Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2012, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (4): 201-207.
• Review Article • Previous Articles Next Articles
LIU Yan
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Abstract: The knowledge of global carbon cycle is critical to understanding of today’s atmospheric CO2 contents and varying of atmospheric CO2 contents in the future. Conventional researches of global carbon cycle focus mainly on the carbon cycling among atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere at Earth’s surface. Carbon reservoirs and carbon geochemical cycling within Earth’s interior had hardly studied in the past. At present these conventional research methods have hardly illustrated the evolution of CO2 contents of atmosphere. Deep carbon research, aiming at the carbon two-way exchanging between Earth’s interior and surface, became a current research hot-spot. Carbonatites are mainly made up of carbonate minerals and are the rocks of highest content of carbon within Earth’s interior. Therefore, carbonatites are the target of deep carbon cycling research. Current studies are further revealed that carbon from most carbonatites worldwide is from atmospheric CO2, and thus, is recycling carbon. New formation of carbonate-bearing sedimentary rocks at surface, at the expense of huge atmospheric CO2, were transferred into Earth’s interior through subduciton zones, which were experienced (ultra)high-temperature metamorphism under water conditions, and subsequently partial melting to form carbonate magmas within Earth’s interior. The new carbonate magmas moved upwards into upper crust, or even at surface, to form carbonatites. Carbon could go back to Earth’s surface. Therefore, the carbon cycling between Earth’s surface and interior was controlled by tectonic movements. Moreover, the long-term varying of atmospheric CO2 contents is mainly driven by global tectonic activities.
LIU Yan. Deep Carbon Cycling: Enlightenment from Carbonatites[J]. Chinese Journal of Nature, 2012, 34(4): 201-207.
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