Researcher CNRS

Methane Flux in marine environments

Cédric Boulart

scientific interests

  • Biogeochemical cycle of methane in marine ecosystems
  • CH4 flux at air / sea and water / sediment interfaces and within the water column
  • Dynamics of CH4 plumes in hydrothermal systems and on margins
  • Development of in situ chemical sensors for dissolved gases (SPR, in situ mass spectrometry)
     

I joined the UMR 7144 Research Department in November 2017 as a CNRS Researcher with the project of studying methane fluxes at interfaces in marine environments. More specifically, the aim is to better understand how the ocean environment regulates emissions of methane, the second greenhouse gas after CO2, to the atmosphere while large reserves of methane are stored in marine sediments. To do this, we are implementing new high-resolution in situ measurement techniques that allow us to take into account the great spatio-temporal variability of methane emissions.

 

background

In 2008 I obtained a pH.D in marine geochemistry at the University of Southampton (GB) on the dynamics of methane in hydrothermal plumes and on the development of sensors for the measurement of dissolved methane. I then spent 3 years (2009-2012) at the 'Géosciences Environnement' laboratory  in Toulouse where I continued my work on the development of sensors and on methane in hydrothermal and hyperalcaline fluids. I diversified my experience by joining the Institute for Baltic Sea Research in Warnemünde (Germany) for 18 months (2012-2013) where I was able to implement a new sensor to assess the dynamics of methane in the water column in the Baltic Sea. Finally, I returned to France where I coordinated an ANR Postdoctoral Fellows Return Scheme (HOTPLUME project, 2013-2017) which allowed me to develop and deploy a new in situ mass spectrometer and thus discover new hydrothermal sites on the South-East Indian ridge (STORM campaign). In addition to this campaign, I participated in numerous missions at sea, on the Atlantic and Indian ridges as well as in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea.

 

 

Publications

Boulart C., Rouxel O., Scalabrin C., Le Meur P., Pelleter E., Poitrimol C., Thiébaut E., et al. (2022). « Active hydrothermal vents in the Woodlark Basin may act as dispersing centres for hydrothermal fauna ». Communications Earth & Environment 3 (1): 64. doi : 10.1038/s43247-022-00387-9

Monnin C., Quéméneur M., Price R., Jeanpert J., Maurizot P., Boulart C., Donval J.-P., Pelletier B. (2021). The chemistry of hyperalkaline springs in serpentinizing environments: 1. The composition of free gases in New Caledonia compared to other springs worldwide. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 126, e2021JG006243. doi: 10.1029/2021JG006243

Riboulot V., Ker S., Sultan N., Thomas Y., Marsset B., Scalabrin C., Ruffine L., Boulart C. and Ion G. (2018) Freshwater lake to salt-water sea causing widespread hydrate dissociation in the Black Sea. Nature Communications 9. Available at: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02271-z [Accessed February 12, 2018].

Boulart C, Chavagnac V, Révillon S, Donval J-P, GuyaderV, Briais A. and the STORM Cruise Science Party. Hydrothermal exploration of the South-East Indian Ridge off Tasmania (128°E-140°E): a new frontier in the Furious Fifties. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, In press .

Boulart C., Briais A., Chavagnac V., Révillon S., Ceuleneer G., Donval J.-P., Guyader V., Barrere F., Ferreira N., Hanan B., Hémond C., Macleod S., Maia M., Maillard A., Merkuryev S., Park S.-H., Ruellan E., Schohn A., Watson S. and Yang Y.-S. (2017) Contrasted hydrothermal activity along the South-East Indian Ridge (130°E-140°E): From crustal to ultramafic circulation: HYDROTHERMAL ACTIVITY ALONG THE SEIR. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 18, 2446–2458.

Boulart C., Chavagnac V., Delacour A., Monnin C., Ceuleneer G. and Hoareau G. (2012) New insights into gas compositions from hyperalkaline springs in Oman, Italy and New Caledonia. In Serpentine Days 2012. Porquerolles, France.

Boulart C., Chavagnac V., Monnin C., Delacour A., Ceuleneer G. and Hoareau G. (2013) Differences in gas venting from ultramafic-hosted warm springs: the example of Oman and Voltri Ophiolites. Ofioliti 38, 143–156.

Boulart C., Connelly D. P. and Mowlem M. C. (2010) Sensors and technologies for in situ dissolved methane measurements and their evaluation using Technology Readiness Levels. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry 29, 186–195.

Boulart C., Flament P., Gentilhomme V., Deboudt K., Migon C., Lizon F., Schapira M. and Lefebvre A. (2006) Atmospherically-promoted photosynthetic activity in a well-mixed ecosystem: Significance of wet deposition events of nitrogen compounds. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 69, 449–458.

Boulart C., Mowlem M. C., Connelly D. P., Dutasta J.-P. and German C. R. (2008) A novel, low-cost, high performance dissolved methane sensor for aqueous environments. Optics Express 16, 12607.

Boulart Cédric, Prien R., Chavagnac V. and Dutasta J.-P. (2013) Sensing Dissolved Methane in Aquatic Environments: An Experiment in the Central Baltic Sea Using Surface Plasmon Resonance. Environmental Science & Technology, 130716153115002.

Chavagnac V., Boulart C., Monnin C. and Castillo A. (2012) Spatial and temporal variability of fluid and gas chemical composition at the Lucky Strike hydrothermal system (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) since the 1990’s. In OfioliThe Deep-Sea and Sub-Seafloor Frontiers Conference. Sitges, Spain.

Chavagnac V., Ceuleneer G., Monnin C., Lansac B., Hoareau G. and Boulart C. (2013a) Mineralogical assemblages forming at hyperalkaline warm springs hosted on ultramafic rocks: A case study of Oman and Ligurian ophiolites: Mineral Precipitate at Alkaline Springs. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 14, 2474–2495.

Chavagnac V., Monnin C., Ceuleneer G., Boulart C. and Hoareau G. (2013b) Characterization of hyperalkaline fluids produced by low-temperature serpentinization of mantle peridotites in the Oman and Ligurian ophiolites: Hyperalkaline Waters in Oman and Liguria. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 14, 2496–2522.

Monnin C., Chavagnac V., Boulart C., Ménez B., Gérard M., Gérard E., Pisapia C., Quéméneur M., Erauso G., Postec A., Guentas-Dombrowski L., Payri C. and Pelletier B. (2014a) Fluid chemistry of the low temperature hyperalkaline hydrothermal system of Prony Bay (New Caledonia). Biogeosciences 11, 5687–5706.

Monnin C., Chavagnac V., Boulart C., Ménez B., Gérard M., Gérard E., Quéméneur M., Erauso G., Postec A., Guentas-Dombrowski L., Payri C. and Pelletier B. (2014b) The low temperature hyperalkaline hydrothermal system of the Prony bay (New Caledonia). Biogeosciences Discussions 11, 6221–6267.

Riboulot V., Ker S., Sultan N., Thomas Y., Marsset B., Scalabrin C., Ruffine L., Boulart C. and Ion G. (2018) Freshwater lake to salt-water sea causing widespread hydrate dissociation in the Black Sea. Nature Communications 9. Available at: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02271-z [Accessed February 12, 2018].

Usgaocar A. R., de Groot C. H., Boulart C., Castillo A. and Chavagnac V. (2012) Low power hydrogen sensors using electrodeposited PdNi–Si Schottky diodes. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 170, 176–181.

Usgaocar A. R., de Groot C. H., Boulart C., Castillo A. and Chavagnac V. (2010) Low power hydrogen sensors using electrodeposited PdNi–Si schottky diodes. Procedia Engineering 5, 143–146.