Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Published Online May 10, 2007
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1138679

Research Articles

Submitted on December 11, 2006
Accepted on April 27, 2007

Marine Radiocarbon Evidence for the Mechanism of Deglacial Atmospheric CO2 Rise

T. M. Marchitto 1*, S. J. Lehman 1, J. D. Ortiz 2, J. Flückiger 3, A. van Geen 4

1 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; nstitute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
2 Department of Geology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.
3 Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
4 Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
T. M. Marchitto , E-mail: tom.marchitto{at}colorado.edu

We reconstruct the radiocarbon activity of intermediate waters in the eastern North Pacific over the past 38,000 years. Radiocarbon activity paralleled that of the atmosphere except during deglaciation, when intermediate water values fell by more than 300{per thousand}. Such a large decrease requires a deglacial injection of very old waters from a deep ocean carbon reservoir that was previously well isolated from the atmosphere. The timing of intermediate water radiocarbon depletion closely matches that of atmospheric CO2 rise, and effectively traces the redistribution of carbon from the deep ocean to the atmosphere during deglaciation.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Wind-Driven Upwelling in the Southern Ocean and the Deglacial Rise in Atmospheric CO2.
R. F. Anderson, S. Ali, L. I. Bradtmiller, S. H. H. Nielsen, M. Q. Fleisher, B. E. Anderson, and L. H. Burckle (2009)
Science 323, 1443-1448
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Southern Ocean evidence for reduced export of North Atlantic Deep Water during Heinrich event 1.
L. F. Robinson and T. van de Flierdt (2009)
Geology 37, 195-198
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Absence of Cooling in New Zealand and the Adjacent Ocean During the Younger Dryas Chronozone.
T. T. Barrows, S. J. Lehman, L. K. Fifield, and P. De Deckker (2007)
Science 318, 86-89
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)