Marine radiocarbon evidence for the mechanism of deglacial atmospheric CO2 rise

Publication Status is "Submitted" Or "In Press: 
LDEO Publication: 
Publication Type: 
Year of Publication: 
2007
Editor: 
Journal Title: 
Science
Journal Date: 
Jun 8
Place Published: 
Tertiary Title: 
Volume: 
316
Issue: 
5830
Pages: 
1456-1459
Section / Start page: 
Publisher: 
ISBN Number: 
0036-8075
ISSN Number: 
Edition: 
Short Title: 
Accession Number: 
ISI:000247066400036
LDEO Publication Number: 
Call Number: 
Abstract: 

We reconstructed the radiocarbon activity of intermediate waters in the eastern North Pacific over the past 38,000 years. Radiocarbon activity paralleled that of the atmosphere, except during deglaciation, when intermediate-water values fell by more than 300 per mil. Such a large decrease requires a deglacial injection of very old waters from a deep-ocean carbon reservoir that was previously well isolated from the atmosphere. The timing of intermediate-water radiocarbon depletion closely matches that of atmospheric carbon dioxide rise and effectively traces the redistribution of carbon from the deep ocean to the atmosphere during deglaciation.

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176EETimes Cited:6Cited References Count:38

DOI: 
DOI 10.1126/science.1138679