Dear All,

 

Please find below an outline of a PhD project available at the University of
 Leeds, UK. This position needs to be filled by January 2008 and is open to
ANY nationality apart from UK citizens/residents.

 

For further information please contact Sam Shaw ([log in to unmask]) or
Liane Benning ([log in to unmask])

 

Project title: Experimental investigation of calcium carbonate mineralogy in
past and future oceans.

 

Project description: The geochemistry of the earth’s oceans has changed
considerably through geological time due to significant changes in chemical
composition (e.g. Mg/Ca ratio), PCO2 and pH. In addition, climate change
caused by increasing atmospheric CO2 could have a significant impact on the
geochemistry of the future ocean via acidification. Such changes in ocean
chemistry have altered the mineralogy, formation mechanism and precipitation
kinetics of marine inorganic and biogenic calcium carbonate minerals. This
study will use laboratory-based experimental approaches to quantify the
effects of certain geochemical and environmental factors on the composition
(chemical and isotopic), phase stability (e.g. calcite, aragonite,
magnesite) and morphology (particle size/shape) of marine calcium carbonate
minerals. The particular emphasis will be to quantify the key parameter that
control marine calcium or magnesium carbonate formation through geological
time and in the future ocean. The use of advanced wet chemical synthesis
methods will be complemented by high-resolution analytical (e.g. ICP-MS),
microscopic techniques (e.g. FEG-SEM/TEM) and diffraction techniques (e.g.
XRD) and the goal will be to characterise the atomic scale the carbonate
formation mechanisms from marine solutions. The results will allow us to
compute the key factors which control biogenic and inorganic carbonate
formation in oceanic environments and produce predictive models of how
future changes in atmospheric CO2 will affect these processes. Also, the
kinetics and thermodynamic models produce will be integrated with data from
other groups within the Min-Gro network to formulate improved strategies for
carbon sequestration in the ocean or via deep geological injection into the
geosphere.

 

Training: The student will join an interdisciplinary team made up of
researchers in Leeds (Dr. Sam Shaw and Dr. Liane G. Benning) and Oxford (Dr.
Ros Rickaby) but she/he will also spend ~ 6 months in the laboratory of one
of the other Min-Gro partners. Training will be provided in state-of-the-art
techniques including high-resolution microscopy, spectroscopy and isotope
techniques.  This combination of advanced training will provide a broad
portfolio of skills required for future employment in the academic,
environmental or industrial sectors. 

 

Eligibility: Thee normal eligibility requirements of Marie Curie Fellowships
apply. A condition of a Marie Curie Fellowship is that the applicant is not
already resident in the host country, but will also spend some time in one
or more of the other participating Institutes. The applicant must also
satisfy the requirements to register as a doctoral student in Leeds, which
generally involves holding an appropriate Diploma or Masters degree and
having passed the appropriate language tests. Marie Curie Fellowships have
substantial benefits, both in salary and in mobility and family allowances.
The duration of the Fellowships are 3 years. Applications are invited from
graduates who have, or expect to gain, a good degree in chemistry, geology,
environmental science, materials science, or another relevant science
discipline. The applicant should have a good command of both written and
spoken English.