Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget
Extensive research has been conducted investigating the relationship between karst processes, carbonate deposition and the global carbon cycle. However, little work has been done looking into the relationship between glaciations, subsequent sea level changes, and aerially exposed land masses in rela...
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Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
2013
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 https://doaj.org/article/285d8d90f1fe46f8a9a8c1ffc89d1a35 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:285d8d90f1fe46f8a9a8c1ffc89d1a35 2023-05-15T15:15:51+02:00 Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget Erik B. Larson John E. Mylroie 2013-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 https://doaj.org/article/285d8d90f1fe46f8a9a8c1ffc89d1a35 EN eng Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/carsologica/article/view/661 https://doaj.org/toc/0583-6050 https://doaj.org/toc/1580-2612 0583-6050 1580-2612 doi:10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 https://doaj.org/article/285d8d90f1fe46f8a9a8c1ffc89d1a35 Acta Carsologica, Vol 42, Iss 2-3 (2013) karst global carbon budget quaternary last glacial maximum carbonate dissolution Petrology QE420-499 Stratigraphy QE640-699 article 2013 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 2023-02-12T01:30:58Z Extensive research has been conducted investigating the relationship between karst processes, carbonate deposition and the global carbon cycle. However, little work has been done looking into the relationship between glaciations, subsequent sea level changes, and aerially exposed land masses in relation to karstic processes and the global carbon budget. During glaciations sea-level exposed the world’s carbonate platforms. With the sub-aerial exposure of the platforms, karst processes can occur, and the dissolution of carbonate material can commence, resulting in the drawdown of CO2 from the atmosphere as HCO3−. Furthermore, the material on the platform surfaces is primarily aragonite which is more readily soluble than calcite allowing karst processes to occur more quickly. During glaciations arctic carbonates and some of the temperate carbonates are blanketed in ice, effectively removing those areas from karst processes. Given the higher solubility of aragonite, and the extent of carbonate platforms exposed during glaciations, this dissolution balances the CO2 no longer taken up by karst processes at higher latitudes that were covered during the last glacial maximum The balance is within 0.001 GtC / yr, using soil pCO2 (0.005 GtC/yr assuming atmospheric pCO2) which is a difference of <1% of the total amount of atmospheric CO2 removed in a year by karst processes. Denudation was calculated using the maximum potential dissolution formulas of Gombert (2002). On a year to year basis the net amount of atmospheric carbon removed through karstic processes is equivalent between the last glacial maximum and the present day, however, the earth has spent more time in a glacial configuration during the Quaternary, which suggests that there is a net drawdown of atmospheric carbon during glaciations from karst processes, which may serve as a feedback to prolong glacial episodes. This research has significance for understanding the global carbon budget during the Quaternary. Keywords: Karst, Global Carbon Budget, ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Acta Carsologica 42 2-3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
karst global carbon budget quaternary last glacial maximum carbonate dissolution Petrology QE420-499 Stratigraphy QE640-699 |
spellingShingle |
karst global carbon budget quaternary last glacial maximum carbonate dissolution Petrology QE420-499 Stratigraphy QE640-699 Erik B. Larson John E. Mylroie Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget |
topic_facet |
karst global carbon budget quaternary last glacial maximum carbonate dissolution Petrology QE420-499 Stratigraphy QE640-699 |
description |
Extensive research has been conducted investigating the relationship between karst processes, carbonate deposition and the global carbon cycle. However, little work has been done looking into the relationship between glaciations, subsequent sea level changes, and aerially exposed land masses in relation to karstic processes and the global carbon budget. During glaciations sea-level exposed the world’s carbonate platforms. With the sub-aerial exposure of the platforms, karst processes can occur, and the dissolution of carbonate material can commence, resulting in the drawdown of CO2 from the atmosphere as HCO3−. Furthermore, the material on the platform surfaces is primarily aragonite which is more readily soluble than calcite allowing karst processes to occur more quickly. During glaciations arctic carbonates and some of the temperate carbonates are blanketed in ice, effectively removing those areas from karst processes. Given the higher solubility of aragonite, and the extent of carbonate platforms exposed during glaciations, this dissolution balances the CO2 no longer taken up by karst processes at higher latitudes that were covered during the last glacial maximum The balance is within 0.001 GtC / yr, using soil pCO2 (0.005 GtC/yr assuming atmospheric pCO2) which is a difference of <1% of the total amount of atmospheric CO2 removed in a year by karst processes. Denudation was calculated using the maximum potential dissolution formulas of Gombert (2002). On a year to year basis the net amount of atmospheric carbon removed through karstic processes is equivalent between the last glacial maximum and the present day, however, the earth has spent more time in a glacial configuration during the Quaternary, which suggests that there is a net drawdown of atmospheric carbon during glaciations from karst processes, which may serve as a feedback to prolong glacial episodes. This research has significance for understanding the global carbon budget during the Quaternary. Keywords: Karst, Global Carbon Budget, ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Erik B. Larson John E. Mylroie |
author_facet |
Erik B. Larson John E. Mylroie |
author_sort |
Erik B. Larson |
title |
Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget |
title_short |
Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget |
title_full |
Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget |
title_fullStr |
Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget |
title_full_unstemmed |
Quaternary glacial cycles: Karst processes and the global CO2 budget |
title_sort |
quaternary glacial cycles: karst processes and the global co2 budget |
publisher |
Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 https://doaj.org/article/285d8d90f1fe46f8a9a8c1ffc89d1a35 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Acta Carsologica, Vol 42, Iss 2-3 (2013) |
op_relation |
https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/carsologica/article/view/661 https://doaj.org/toc/0583-6050 https://doaj.org/toc/1580-2612 0583-6050 1580-2612 doi:10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 https://doaj.org/article/285d8d90f1fe46f8a9a8c1ffc89d1a35 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.661 |
container_title |
Acta Carsologica |
container_volume |
42 |
container_issue |
2-3 |
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1766346191987015680 |