AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Abinger Magnetic Observatory Magnetograms

Magnetograms are records of variations in the strength and direction of the Earth’s magnetic field. Historically these magnetograms were recorded on paper using photographic techniques. In the UK, measurements were made at eight long-running observatories; Abinger, Eskdalemuir, Falmouth, Greenwich, Hartland, Kew, Lerwick, and Stonyhurst. BGS also hold magnetogram records from the Cape Evans observatory that ran continuously at Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic base camp during the British Antarctic Expedition 1910–13. The magnetogram collection, one of the longest running geomagnetic series in the world, provides a continuous record of more than 160 years of UK measurements. These magnetograms start in the 1840s and end in 1986 at which time digital recording of the magnetic field took over and magnetograms can be produced by computer graphic. The plots show variation in the Earth's magnetic field, typically over a 24-hour period. The collection is a valuable, partly untapped data resource for studying geomagnetic storms, space weather and the evolution of the Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetograms provide insight into: • the Earth’s outer core: long-term change (years to centuries) in the dynamo that sustains our magnetic field • space weather: short-term changes (seconds to days) in near-Earth space and on the ground • space climate: long-term change (decades to centuries) in solar activity and consequences for Earth’s environment All the above have an impact on human activities. For example, bad space weather affects technologies that we increasingly rely on, such as electrical power and GPS networks. In response to the threat of loss from degradation due to age and a desire to preserve and exploit old data, BGS undertook a programme of work to digitally photograph, archive and preserve the analogue paper records of magnetic field variation in the United Kingdom. Between 2009 and 2013, high-quality digital images of every available magnetogram were taken. These images are available to search online. Scientists and the general public around the world can now gain easy access to this historical dataset.

Tags: Geomagnetism, NERC_DDC, Observatories
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Marine baseline and monitoring strategies for Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS)

The QICS controlled release experiment demonstrates that leaks of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas can be detected by monitoring acoustic, geochemical and biological parameters within a given marine system. However the natural complexity and variability of marine system responses to (artificial) leakage strongly suggests that there are no absolute indicators of leakage or impact that can unequivocally and universally be used for all potential future storage sites. We suggest a multivariate, hierarchical approach to monitoring, escalating from anomaly detection to attribution, quantification and then impact assessment, as required. Given the spatial heterogeneity of many marine ecosystems it is essential that environmental monitoring programmes are supported by a temporally (tidal, seasonal and annual) and spatially resolved baseline of data from which changes can be accurately identified. In this paper we outline and discuss the options for monitoring methodologies and identify the components of an appropriate baseline survey. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Jerry Blackford et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.10.004.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Modelling Large-Scale CO2 Leakages in the North Sea

A three dimensional hydrodynamic model with a coupled carbonate speciation sub-model is used to simulate large additions of CO2 into the North Sea, representing leakages at potential carbon sequestration sites. A range of leakage scenarios are conducted at two distinct release sites, allowing an analysis of the seasonal, inter-annual and spatial variability of impacts to the marine ecosystem. Seasonally stratified regions are shown to be more vulnerable to CO2 release during the summer as the added CO2 remains trapped beneath the thermocline, preventing outgasing to the atmosphere. On average, CO2 injected into the northern North Sea is shown to reside within the water column twice as long as an equivalent addition in the southern North Sea before reaching the atmosphere. Short-term leakages of 5000 tonnes CO2 over a single day result in substantial acidification at the release sites (up to -1.92 pH units), with significant perturbations (greater than 0.1 pH units) generally confined to a 10 km radius. Long-term CO2 leakages sustained for a year may result in extensive plumes of acidified seawater, carried by major advective pathways. Whilst such scenarios could be harmful to marine biota over confined spatial scales, continued unmitigated CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are predicted to result in greater and more long-lived perturbations to the carbonate system over the next few decades. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Jack J.C. Phelps et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.10.013.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Impact of sub-seabed CO2 leakage on macrobenthic community structure and diversity

A sub-seabed release of carbon dioxide (CO2) was conducted to assess the potential impacts of leakage from sub-seabed geological CO2 Capture and Storage CCS) on benthic macrofauna. CO2 gas was released 12 m below the seabed for 37 days, causing significant disruption to sediment carbonate chemistry. Regular macrofauna samples were collected from within the area of active CO2 leakage (Zone 1) and in three additional reference areas, 25 m, 75 m and 450 m from the centre of the leakage (Zones 2, 3 and 4 respectively). Macrofaunal community structure changed significantly in all zones during the study period. However, only the changes in Zone 1 were driven by the CO2 leakage with the changes in reference zones appearing to reflect natural seasonal succession and stochastic weather events. The impacts in Zone 1 occurred rapidly (within a few days), increased in severity through the duration of the leak, and continued to worsen after the leak had stopped. Considerable macrofaunal recovery was seen 18 days after the CO2 gas injection had stopped. In summary, small short-term CCS leakage events are likely to cause highly localised impacts on macrofaunal communities and there is the potential for rapid recovery to occur, depending on the characteristics of the communities and habitats impacted. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Stephen Widdicombe et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2015.01.003.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Rapid response of the active microbial community to CO2 exposure from a controlled sub-seabed CO2 leak in Ardmucknish Bay (Oban, Scotland)

The response of the benthic microbial community to a controlled sub-seabed CO2 leak was assessed using quantitative PCR measurements of benthic bacterial, archaeal and cyanobacteria/chloroplast 16S rRNA genes. Samples were taken from four zones (epicentre; 25 m distant, 75 m distant and 450 m distant) during 6 time points (7 days before CO2 exposure, after 14 and 36 days of CO2 release, and 6, 20 and 90 days after the CO2 release had ended). Changes to the active community of microphytobenthos and bacteria were also assessed before, during and after CO2 release. Increases in the abundance of microbial 16S rRNA were detected after 14 days of CO2 release and at a distance of 25 m from the epicentre. CO2 related changes to the relative abundance of both major and minor bacterial taxa were detected: most notably an increase in the relative abundance of the Planctomycetacia after 14 days of CO2 release. Also evident was a decrease in the abundance of microbial 16S rRNA genes at the leak epicentre during the initial recovery phase: this coincided with the highest measurements of DIC within the sediment, but may be related to the release of potentially toxic metals at this time point. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Karen Tait et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.11.021.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Response of the ammonia oxidation activity of microorganisms in surface sediment to a controlled sub-seabed release of CO2

The impact of a sub-seabed CO2 leak from geological sequestration on the microbial process of ammonia oxidation was investigated in the field. Sediment samples were taken before, during and after a controlled sub-seabed CO2 leak at four zones differing in proximity to the CO2 source (epicentre, and 25 m, 75 m, and 450 m distant). The impact of CO2 release on benthic microbial ATP levels was compared to ammonia oxidation rates and the abundance of bacterial and archaeal ammonia amoA genes and transcripts, and also to the abundance of nitrite oxidizer (nirS) and anammox hydrazine oxidoreductase (hzo) genes and transcripts. The major factor influencing measurements was seasonal: only minor differences were detected at the zones impacted by CO2 (epicentre and 25 m distant). This included a small increase to ammonia oxidation after 37 days of CO2 release which was linked to an increase in ammonia availability as a result of mineral dissolution. A CO2 leak on the scale used within this study (<1 tonne day-1) would have very little impact to ammonia oxidation within coastal sediments. However, seawater containing 5% CO2 did reduce rates of ammonia oxidation. This was linked to the buffering capacity of the sediment, suggesting that the impact of a sub-seabed leak of stored CO2 on ammonia oxidation would be dependent on both the scale of the CO2 release and sediment type. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Yuji Watanabe et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.11.013.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Numerical study of the fate of CO2 purposefully injected into the sediment and seeping from seafloor in Ardmucknish Bay

To quantify the impact of leaked CO2 purposefully stored in subsea geological formations on the marine ecosystem, CO2 gas was injected into sandy sediments in a small bay in Scotland in 2012. Alongside the experiment, a numerical study was conducted to predict CO2 fate in the bay. CO2 may take the form both of the gas and dissolved phases when it seeps out from the seafloor. The bubble CO2 rises in the water column forming bubble plumes and dissolves into the seawater during its ascent. Measurements indicated that approximately 8–15% of the injected CO2 escaped the sediments in the gas phase and no empirical evidence was seen for fluxes in the dissolved phase. Therefore, it is thought that 85–92% of the CO2 remained within the sediments. However, the results of our numerical study suggest that 10–40% of the injected CO2 stayed in the sediment. Apart from unexpected errors in the present numerical simulation, a possible explanation for this discrepancy may be the heterogeneous nature of the sediment and observations limited in time and space. It is also recognised that the CO2 concentration away from the injection site is undetectably small and that the readily detectable signal is confined to a small area in the vicinity of the injection point. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Chiaki Mori et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.11.023.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
UKCCSRC Call 1 project presentation: Experimental investigation and CFD modelling of oxy-coal combustion, Cranfield Biannual, 22.04.15

This presentation on the UKCCSRC Call 1 project, Experimental investigation and CFD modelling of oxy-coal combustion, was presented at the Cranfield Biannual, 22.04.15. Grant number: UKCCSRC-C1-27.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Mapping observations using AUV and numerical simulations of leaked CO2 diffusion in sub-seabed CO2 release experiment at Ardmucknish Bay

A controlled sub-seabed CO2 release experiment (QICS: quantifying and monitoring potential impacts of geological carbon storage) was conducted in Ardmucknish Bay, Scotland, in 2012, to quantify the effect of leaked CO2 on marine environments. In this experiment, CO2 was injected beneath the seafloor, and closely monitored as the CO2 was allowed to leak into the overlying water column. We performed mapping observations using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) equipped with sensors to monitor physical and chemical conditions in the vicinity of the CO2 leakage. We also numerically simulated the behavior of the low-pH plume caused by the CO2 leakage, within the calculated tidal current in the bay. The results of AUV mapping observations showed that physical and chemical characteristics of the water mass in Ardmucknish bay are sensitive to tidal variations (low or high tide), and the ascent speed of the leaked CO2 bubble and the pH decrease in the vicinity of the CO2 leakage area are predominantly controlled by the tidal phase in the bay. The observations using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) installed in the AUV indicated that the current in the bay flows westwards at high tide and eastwards at low tide. The simulated tidal current agreed well with the tidal current observed by ADCP. Numerical simulation suggested that the pH decrease due to the leaked CO2 is restricted to the vicinity of the CO2 leakage area, and fluctuates greatly with tidal variations. In flood tide periods, diffusion of the low-pH plume caused by the leaked CO2 is barely detectable because low-pH seawater intrudes into the bay from the bay mouth. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Yoshiaki Maeda et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2015.01.017.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Detection and monitoring of leaked CO2 through sediment, water column and atmosphere in a sub-seabed CCS experiment

Carbon capture and storage in sub-seabed geological formations (sub-seabed CCS) is currently being studied as a realistic option to mitigate the accumulation of anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere. In implementing sub-seabed CCS, detecting and monitoring the impact of the sequestered CO2 on the ocean environment is highly important. The first controlled CO2 release experiment, Quantifying and Monitoring Potential Ecosystem Impacts of Geological Carbon Storage (QICS), took place in Ardmucknish Bay, Oban, in May–September 2012. We applied the in situ pH/pCO2 sensor to the QICS experiment for detection and monitoring of leaked CO2, and carried out several observations. The cabled real-time sensor was deployed close to the CO2 leakage (bubbling) area, and the fluctuations of in situ pH and pCO2 above the seafloor were monitored in a land-based container. The long-term sensor was placed on seafloor in three different observation zones. The sediment pH sensor was inserted into the sediment at a depth of 50 cm beneath the seafloor near the CO2 leakage area. Wide-area mapping surveys of pH and pCO2 in water column around the CO2 leakage area were carried out by using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) installed with sensors. Atmospheric CO2 above the leakage area was observed by using a CO2 analyzer that was attached to the bow of ship of 50 cm above the sea-surface. The behavior of the leaked CO2 is highly dependent on the tidal periodicity (low tide or high tide) during the CO2 gas release period. At low tide, the pH in sediment and overlying seawater decreased due to strong eruption of CO2 gas bubbles, and the CO2 ascended to sea-surface quickly with a little dissolution to seawater and dispersed into the atmosphere. On the other hand, the CO2 bubbles release was lower at high tide due to higher water pressure, and slight low pH seawater and high atmospheric CO2 were detected. After stopping CO2 gas injection, no remarkable variations of pH in sediment and overlying water column were observed for three months. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Kiminori Shitashima et. al. Doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.12.011.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Detection of CO2 leakage from a simulated sub-seabed storage site using three different types of pCO2 sensors

This work is focused on results from a recent controlled sub-seabed in situ carbon dioxide (CO2) release experiment carried out during May–October 2012 in Ardmucknish Bay on the Scottish west coast. Three types of pCO2 sensors (fluorescence, NDIR and ISFET-based technologies) were used in combination with multiparameter instruments measuring oxygen, temperature, salinity and currents in the water column at the epicentre of release and further away. It was shown that distribution of seafloor CO2 emissions features high spatial and temporal heterogeneity. The highest pCO2 values (~1250 µatm) were detected at low tide around a bubble stream and within centimetres distance from the seafloor. Further up in the water column, 30-100 cm above the seabed, the gradients decreased, but continued to indicate elevated pCO2 at the epicentre of release throughout the injection campaign with the peak values between 400 and 740 µatm. High-frequency parallel measurements from two instruments placed within 1 m from each other, relocation of one of the instruments at the release site and 2D horizontal mapping of the release and control sites confirmed a localized impact from CO2 emissions. Observed effects on the water column were temporary and post-injection recovery took <7 days. A multivariate statistical approach was used to recognize the periods when the system was dominated by natural forcing with strong correlation between variation in pCO2 and O2, and when it was influenced by purposefully released CO2. Use of a hydrodynamic circulation model, calibrated with in situ data, was crucial to establishing background conditions in this complex and dynamic shallow water system. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Dariia Atamanchuk et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.10.021.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Optical assessment of impact and recovery of sedimentary pH profiles in ocean acidification and carbon capture and storage research

Available methods for measuring the impact of ocean acidification (OA) and leakage from carbon capture and storage (CCS) on marine sedimentary pH profiles are unsuitable for replicated experimental setups. To overcome this issue, a novel optical sensor application is presented, using off-the-shelf optode technology (MOPP). The application is validated using microprofiling, during a CCS leakage experiment, where the impact and recovery from a high CO2 plume was investigated in two types of natural marine sediment. MOPP offered user-friendliness, speed of data acquisition, robustness to sediment type, and large sediment depth range. This ensemble of characteristics overcomes many of the challenges found with other pH measuring methods, in OA and CCS research. The impact varied greatly between sediment types, depending on baseline pH variability and sediment permeability. Sedimentary pH profile recovery was quick, with profiles close to control conditions 24 h after the cessation of the leak. However, variability of pH within the finer sediment was still apparent 4 days into the recovery phase. Habitat characteristics need therefore to be considered, to truly disentangle high CO2 perturbation impacts on benthic systems. Impacts on natural communities depend not only on the pH gradient caused by perturbation, but also on other processes that outlive the perturbation, adding complexity to recovery. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Ana M. Queirós et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.10.004.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
QICS Paper: Phosphorus behavior in sediments during a sub-seabed CO2 controlled release experiment

The CO2 controlled release experiment “Quantifying and Monitoring Potential Ecosystem Impacts of Geological Carbon Storage” (QICS) assessed the impacts of potential CO2 leakage from sub-seabed carbon capture and storage reservoirs to the marine environment. During QICS, CO2 gas was released into shallow sediment in Ardmucknish Bay, Scotland, in the spring and summer of 2012. As part of this project, we investigated the effects of CO2 leakage on sedimentary phosphorus (P), an essential nutrient for marine productivity. We found no statistically significant effects during QICS, as the solid-phase P content in the sediment was constant before, during, and after exposure to CO2. However, laboratory experiments using marine sediment standard materials as well as QICS sediment revealed substantial differences among these different sediment types in their potential for P release during CO2 exposure. Employing the SEDEX sequential extraction technique to determine the sizes of the major P pools in the sediments, we showed that calcium-bound P can be easily released by CO2 exposure, whereas iron-bound P is a major sink of released P. The overall impacts of CO2 leakage on sediment P behavior appear to be low compared to natural variability. This is a publication in QICS Special Issue - International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Ayumi Tsukasaki et. al. Doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2014.12.023.

Tags: Carbon capture and storage, NERC_DDC
Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)
2015, Tullow Oil Ltd, Horne and Wren Geophysical Survey, Site Survey, DECC Reference Number GS_228

An oil and gas industry site survey to establish the geophysical and environmental characteristics, as well as safety risks, prior to decommissioning operations at the 53/3c 9A (Horne) and 53/3c-8 (Wren) platform wells. The survey was acquired under licences P786, P852 in January 2015. The block numbers traversed were 53/03a, 53/3c, 53/4b.

Organization: British Geological Survey (BGS)