Measurements of stable carbon isotope ratios of CO2 over the last 24000 years and CO2 concentration measurements on Antarctic ice cores using three different methods

The stable carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric CO2 (d13Catm) is a key parameter in deciphering past carbon cycle changes. Here we present d13Catm data for the past 24,000 years derived from three independent records from two Antarctic ice cores. We conclude that a pronounced 0.3 per mil decrease in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Schmitt, Jochen, Schneider, Robert, Elsig, Joachim, Leuenberger, Daiana, Lourantou, Anna, Chappellaz, Jérôme A, Köhler, Peter, Joos, Fortunat, Stocker, Thomas F, Leuenberger, Markus Christian, Fischer, Hubertus
Format: Dataset
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA 2012
Subjects:
Antarctica
Dome C
DRILL
Drilling/drill rig
EDC96
EDC99
EPICA
European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica
ICEDRILL
Ice drill
TALDICE
Talos_Dome
Antarctic
Southern Ocean
Antarc*
Online Access:https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.772713
https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.772713
Description
Summary:The stable carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric CO2 (d13Catm) is a key parameter in deciphering past carbon cycle changes. Here we present d13Catm data for the past 24,000 years derived from three independent records from two Antarctic ice cores. We conclude that a pronounced 0.3 per mil decrease in d13Catm during the early deglaciation can be best explained by upwelling of old, carbon-enriched waters in the Southern Ocean. Later in the deglaciation, regrowth of the terrestrial biosphere, changes in sea surface temperature, and ocean circulation governed the d13Catm evolution. During the Last Glacial Maximum, d13Catm and atmospheric CO2 concentration were essentially constant, which suggests that the carbon cycle was in dynamic equilibrium and that the net transfer of carbon to the deep ocean had occurred before then.

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