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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • Earth system model
  • radiocarbon
  • Younger Dryas

Index Terms

  • Paleoceanography: Cosmogenic isotopes
  • Paleoceanography: Abrupt/rapid climate change
  • Paleoceanography: Thermohaline
  • Global Change: Earth system modeling
  • Geochronology: Quaternary geochronology

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L14707, 6 PP., 2008
doi:10.1029/2008GL034074

An oceanic origin for the increase of atmospheric radiocarbon during the Younger Dryas

Joy S. Singarayer

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

David A. Richards

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Andy Ridgwell

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Paul J. Valdes

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

William E. N. Austin

School of Geography and Geosciences, St. Andrews University, St. Andrews, UK

J. Warren Beck

NSF-AMS Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Variations in carbon-14 to carbon-12 ratio in the atmosphere (Δ14Catm) provide a powerful diagnostic for elucidating the timing and nature of geophysical and anthropological change. The (Atlantic) marine archive suggests a rapid Δ14Catm increase of 50‰ at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) cold reversal (12.9–11.7 kyr BP), which has not yet been satisfactorily explained in terms of magnitude or causal mechanism, as either a change in ocean ventilation or production rate. Using Earth-system model simulations and comparison of marine-based radiocarbon records from different ocean basins, we demonstrate that the YD Δ14Catm increase is smaller than suggested by the marine archive. This is due to changes in reservoir age, predominantly caused by reduced ocean ventilation.

Received 20 March 2008; accepted 28 May 2008; published 26 July 2008.

Citation: Singarayer, J. S., D. A. Richards, A. Ridgwell, P. J. Valdes, W. E. N. Austin, and J. W. Beck (2008), An oceanic origin for the increase of atmospheric radiocarbon during the Younger Dryas, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L14707, doi:10.1029/2008GL034074.

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