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Changes in the carbon cycle during the last deglaciation as indicated by the comparison of Be-10 and C-14 records

Muscheler, Raimund LU orcid ; Beer, Jürg ; Wagner, Gerhard ; Laj, Carlo ; Kissel, Catherine ; Raisbeck, Grant M ; Yiou, Francoise and Kubik, Peter W (2004) In Earth and Planetary Science Letters 219(3-4). p.325-340
Abstract
The variations in atmospheric radiocarbon (C-14) concentration during the last 50 000 years can be attributed to changes in the C-14 production rate (due to changes in solar activity, the geomagnetic field and/or interstellar galactic cosmic ray flux) and to changes in the global carbon cycle. The relative contributions of these processes is the subject of current debate. Although the discrepancies between the various reconstructions of the past atmospheric radiocarbon concentration increase with age, the relatively good agreement over the last 25 000 years allows a quantitative discussion of the causes of the observed C-14 variations for this period. Using Be-10 measurements from Greenland Summit ice cores, we show that, in addition to... (More)
The variations in atmospheric radiocarbon (C-14) concentration during the last 50 000 years can be attributed to changes in the C-14 production rate (due to changes in solar activity, the geomagnetic field and/or interstellar galactic cosmic ray flux) and to changes in the global carbon cycle. The relative contributions of these processes is the subject of current debate. Although the discrepancies between the various reconstructions of the past atmospheric radiocarbon concentration increase with age, the relatively good agreement over the last 25 000 years allows a quantitative discussion of the causes of the observed C-14 variations for this period. Using Be-10 measurements from Greenland Summit ice cores, we show that, in addition to solar and geomagnetically induced production rate changes, significant changes in the carbon cycle have to be considered to explain the measured C-14 concentrations. There is evidence that these changes are connected to: (1) global deglaciation and (2) climate changes in the North Atlantic region on centennial to millennial time scales related to changes in the ocean circulation. Differences between Be-10 and geomagnetic field records, however, suggest that uncertainties of about 20% still exist in determinations of past changes in the C-14 production rate. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
paleomagnetism, cosmogenic radionuclides, carbon cycle, ocean circulation, ice cores
in
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
volume
219
issue
3-4
pages
325 - 340
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000220146500012
  • scopus:1542750030
ISSN
1385-013X
DOI
10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00722-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
629f4bcf-e3b1-42b5-a43c-4a543abf8cee (old id 284907)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:47:33
date last changed
2022-04-20 21:52:32
@article{629f4bcf-e3b1-42b5-a43c-4a543abf8cee,
  abstract     = {{The variations in atmospheric radiocarbon (C-14) concentration during the last 50 000 years can be attributed to changes in the C-14 production rate (due to changes in solar activity, the geomagnetic field and/or interstellar galactic cosmic ray flux) and to changes in the global carbon cycle. The relative contributions of these processes is the subject of current debate. Although the discrepancies between the various reconstructions of the past atmospheric radiocarbon concentration increase with age, the relatively good agreement over the last 25 000 years allows a quantitative discussion of the causes of the observed C-14 variations for this period. Using Be-10 measurements from Greenland Summit ice cores, we show that, in addition to solar and geomagnetically induced production rate changes, significant changes in the carbon cycle have to be considered to explain the measured C-14 concentrations. There is evidence that these changes are connected to: (1) global deglaciation and (2) climate changes in the North Atlantic region on centennial to millennial time scales related to changes in the ocean circulation. Differences between Be-10 and geomagnetic field records, however, suggest that uncertainties of about 20% still exist in determinations of past changes in the C-14 production rate. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Muscheler, Raimund and Beer, Jürg and Wagner, Gerhard and Laj, Carlo and Kissel, Catherine and Raisbeck, Grant M and Yiou, Francoise and Kubik, Peter W}},
  issn         = {{1385-013X}},
  keywords     = {{paleomagnetism; cosmogenic radionuclides; carbon cycle; ocean circulation; ice cores}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3-4}},
  pages        = {{325--340}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Earth and Planetary Science Letters}},
  title        = {{Changes in the carbon cycle during the last deglaciation as indicated by the comparison of Be-10 and C-14 records}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00722-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00722-2}},
  volume       = {{219}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}