA Studentship Application Form 2027 and CV can both be uploaded to the Personal Statement section of the online form. In the funding section of the online form please select Research Council Funding and then choose Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Please quote CENTA 2027-B20 when completing the application form.
Applications must be submitted by 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 6th January 2027.
