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On the potential of 230 Th, 231 Pa, and 10 Be for marine rain ratio determinations: A modeling study
Author(s) -
Heinze C.,
Gehlen M.,
Land C.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/2005gb002595
Subject(s) - biogeochemical cycle , radionuclide , water column , environmental chemistry , calcium carbonate , seawater , sediment , particle (ecology) , particulates , environmental science , chemistry , carbon fibers , oceanography , radiochemistry , geology , materials science , paleontology , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , composite number , composite material
The global distributions of the radionuclides 230 Th, 231 Pa, and 10 Be are simulated with a biogeochemical ocean general circulation model. Sensitivity experiments for changes in the composition of the particle composition ratio (POC:CaCO 3 :BSi:clay, POC = particulate organic carbon, CaCO 3 = calcium carbonate, BSi = biogenic silica) are carried out with and without biogeochemical feedback. The absolute water column concentrations of the radionuclides react significantly to changes in the particle rain composition. The radionuclide ratio in the sediment, however, is less sensitive to changes in the particle composition ratio. Still, selected areas could record composition ratio changes reliably for paleo reconstructions. Measurements of 230 Th, 231 Pa, and 10 Be in the water column have the potential to monitor changes in the large scale CaCO 3 production which may occur as a consequence of ocean acidification due to oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO 2 .