Radiocarbon constraints on the extent and evolution of the South Pacific glacial carbon pool

Type Article
Date 2016-05
Language English
Author(s) Ronge T. A.1, Tiedemann R.1, Lamy F.1, Koehler P.1, Alloway B. V.2, de Pol-Holz R.3, Pahnke K.4, Southon J.5, Wacker L.6
Affiliation(s) 1 : Helmholtz Zentrum Polar & Meeresforsch, Alfred Wegener Inst, Dept Marine Geol, POB 120161, D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany.
2 : Victoria Univ Wellington, Sch Geog Environm & Earth Sci, POB 600, Wellington 6012, New Zealand.
3 : Antarctica Univ Magellanes, GAIA, Dept Paleclimatol Oceanog, Punta Arenas, Chile.
4 : Carl von Ossietzky Univ Oldenburg, Inst Chem & Biol Marine Environm, Dept Marine Isotope Geochem, Max Planck Res Group Marine Isotope Geochem, POB 2503, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
5 : Univ Calif Irvine, Dept Earth Sci, Sch Phys Sci, Irvine, CA 92697 USA.
6 : ETH, Lab Ion Beam Phys HPK, Schafmattstr 20, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
Source Nature Communications (2041-1723) (Nature Publishing Group), 2016-05 , Vol. 7 , N. 11487 , P. 1-12-
DOI 10.1038/ncomms11487
WOS© Times Cited 64
Abstract

During the last deglaciation, the opposing patterns of atmospheric CO2 and radiocarbon activities (Delta C-14) suggest the release of C-14-depleted CO2 from old carbon reservoirs. Although evidences point to the deep Pacific as a major reservoir of this C-14-depleted carbon, its extent and evolution still need to be constrained. Here we use sediment cores retrieved along a South Pacific transect to reconstruct the spatio-temporal evolution of Delta C-14 over the last 30,000 years. In similar to 2,500-3,600 m water depth, we find C-14-depleted deep waters with a maximum glacial offset to atmospheric (14)(C) (Delta Delta C-14 = -1,000%). Using a box model, we test the hypothesis that these low values might have been caused by an interaction of aging and hydrothermal CO2 influx. We observe a rejuvenation of circumpolar deep waters synchronous and potentially contributing to the initial deglacial rise in atmospheric CO2. These findings constrain parts of the glacial carbon pool to the deep South Pacific.

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Supplementary Figures 1-10, Supplementary Tables 1-4 and Supplementary References. 14 3 MB Open access
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How to cite 

Ronge T. A., Tiedemann R., Lamy F., Koehler P., Alloway B. V., de Pol-Holz R., Pahnke K., Southon J., Wacker L. (2016). Radiocarbon constraints on the extent and evolution of the South Pacific glacial carbon pool. Nature Communications, 7(11487), 1-12-. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11487 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00421/53251/