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Permafrost thawing as a possible source of abrupt carbon release at the onset of the Bølling/Allerød

Author

Listed:
  • Peter Köhler

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (AWI))

  • Gregor Knorr

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (AWI)
    School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University)

  • Edouard Bard

    (CEREGE, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, College de France)

Abstract

One of the most abrupt and yet unexplained past rises in atmospheric CO2 (>10 p.p.m.v. in two centuries) occurred in quasi-synchrony with abrupt northern hemispheric warming into the Bølling/Allerød, ~14,600 years ago. Here we use a U/Th-dated record of atmospheric Δ14C from Tahiti corals to provide an independent and precise age control for this CO2 rise. We also use model simulations to show that the release of old (nearly 14C-free) carbon can explain these changes in CO2 and Δ14C. The Δ14C record provides an independent constraint on the amount of carbon released (~125 Pg C). We suggest, in line with observations of atmospheric CH4 and terrigenous biomarkers, that thawing permafrost in high northern latitudes could have been the source of carbon, possibly with contribution from flooding of the Siberian continental shelf during meltwater pulse 1A. Our findings highlight the potential of the permafrost carbon reservoir to modulate abrupt climate changes via greenhouse-gas feedbacks.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Köhler & Gregor Knorr & Edouard Bard, 2014. "Permafrost thawing as a possible source of abrupt carbon release at the onset of the Bølling/Allerød," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms6520
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6520
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    Cited by:

    1. Junjie Wu & Gesine Mollenhauer & Ruediger Stein & Peter Köhler & Jens Hefter & Kirsten Fahl & Hendrik Grotheer & Bingbing Wei & Seung-Il Nam, 2022. "Deglacial release of petrogenic and permafrost carbon from the Canadian Arctic impacting the carbon cycle," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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