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Tectonics regulate CO2 release more strongly than chemical weathering in central Italy

Nature Geoscience (2024)Cite this article

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In a part of the Apennines, where the Earth’s crust is thin and heat flow is high, production of CO2 from deep below the mountains dominates over near-surface weathering processes that consume this greenhouse gas. Ultimately, the magnitude of deep CO2 release tips the balance towards a landscape that is a net carbon emitter.

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Fig. 1: Cross-section across the central Apennines showing the major patterns in CO2 fluxes, heat flow and depth of the crust.

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This is a summary of: Erlanger, E. et al. Deep CO2 release and the carbon budget of the central Apennines modulated by geodynamics. Nat. Geosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01396-3 (2024).

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Tectonics regulate CO2 release more strongly than chemical weathering in central Italy. Nat. Geosci. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01397-2

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