Reconstructing ocean pH with boron isotopes in foraminifera
Reconstructing ocean pH with boron isotopes in foraminifera
In order to better understand the effect of CO2 on the Earth system in the future, geologists may look to CO2-induced environmental change in Earth's past. Here we describe how CO2 can be reconstructed using the boron isotopic composition (?11B) of marine calcium carbonate. We review the chemical principles that underlie the proxy, summarize the available calibration data, and detail how boron isotopes can be used to estimate ocean pH and ultimately atmospheric CO2 in the past. ?11B in a variety of marine carbonates shows a coherent relationship with seawater pH, in broad agreement with simple models for this proxy. Offsets between measured and predicted ?11B may in part be explained by physiological influences, though the exact mechanisms of boron incorporation into carbonate remain unknown. Despite these uncertainties, we demonstrate that ?11B may provide crucial constraints on past ocean acidification and atmospheric CO2.
boron isotopes, pH, marine carbonates, pCO2
207-237
Foster, Gavin L.
fbaa7255-7267-4443-a55e-e2a791213022
Rae, James W.B.
8788a3a1-fec8-46c2-95a4-a59ce25416f5
27 April 2016
Foster, Gavin L.
fbaa7255-7267-4443-a55e-e2a791213022
Rae, James W.B.
8788a3a1-fec8-46c2-95a4-a59ce25416f5
Foster, Gavin L. and Rae, James W.B.
(2016)
Reconstructing ocean pH with boron isotopes in foraminifera.
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 44 (1), .
(doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-060115-012226).
Abstract
In order to better understand the effect of CO2 on the Earth system in the future, geologists may look to CO2-induced environmental change in Earth's past. Here we describe how CO2 can be reconstructed using the boron isotopic composition (?11B) of marine calcium carbonate. We review the chemical principles that underlie the proxy, summarize the available calibration data, and detail how boron isotopes can be used to estimate ocean pH and ultimately atmospheric CO2 in the past. ?11B in a variety of marine carbonates shows a coherent relationship with seawater pH, in broad agreement with simple models for this proxy. Offsets between measured and predicted ?11B may in part be explained by physiological influences, though the exact mechanisms of boron incorporation into carbonate remain unknown. Despite these uncertainties, we demonstrate that ?11B may provide crucial constraints on past ocean acidification and atmospheric CO2.
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Published date: 27 April 2016
Keywords:
boron isotopes, pH, marine carbonates, pCO2
Organisations:
Geochemistry
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Local EPrints ID: 399717
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/399717
ISSN: 0084-6597
PURE UUID: bd334caf-907b-4ec0-bd85-19f1d773b560
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Date deposited: 24 Aug 2016 10:43
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:35
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Author:
James W.B. Rae
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