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Century-scale changes of atmospheric CO2 during the last interglacial

Rundgren, Mats LU and Bennike, O (2002) In Geology 30(2). p.187-189
Abstract
The crucial role of atmospheric CO2 in glacial-interglacial transitions is demonstrated by recent ice-core studies that highlight the importance of accurate CO2 records for our understanding of Quaternary climate dynamics. Previous estimates of CO2 levels during the last interglacial stage (the Eemian) relied on measurements on air trapped in the Antarctic Vostok ice core. Due to uncertainties associated with in situ chemical alteration and gas diffusion, there is a need for independent estimates of past CO2 levels. Here we report 33 Eemian CO2 estimates based on the stomatal index of Salix herbacea L. leaves preserved in Greenland sediments. We reconstruct Eemian CO2 levels centered on 250-280 parts per million by volume (ppmv), in... (More)
The crucial role of atmospheric CO2 in glacial-interglacial transitions is demonstrated by recent ice-core studies that highlight the importance of accurate CO2 records for our understanding of Quaternary climate dynamics. Previous estimates of CO2 levels during the last interglacial stage (the Eemian) relied on measurements on air trapped in the Antarctic Vostok ice core. Due to uncertainties associated with in situ chemical alteration and gas diffusion, there is a need for independent estimates of past CO2 levels. Here we report 33 Eemian CO2 estimates based on the stomatal index of Salix herbacea L. leaves preserved in Greenland sediments. We reconstruct Eemian CO2 levels centered on 250-280 parts per million by volume (ppmv), in general agreement with ice-core data. Two deviating (lower) stomatal estimates may reflect diffusional smoothing of Vostok CO2, data and indicate century-scale Eemian CO2 variability. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
leaves, Eemian, CO2, Salix, Greenland
in
Geology
volume
30
issue
2
pages
187 - 189
publisher
Geological Society of America
external identifiers
  • wos:000173846400023
  • scopus:84879889453
ISSN
0091-7613
DOI
10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0187:CSCOAC>2.0.CO;2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
32277a4a-2c6b-4ffe-b2af-67939c7707df (old id 343482)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 17:04:30
date last changed
2022-01-29 00:11:55
@article{32277a4a-2c6b-4ffe-b2af-67939c7707df,
  abstract     = {{The crucial role of atmospheric CO2 in glacial-interglacial transitions is demonstrated by recent ice-core studies that highlight the importance of accurate CO2 records for our understanding of Quaternary climate dynamics. Previous estimates of CO2 levels during the last interglacial stage (the Eemian) relied on measurements on air trapped in the Antarctic Vostok ice core. Due to uncertainties associated with in situ chemical alteration and gas diffusion, there is a need for independent estimates of past CO2 levels. Here we report 33 Eemian CO2 estimates based on the stomatal index of Salix herbacea L. leaves preserved in Greenland sediments. We reconstruct Eemian CO2 levels centered on 250-280 parts per million by volume (ppmv), in general agreement with ice-core data. Two deviating (lower) stomatal estimates may reflect diffusional smoothing of Vostok CO2, data and indicate century-scale Eemian CO2 variability.}},
  author       = {{Rundgren, Mats and Bennike, O}},
  issn         = {{0091-7613}},
  keywords     = {{leaves; Eemian; CO2; Salix; Greenland}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{187--189}},
  publisher    = {{Geological Society of America}},
  series       = {{Geology}},
  title        = {{Century-scale changes of atmospheric CO2 during the last interglacial}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0187:CSCOAC>2.0.CO;2}},
  doi          = {{10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0187:CSCOAC>2.0.CO;2}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}