Fred Worrall
@fredworrall.bsky.social
Prof of Environmental Chemistry, Dept of Earth Sciences, University of Durham, UK.
I have just discovered a Jane Austen manuscript that the publishers rejected. In the novel she describes teaching time series analysis to MSc students - it is called "Variance and Variability"
November 18, 2025 at 9:22 AM
I have just discovered a Jane Austen manuscript that the publishers rejected. In the novel she describes teaching time series analysis to MSc students - it is called "Variance and Variability"
How is carbon stored in salt marshes? Great fieldwork on the Solway Firth with postgrad Jinny. Always good to find a buried soil horizon. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 10:22 AM
How is carbon stored in salt marshes? Great fieldwork on the Solway Firth with postgrad Jinny. Always good to find a buried soil horizon. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
What will be the impact of decarbonisation and the adoption of hydrogen power on water demand? New study by us and colleagues from Durham Engineering link.springer.com/article/10.1... @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
October 6, 2025 at 8:56 AM
What will be the impact of decarbonisation and the adoption of hydrogen power on water demand? New study by us and colleagues from Durham Engineering link.springer.com/article/10.1... @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
We have grown a squash outside in the north east of England - he is called Pascal. Pascal is a magic squash plant as we have never ever planted any squash plants.
October 3, 2025 at 1:36 PM
We have grown a squash outside in the north east of England - he is called Pascal. Pascal is a magic squash plant as we have never ever planted any squash plants.
Never been in to The Royal Institution before. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Never been in to The Royal Institution before. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
For a peat to form you don't just need wet conditions you also need stagnant conditions
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Our new study follows the thermodynamic profiles to show how fens and bogs significantly differ in when they become closed. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Our new study follows the thermodynamic profiles to show how fens and bogs significantly differ in when they become closed. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
September 22, 2025 at 9:13 AM
For a peat to form you don't just need wet conditions you also need stagnant conditions
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Our new study follows the thermodynamic profiles to show how fens and bogs significantly differ in when they become closed. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Our new study follows the thermodynamic profiles to show how fens and bogs significantly differ in when they become closed. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
When we say sphagnum carpet I am not sure that you are supposed to be able to pick it up and fold it. This year's Sphagnum pioneers at Hatfield form a mat that dries out and detaches in ephemeral ponds. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
September 16, 2025 at 7:11 PM
When we say sphagnum carpet I am not sure that you are supposed to be able to pick it up and fold it. This year's Sphagnum pioneers at Hatfield form a mat that dries out and detaches in ephemeral ponds. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
The World Peatland project team at Leicester Science Park having just finished our today workshop @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
September 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
The World Peatland project team at Leicester Science Park having just finished our today workshop @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Happy birthday England, 1098 years young today.
July 12, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Happy birthday England, 1098 years young today.
Great to be back on nerd camp #grc #catchment GRC catchment science conference @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
June 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Great to be back on nerd camp #grc #catchment GRC catchment science conference @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Thanks to Michel Bechtold @michelbechtold.bsky.social for including our data from Hatfield Moors in this study to trial satellite methods for monitoring peat water tables @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
May 1, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Thanks to Michel Bechtold @michelbechtold.bsky.social for including our data from Hatfield Moors in this study to trial satellite methods for monitoring peat water tables @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Teaching soil science I have never liked the possible acronyms for the factors controlling soil formation and so I invented my own - the claret carrot - could not find find a claret coloured carrot or a carrot toasting with claret. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
March 17, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Teaching soil science I have never liked the possible acronyms for the factors controlling soil formation and so I invented my own - the claret carrot - could not find find a claret coloured carrot or a carrot toasting with claret. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Peatland restoration not keeping up - our new method for mapping peat health
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... British peats have seen revegetation (increased albedo), but not as fast as we should expect given controls and climate change. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social @ordnancesurvey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... British peats have seen revegetation (increased albedo), but not as fast as we should expect given controls and climate change. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social @ordnancesurvey.bsky.social
March 11, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Peatland restoration not keeping up - our new method for mapping peat health
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... British peats have seen revegetation (increased albedo), but not as fast as we should expect given controls and climate change. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social @ordnancesurvey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... British peats have seen revegetation (increased albedo), but not as fast as we should expect given controls and climate change. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social @ordnancesurvey.bsky.social
Doing fieldwork on bogs of the Pennines you expect to get wet and cold, but you don't expect to become a cat rescuer. Found abandoned on the Pennine Way - we named her Marsden - now with RSPCA vet. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
February 20, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Doing fieldwork on bogs of the Pennines you expect to get wet and cold, but you don't expect to become a cat rescuer. Found abandoned on the Pennine Way - we named her Marsden - now with RSPCA vet. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Thank you to Andrea Kelly from Broads Authority for making it possible for us to go peat coring in the Broads today. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
February 6, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Thank you to Andrea Kelly from Broads Authority for making it possible for us to go peat coring in the Broads today. @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Flooded, frozen-over stream - let me just check the field site risk assessment - nope, no mention of flooded frozen streams on that form and so must be safe to wade in.
January 8, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Flooded, frozen-over stream - let me just check the field site risk assessment - nope, no mention of flooded frozen streams on that form and so must be safe to wade in.
I had planned for snow and ice but not for the thaw. Under there is reported to be the earthly remains of a raised bog @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
January 7, 2025 at 9:59 AM
I had planned for snow and ice but not for the thaw. Under there is reported to be the earthly remains of a raised bog @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
So what does change down a peat profile? Only consistent change across 13 locations was change in degree of unsaturation - formation of double bonds
bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Peat soils move from biomass composition to lignin-like composition @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Peat soils move from biomass composition to lignin-like composition @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
December 12, 2024 at 11:16 AM
So what does change down a peat profile? Only consistent change across 13 locations was change in degree of unsaturation - formation of double bonds
bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Peat soils move from biomass composition to lignin-like composition @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Peat soils move from biomass composition to lignin-like composition @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
How do peats form? Compaction, degradation leading to higher water tables and greater bulk density - right? No bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... 22 cores and never saw bulk density increase with depth: density profiles reflect contemporary conditions @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
December 11, 2024 at 11:33 AM
How do peats form? Compaction, degradation leading to higher water tables and greater bulk density - right? No bsssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... 22 cores and never saw bulk density increase with depth: density profiles reflect contemporary conditions @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Thank you to AGU convention centre #agu2024 for providing washrooms specifically for Englishmen, i.e. those of us wearing a tie and carrying a cricket bat
December 10, 2024 at 8:38 PM
Thank you to AGU convention centre #agu2024 for providing washrooms specifically for Englishmen, i.e. those of us wearing a tie and carrying a cricket bat
Always a privilege to be here #agu2024 and excited for when this gets full tomorrow and I can wander through science to my nerdy content @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
December 8, 2024 at 6:52 PM
Always a privilege to be here #agu2024 and excited for when this gets full tomorrow and I can wander through science to my nerdy content @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Great to be out on Bolton Fell Moss. Thank you to Natural England for allowing access to the intact raised bog - difficult to show the actual intact peat dome - this is England we don't have many of these left @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
November 28, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Great to be out on Bolton Fell Moss. Thank you to Natural England for allowing access to the intact raised bog - difficult to show the actual intact peat dome - this is England we don't have many of these left @durhamearthsci.bsky.social
Arise my mighty snow battalion for today we march on Durham and no rapid thaw will defeat us this time.
November 23, 2024 at 11:27 AM
Arise my mighty snow battalion for today we march on Durham and no rapid thaw will defeat us this time.