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Shortcomings of the isolated abyssal reservoir model for deglacial radiocarbon changes in the mid-depth Indo-Pacific Ocean

Shortcomings of the isolated abyssal reservoir model for deglacial radiocarbon changes in the mid-depth Indo-Pacific Ocean
Shortcomings of the isolated abyssal reservoir model for deglacial radiocarbon changes in the mid-depth Indo-Pacific Ocean
Severely negative ?14C anomalies from the mid-depth Pacific and the Arabian Sea have been taken as support for the hypothesized deglacial release of a previously isolated, extremely 14C-deplete deep ocean carbon reservoir. We report box model simulations that cast doubt on both the existence of the hypothesized deep reservoir and its ability to explain the mid-depth ?14C anomalies. First, the degree of ice age isolation needed to substantially reduce the deep ?14C of the deep reservoir causes anoxia and the trapping of alkalinity from CaCO3 dissolution, the latter increasing atmospheric CO2. Second, even with a completely 14C-free deep reservoir, achieving the mid-depth ?14C anomalies of observed duration requires ad hoc stifling of aspects of deep circulation to prevent rapid dissipation of the anomalous 14C-free carbon to the rest of the ocean and the atmosphere. We suggest that the mid-depth anomalies do not record basin-scale ?14C changes but are instead local phenomena.
mystery interval, radiocarbon, deglacial, carbon cycle, ocean ventilation
0094-8276
L04604
Hain, Mathis P.
d31486bc-c473-4c34-a814-c0834640876c
Sigman, Daniel M.
b7945f7b-3945-4082-9204-feb1eb8cfed7
Haug, Gerald H.
b6d161a0-4bdc-44d3-8a88-8de0e3517ca8
Hain, Mathis P.
d31486bc-c473-4c34-a814-c0834640876c
Sigman, Daniel M.
b7945f7b-3945-4082-9204-feb1eb8cfed7
Haug, Gerald H.
b6d161a0-4bdc-44d3-8a88-8de0e3517ca8

Hain, Mathis P., Sigman, Daniel M. and Haug, Gerald H. (2011) Shortcomings of the isolated abyssal reservoir model for deglacial radiocarbon changes in the mid-depth Indo-Pacific Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 38 (4), L04604. (doi:10.1029/2010GL046158).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Severely negative ?14C anomalies from the mid-depth Pacific and the Arabian Sea have been taken as support for the hypothesized deglacial release of a previously isolated, extremely 14C-deplete deep ocean carbon reservoir. We report box model simulations that cast doubt on both the existence of the hypothesized deep reservoir and its ability to explain the mid-depth ?14C anomalies. First, the degree of ice age isolation needed to substantially reduce the deep ?14C of the deep reservoir causes anoxia and the trapping of alkalinity from CaCO3 dissolution, the latter increasing atmospheric CO2. Second, even with a completely 14C-free deep reservoir, achieving the mid-depth ?14C anomalies of observed duration requires ad hoc stifling of aspects of deep circulation to prevent rapid dissipation of the anomalous 14C-free carbon to the rest of the ocean and the atmosphere. We suggest that the mid-depth anomalies do not record basin-scale ?14C changes but are instead local phenomena.

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More information

Published date: February 2011
Keywords: mystery interval, radiocarbon, deglacial, carbon cycle, ocean ventilation
Organisations: Paleooceanography & Palaeoclimate

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Local EPrints ID: 358641
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/358641
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: c9b24f6d-a6f2-4188-a16d-182e69c377d1

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Date deposited: 09 Oct 2013 14:30
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 15:07

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Contributors

Author: Mathis P. Hain
Author: Daniel M. Sigman
Author: Gerald H. Haug

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