The ocean bomb radiocarbon inventory revisited

Mouchet, Anne

doi:10.2458/azu_js_rc.55.16402

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Article (Scientific journals)

The ocean bomb radiocarbon inventory revisited

Mouchet, Anne

2013 • In Radiocarbon, 55 (2-3), p. 1580-1594

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/147039

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10.2458/azu_js_rc.55.16402

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Keywords :

Radiocarbon; Ocean; Tracer

Abstract :

[en] Large discrepancies exist among data-based estimates and model reconstructions of the ocean bomb radiocarbon inventory. In order to resolve this gap, it has been proposed that the CO2 piston veloc- ity should be revised downward (Sweeney et al., 2007; Müller et al., 2008). Here we compare the transient 14C distributions in the ocean obtained with diﬀerent formulations of the isotopic ratio commonly used in modeling studies. It is found that both the CO2 increase and the air-sea CO2 ﬂux signiﬁcantly contribute to the 1990 ocean bomb radiocarbon inventory, by around 10% each. Moreover, these two processes explain more than 25% of the inventory diﬀerence be- tween 1974 and 1990. These results imply that, as already argued by Naegler (2009), inventories based on observations which lack infor- mation about CO2 invasion are underestimated. Further, this work allows to gain insight into the reasons for discrepancies among model results. It suggests that while a comprehensive isotopic formulation is needed when addressing the global radiocarbon cycle, a simpliﬁed form is more relevant for model calibration and piston velocity assess- ment based on currently available bomb radiocarbon inventories.

Disciplines :

Earth sciences & physical geography

Author, co-author :

Mouchet, Anne ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophys., géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Labo de physique atmosphérique et planétaire (LPAP)

Language :

English

Title :

The ocean bomb radiocarbon inventory revisited

Publication date :

2013

Journal title :

Radiocarbon

ISSN :

0033-8222

Publisher :

University of Arizona, United States - Arizona

Volume :

Issue :

2-3

Pages :

1580-1594

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

http://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/radiocarbon/article/view/16402

Available on ORBi :

since 17 April 2013

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