Across Land, Oceans and the Atmosphere: Decoding Earth’s Carbon Cycle with CO₂ Polyisotopologues

Project Code: KAISER_UEA_ARIES27

Across Land, Oceans and the Atmosphere: Decoding Earth’s Carbon Cycle with CO₂ Polyisotopologues

Project Code: KAISER_UEA_ARIES27

Project Description

Supervisors

Professor Jan Kaiser, School of Environmental Science, University of East Anglia – contact me

Dr Grant Forster, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Dr Alina Marca, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Dr Penelope Pickers, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Prof. Thomas Röckmann, Utrecht University

 

Scientific Background:

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas. The 2015 Paris Agreement aims to avoid dangerous climate change by reducing emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Independent top-down constraints on emissions require accurate measurements of CO2 concentrations and fluxes, and robust attribution to natural and anthropogenic sources. Recent technological developments now allow analysis of extremely rare isotopic CO2 species, known as polyisotopologues, offering unprecedented insights into carbon sources, sinks and ecosystem productivity across the Earth system.

This studentship builds on the UKRI NERC POLYGRAM (https://polygram.ac.uk/) project and exploits unique datasets and measurement capabilities developed through this programme.

 

Main Aim and Hypothesis

The project aims to determine whether atmospheric CO2 polyisotopologues can provide new quantitative constraints on ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling from local to global scales. It will test the central hypothesis that combined carbon and triple-oxygen isotope signatures contain information about these processes that cannot be obtained from conventional atmospheric CO2 observations alone.

 

Research Methodology:

You will work with existing and newly collected data from the Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory (WAO), Alice Holt Forest Research Station, Atlantic ship transects and global atmospheric monitoring networks. Specifically, you will:

  • analyse seasonal and interannual variability in triple-oxygen (16O, 17O, 18O) and stable-carbon (12C, 13C) isotope signatures of atmospheric CO2 at Weybourne
  • quantify ecosystem-scale isotope variations at Alice Holt to investigate terrestrial carbon cycle processes
  • evaluate isotope gradients from Atlantic transects and remote monitoring sites as indicators of global primary productivity.

Together, these analyses will test whether CO2 polyisotopologues provide robust indicators of carbon uptake and productivity across scales, while allowing you to develop additional hypotheses arising from the observations

 

Training:

You will join a collaborative research team at UEA (COAS; https://www.uea.ac.uk/groups-and-centres/centre-for-ocean-and-atmospheric-sciences) and Utrecht University (IMAU; https://www.uu.nl/staff/TRockmann). You will develop proficiency in state-of-the-art laser-spectroscopic measurements of CO2 and H2O isotopologues, advanced statistical analysis and modelling of environmental time series, and scientific communication through conferences and peer-reviewed publications. Opportunities will include specialist training, field measurements and a research visit to Utrecht.

 

Person Specification:

We seek an enthusiastic, self-motivated individual and team player with strong scientific interests and an interest in combining experimental measurements with quantitative data analysis.

Acceptable first degree subject(s): Chemistry, physics, environmental sciences, earth sciences, engineering, physical geography, or a related subject.

References

  • Koren, G., Schneider, L., van der Velde, I. R., van Schaik, E., Gromov, S. S., Adnew, G. A., Mrozek Martino, D. J., Hofmann, M. E. G., Liang, M.-C., Mahata, S., Bergamaschi, P., van der Laan-Luijkx, I. T., Krol, M. C., Röckmann, T. and Peters, W. (2019) Global 3-D simulations of the triple oxygen isotope signature Δ17Ο in atmospheric CO2. Journal of Geophysical Research 124: 8808-8836 10.1029/2019JD030387
  • Steur, P. M., Scheeren, H. A., Nelson, D. D., McManus, J. B. and Meijer, H. A. J. (2021) Simultaneous measurement of δ13C, δ18O and δ17O of atmospheric CO2 – Performance assessment of a dual-laser absorption spectrometer. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques 14: 4279-4304 10.5194/amt-14-4279-2021
  • Hare, V. J., Dyroff, C., Nelson, D. D. and Yarian, D. A. (2022) High-precision triple oxygen isotope analysis of carbon dioxide by tunable infrared laser absorption spectroscopy. Analytical Chemistry 94: 16023-16032 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c03005
  • Adcock, K. E., Pickers, P. A., Manning, A. C., Forster, G. L., Fleming, L. S., Barningham, T., Wilson, P. A., Kozlova, E. A., Hewitt, M., Etchells, A. J. and Macdonald, A. J. (2023) 12 years of continuous atmospheric O2, CO2 and APO data from Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory in the United Kingdom. Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. 2023: 1-47 10.5194/essd-2023-129
  • Thomas, M., Laube, J. C., Kaiser, J., Allin, S., Martinerie, P., Mulvaney, R., Ridley, A., Röckmann, T., Sturges, W. T. and Witrant, E. (2021) Stratospheric carbon isotope fractionation and tropospheric histories of CFC-11, CFC-12, and CFC-113 isotopologues. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 21: 6857-6873 10.5194/acp-21-6857-2021

Key Information

  • This studentship has been shortlisted for funding under the UKRI NERC DLA funding scheme and will commence on 1 October 2027. The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 16 December 2026.
  • Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (£21,805 p.a. for 2026/27) and a research training and support grant (RTSG). A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note, however, that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.
  • ARIES postgraduate researchers (PGRs) benefit from bespoke training and ARIES provides £2,500 to every student for access to external training, travel and conferences, on top of all Research Costs associated with the project. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses.
  • ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion in all areas of its operation. We encourage enquiries and applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, and our recruitment process considers potential with the same weighting as past experience.
  • All ARIES studentships may be undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis. International applicants should check whether there are any conditions of visa or immigration permission that preclude part-time study. All advertised project proposals have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive and appropriate research and fieldwork environment with respect to protected characteristics. If you have any concerns, please contact us.
  • For further information, please contact the supervisor. To apply for this Studentship, follow the instructions at the bottom of the page or click the 'apply now' link.
  • ARIES is required by our funders to collect Equality and Diversity Information from all of our applicants. The information you provide will be used solely for monitoring and statistical purposes; it will remain confidential and will be stored on the UEA SharePoint server. Data will not be shared with those involved in making decisions on the award of Studentships and will have no influence on the success of your application. It will only be shared outside of this group in an anonymised and aggregated form. You will be asked to complete the form by the University to which you apply.
  • ARIES studentships are subject to UKRI terms and conditions. Postgraduate Researchers are expected to live within reasonable distance of their host organisation for the duration of their studentship. Please see https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/ for more information.

Apply Now

Apply now via the University of East Anglia Application Portal