Project properties
Title Elucidating the controls on enhanced rock weathering using reactive transport modelling
Group Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality
Project type thesis
Credits 36
Supervisor(s) Mathilde Hagens
Examiner(s) t.b.d.
Contact info mathilde.hagens@wur.nl
Begin date 2024/09/02
End date
Description Weathering of silicate minerals stabilises climate on geologic time scales by consuming CO2. Artificially enhancing weathering rates by mining, crushing and spreading rocks containing silicate minerals has been suggested as a climate change mitigation tool. The actual weathering rates depend on many factors, including mineral type and grain size, water availability, chemical conditions, and the presence of biota such as earthworms and microbes. In a recently started project, we use column experiments in a unique setup to test the impact of each of these factors on weathering rates.

In this thesis project, you will apply a one-dimensional reactive transport model in order to better understand the underlying mechanisms and controls behind the results from our experimental work. You will work with an existing model written in R and adapt it for this specific experimental setup. You will fit your model to measurements on the solid phase and leachates and use the model to explain observations from the column experiments. You will also perform sensitivity analyses with the model. This will help us to better understand which factors in the bioreactor are most important for achieving the highest silicate weathering rates.
Used skills Literature review, writing proposal and thesis, reactive transport modelling using R, data analysis.
Requirements Required courses for MSc thesis Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality. Some experience with modelling, and experience with R (or experience with Matlab / Python and a keen interest to learn working with R) are highly desirable.