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Radiocarbon constraints on the glacial ocean circulation and its impact on atmospheric CO2

Author

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  • L. C. Skinner

    (Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, University of Cambridge)

  • F. Primeau

    (University of California)

  • E. Freeman

    (Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, University of Cambridge)

  • M. de la Fuente

    (Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, University of Cambridge)

  • P. A. Goodwin

    (National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton)

  • J. Gottschalk

    (Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, University of Cambridge
    Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research Institute for Geology University of Bern)

  • E. Huang

    (MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen
    Present address: State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China)

  • I. N. McCave

    (Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, University of Cambridge)

  • T. L. Noble

    (Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania)

  • A. E. Scrivner

    (Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, University of Cambridge)

Abstract

While the ocean’s large-scale overturning circulation is thought to have been significantly different under the climatic conditions of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the exact nature of the glacial circulation and its implications for global carbon cycling continue to be debated. Here we use a global array of ocean–atmosphere radiocarbon disequilibrium estimates to demonstrate a ∼689±53 14C-yr increase in the average residence time of carbon in the deep ocean at the LGM. A predominantly southern-sourced abyssal overturning limb that was more isolated from its shallower northern counterparts is interpreted to have extended from the Southern Ocean, producing a widespread radiocarbon age maximum at mid-depths and depriving the deep ocean of a fast escape route for accumulating respired carbon. While the exact magnitude of the resulting carbon cycle impacts remains to be confirmed, the radiocarbon data suggest an increase in the efficiency of the biological carbon pump that could have accounted for as much as half of the glacial–interglacial CO2 change.

Suggested Citation

  • L. C. Skinner & F. Primeau & E. Freeman & M. de la Fuente & P. A. Goodwin & J. Gottschalk & E. Huang & I. N. McCave & T. L. Noble & A. E. Scrivner, 2017. "Radiocarbon constraints on the glacial ocean circulation and its impact on atmospheric CO2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms16010
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16010
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    Cited by:

    1. Jingyu Liu & Yipeng Wang & Samuel L. Jaccard & Nan Wang & Xun Gong & Nianqiao Fang & Rui Bao, 2023. "Pre-aged terrigenous organic carbon biases ocean ventilation-age reconstructions in the North Atlantic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Shinya Iwasaki & Lester Lembke-Jene & Kana Nagashima & Helge W. Arz & Naomi Harada & Katsunori Kimoto & Frank Lamy, 2022. "Evidence for late-glacial oceanic carbon redistribution and discharge from the Pacific Southern Ocean," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Anne Willem Omta & Christopher L. Follett & Jonathan M. Lauderdale & Raffaele Ferrari, 2024. "Carbon isotope budget indicates biological disequilibrium dominated ocean carbon storage at the Last Glacial Maximum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Torben Struve & David J. Wilson & Sophia K. V. Hines & Jess F. Adkins & Tina Flierdt, 2022. "A deep Tasman outflow of Pacific waters during the last glacial period," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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