9501536 Verardo This project will refine a new method to extract charcoal from marine sediments. Existing methods cannot distinguish charcoal from other refractory organic material, such as coal, pollen, kerogens, and lignin. If the method is successful, it can be used to address a variety of environmentally important problems, such as the past extent of biomass burning, carbon transfer between the land and oceans, and the long-term cycle of carbon.
