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Projects

Integrated Isotopic Studies of Geochemistry

We seek to understand geochemical processes using isotopic ratio and trace element concentration measurements. The research involves measurements of natural Earth systems and materials (rocks, soils, sediments, minerals, pore fluids, etc.) and products from laboratory experiments. The primary objectives are to (1) use isotopic effects to probe molecular- to micro-scale processes that control mineral precipitation…

Funded by DOE-SC-Basic Energy Sciences

Integrated Risk Management and Decision Support System (IRMDSS)

Underground natural gas storage (UGS) in California serves winter heating and summer cooling demands, and there is no immediate alternative to meeting California’s demand for natural gas during peak periods in winter (e.g. CCST report, 2018). Therefore it is critically  important to ensure the safety and integrity of UGS infrastructure, especially considering that many of…

Funded by California Energy Commission (CEC)

International Collaborations (SFWD)

Since 2012, in an effort coordinated by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition (SFWD) Campaign has advanced active collaboration with several international geologic disposal programs in Europe and Asia. Such collaboration allows the SFWD Campaign to benefit from a deep knowledge base in regards to alternative repository environments developed over decades, and to utilize international investments in research facilities (such as underground research laboratory testing and modeling), saving millions of R&D dollars that have been and are being provided by other countries.

Funded by DOE-NE-Nuclear Energy

Land-Atmosphere Interactions and Surface Radiative Forcing (ASR)

This project advances understanding and prediction of land-atmosphere interactions and greenhouse gas radiative forcing at Earth’s surface. We use observations to model the processes linking Earth's carbon, water, and energy cycles—from soil moisture and vegetation to clouds, radiation, and precipitation. We also observe the direct radiative effects of CO2 and CH4 on climate, using ARM spectroscopic measurements. Our research is yielding new insights into processes governing the water cycle over land, and is enabling rigorous testing of radiative transfer in climate models.

Margaret Torn
Sebastien Biraud - portrait
Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

Large-scale carbon storage in saline volcanic basins

This project aims to critically evaluate this new storage paradigm focusing initially on two regions: Hawaii and Japan. The ultimate goal is to develop a reservoir model to assess the viability of large-scale CO2 storage in known and generic saline volcanic basins.

Funded by DOE-FE-Office of Fossil Energy

Lithium Resource Research and Innovation Center (LiRRIC)

  Berkeley Lab has established the Lithium Resource Research and Innovation Center (LiRRIC) to power lithium innovation. Through the new center, the national laboratory’s resource experts in environmental science are guiding research and development into lithium extraction technologies so that science breakthroughs lead to the greatest economic and environmental benefits.  

Mapping Soil Carbon from Cradle to Grave

In this EESA project, scientists seek to define a molecular blueprint for how organic carbon decomposition and stabilization processes in soil are impacted by the interactions between plant roots, the soil microbial community (bacteria, archaea, fungi, microfauna) and the soil matrix.

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

Microbes to Biomes (M2B): Harnessing the Soil Microbome for Food and Fuel Security

Microbes-to-Biomes (M2B) is a Berkeley Lab-wide initiative designed to reveal, decode, and harness microbes—the most abundant and diverse life form on Earth—in ways that protect our fuel and food supplies, environmental security, and personal health. It was launched in early 2015, featuring five projects funded through the LDRD program.

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

Modeling, Monitoring and Data Integration Support for Environmental Restoration of the Fukushima Area

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the Great East Japan Earthquake resulted in the release of radioactive contaminants to the atmosphere and environment in March 2011. In October 2015, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) have initiated a collaborative research project under an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) and JAEA. The primary objective of this project is to support and enhance JAEA’s research activities on the environmental restoration of the Fukushima area.

Funded by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)