EGU General Assembly 2007

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	Quick Search Title + Author Title Author Abstract Number Schedule Number Programme Groups Great Debates Union Symposia Educational Symposia Atmospheric Sciences Biogeosciences Climate: Past, Present, Future Cryospheric Sciences Energy, Resources and the Environment Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Petrology & Volcanology Geodesy Geodynamics Geomorphology Geosciences Instrumentation and Data Systems Hydrological Sciences Isotopes in Geosciences: Instrumentation and Applications Magnetism, Palaeomagnetism, Rock Physics & Geomaterials Natural Hazards Nonlinear Processes in Geosciences Ocean Sciences Planetary and Solar System Sciences Seismology Soil System Sciences Solar-Terrestrial Sciences Stratigraphy, Sedimentology and Palaeontology Tectonics and Structural Geology Medal Lectures EGU Short Courses Keynote Lectures Townhall Meetings Division Business Meetings Editorial Board Meetings Union Meetings Splinter Meetings Forums   Information - BG1.05 Analysis and Characterization of Black Carbon in the Environment (co-listed in AS, HS, OS & SSS) Event Information Black carbon (BC) has received increasing attention due to its importance in a wide range of biogeochemical processes. For example, BC storage in ocean sediments a represents long-term sink in the global carbon cycle, and BC aerosols in the atmosphere affect Earth’s radiative heat balance. BC can be a useful tracer for Earth’s fire history; it is a significant fraction of the carbon buried in soils and sediments; and it is an important carrier of organic pollutants. EGU meetings are very cross-disciplinary and thus attractive for scientists from diverse backgrounds, including those studying BC. One focus of the BC-meeting is to bring together the broad scientific community studying black carbon in the environment to discuss the latest research. This is the third meeting of this kind after Goldschmidt 1999 and EGU 2005. A second focus of the meeting is to discuss methodological aspects. Variations in BC chemistry, along a combustion continuum, create serious methodological problems, as every BC measurement method detects a unique window of the BC spectrum. For example, methods which rely on optical microscopes to detect charcoal particles fail to detect sub-micron soot particles, while chemical or thermal methods which rely on the refractory nature of BC fail to detect the partially charred material which can be easily degraded. Effective atmospheric methods, which measure the absorptivity of a sample, cannot be used when BC occurs within an absorptive matrix, like soils or sediments. To address these methodological problems a ring trial was held (2004-6) on 12 BC-containing samples and materials potentially creating artifacts analyzed by 17 labs worldwide from soil, atmospheric, marine and water sciences (http://www.geo.unizh.ch/phys/bc). Results, implications and potential spin-off projects stemming from this ring trial will be presented and discussed during the meeting. Preliminary List of Solicited Speakers Co-Sponsorship (co-listed in AS, HS, OS & SSS) General Statement The information contained hereafter has been compiled and uploaded by the Session Organizers via the "Organizer Session Form". The Session Organizers have therefore the sole responsibility that this information is true and accurate at the date of publication, and the conference organizer cannot accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made, and he makes no warranty, expressed or implied, with regard to the material published. Back to Session Programme

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