The high-latitude ocean as a control of Atmospheric CO2

Wenk, T.; Siegenthaler, U. (1985). The high-latitude ocean as a control of Atmospheric CO2. In: Sundquist, E. T.; Broecker, W. S. (eds.) The carbon cycle and atmospheric CO2: natural variation archean to present. Geophysical Monograph Series: Vol. 32 (pp. 185-194). American Geophysical Union 10.1029/GM032p0185

[img] Text
Wenk_High-latitude_ocean.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to registered users only
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (788kB)

It is suggested that the rapid natural atmospheric CO2 variations during and at the end of the last glaciation which are indicated by ice core studies may have been caused by changes in the high-latitude oceans, particularly in the Antarctic. Concentrations of nutrients (N, P) in surface water are near zero in large ocean areas, but relatively high in high-latitude oceans. A circulation change could lead to more complete nutrient utilization and thus to a lower pCO2 of surface waters in these regions. Possible changes are discussed, and their effects on atmospheric CO2 concentrations, carbon isotope ratios and dissolved oxygen in the deep sea are estimated by means of a simple box model. Time-dependent calculations show that after a sudden change of circulation rate, the atmospheric CO2 concentration would approach its new steady state value with a relaxation time of about 200 years.

Item Type:

Book Section (Book Chapter)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Physics Institute > Climate and Environmental Physics

Subjects:

500 Science > 530 Physics

ISSN:

0065-8448

ISBN:

0-87590-060-7

Series:

Geophysical Monograph Series

Publisher:

American Geophysical Union

Language:

English

Submitter:

BORIS Import 2

Date Deposited:

03 Aug 2022 14:48

Last Modified:

03 Aug 2022 14:48

Publisher DOI:

10.1029/GM032p0185

Additional Information:

Papers presented at the Chapman Conference on Natural Variations in Carbon Dioxide and the Carbon Cycle, Tarpon Springs, Fla., Jan. 9-13, 1984

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/161094

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/161094

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback