DCO Science Expedition to Costa Rica: Biology Meets Subduction

In February 2017, 25 researchers from six nations met in San Jose, Costa Rica for a 12-day sampling expedition across the Costa Rica volcanic arc. Members of the four Deep Carbon Observatory science communities are conducting a scientific investigation at Costa Rican volcanic sites through the lenses of biology, chemistry, physics, and geology. This multidisciplinary view is affording researchers from different fields the unique opportunity to work side by side, sharing their insights, and asking questions to achieve a broader picture of the role of carbon in this active volcanic arc.

The sampling expedition “Biology Meets Subduction: A Collaborative and Multidisciplinary Deep Carbon Field Initiative” is designed to develop novel connections between microbiology, volcanic systems, and the cycling of living and dead (biotic and abiotic) carbon as Earth’s plates move and subduct past each other. The goal is to determine how carbon is involved in each of these processes. The knowledge gained will shed light on carbon movement between Earth’s surface and interior and the biological and chemical changes that occur en route. This is a unique opportunity for scientists to share perspectives and knowledge, bringing to bear exciting and novel scientific outcomes.