Evaluation of the C-13 Constraint on the Uptake of Fossil-Fuel Co2 by the Ocean

Publication Status is "Submitted" Or "In Press: 
LDEO Publication: 
Publication Type: 
Year of Publication: 
1993
Editor: 
Journal Title: 
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Journal Date: 
Sep
Place Published: 
Tertiary Title: 
Volume: 
7
Issue: 
3
Pages: 
619-626
Section / Start page: 
Publisher: 
ISBN Number: 
0886-6236
ISSN Number: 
Edition: 
Short Title: 
Accession Number: 
ISI:A1993LX22200009
LDEO Publication Number: 
Call Number: 
Abstract: 

The proposal by Quay et al. [1992] that the time histories of C-13 in atmospheric CO2 and oceanic SIGMACO2 provide a constraint on the magnitude of uptake of fossil fuel CO2 by the ocean is examined. Our analysis suggests that, while the potential is there, the data base is too inaccurate to permit a distinction to be made among the carbon budgets currently on the table. Examples are given to demonstrate that the twenty or so percent uncertainties in the size of the effective, exchange reservoir and-in the magnitudes of the temporal changes in the C-13/C-12 ratio in atmospheric CO2 and ocean SIGMACO2 are just too large to permit a reliable estimate of oceanic uptake of fossil fuel CO2. We conclude that tracer-verified ocean general circulation models offer much better estimates than that based on the C-13 budget.

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Lx222Times Cited:29Cited References Count:16

DOI: