Karon Smith

Contact

• workRoom B27b Sor Clive Granger Building
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 82 32109
• fax0115 95 15249
• karon.smith@nottingham.ac.uk

Research Summary

2010-2013 RISCS (Research into Impacts and Safety in CO2 storage) is a 22 partner EU Framework 7 project that will develop the knowledge base necessary for storage site operators and regulators to… read more

Current Research

2010-2013 RISCS (Research into Impacts and Safety in CO₂ storage) is a 22 partner EU Framework 7 project that will develop the knowledge base necessary for storage site operators and regulators to assess the potential impacts of CO₂ leaks on near surface ecosystems - both in terrestrial and marine environments. RISCS research will focus on the quantitative assessment of environmental impacts resulting from the exposure to known CO₂ fluxes and the development of associated monitoring methods.

The ASGARD site, at the University's Sutton Bonington campus, is being used to monitor the impacts of leaking CO₂ on the soil and various types of agricultural vegetation.

Past Research

My research interests are in studying Environmental Impacts on Vegetation. During my PhD I studied Remote Sensing of Leaf Responses to Leaking Natural Gas. Post Doctoral Projects include: 2002-2004 PRESENSE (Pipeline Remote Sensing for Safety and Environment) an EU funded project including 17 industrial, research and academic partners. During PRESENSE, I was involved in establishing the Soil Gas Research Facility at the University of Nottingham where Natural Gas was injected beneath the soil to determine the effects of a gas leak on surface vegetation and to see whether satellite remote sensing could be used to detect leaking pipelines. 2005-2007 UKCCSC (UK Carbon Capture and Sequestration Consortium) a 15 academic partner project. During UKCCSC I was involved in establishing ASGARD (Artificial Soil Gassing and Response Detection facility). This facility, on the Sutton Bonington campus, has been developed to investigate the effects of CO₂ that may leak from storage sites following capture and sequestration from power stations. CO₂ was injected beneath the soil and the impacts on the surface vegetation and the movement of the gas within the soil was studied.