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Implications of carbon isotope ratios of C 27 ‐C 33 alkanes and C 37 alkenes for the sources of organic matter in the southern ocean surface sediments
Author(s) -
Ohkouchi N.,
Kawamura K.,
Takemoto N.,
Ikehara M.,
Nakatsuka T.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl002351
Subject(s) - alkane , haptophyte , isotopes of carbon , wax , carbon fibers , organic matter , total organic carbon , environmental chemistry , hydrocarbon , carbon 13 , δ13c , latitude , isotope , geology , chemistry , stable isotope ratio , materials science , organic chemistry , physics , phytoplankton , geodesy , quantum mechanics , nutrient , composite number , composite material
Carbon isotopic ratios (δ 13 C) of C 27 ‐C 33 n ‐alkanes and C 37 alkenes were measured in the surface sediments from Australian sector of Southern Ocean (47.6°–65.5°S). The δ 13 C of C 31 n ‐alkane derived from higher plant wax shows little change along the latitude (−28.7±0.6 ‰), whereas δ 13 C of C 37 alkenes derived from haptophyte algae decreases from −24.6±0.7 ‰ at 47.6°S to −32.1±1.2 ‰ at 63.9°S. Relatively heavy δ 13 C values of C 31 n ‐alkane suggest significant contribution of C4 plant waxes or conifer resin whose δ 13 C of n ‐alkanes are significantly heavier than those of C3 plants. The δ 13 C of total organic carbon exhibits a latitudinal pattern similar to that of C 37 alkenes, suggesting that organic carbon in the sediments is primarily of marine origin.