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Influence of marine denitrification on atmospheric N 2 O variability during the Holocene
Author(s) -
Agnihotri Rajesh,
Altabet Mark A.,
Herbert T. D.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1029/2006gl025864
Subject(s) - holocene , denitrification , upwelling , oceanography , geology , sedimentary rock , environmental science , climatology , nitrogen , geochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
Oceanic denitrification centers are thought to be important marine sources for atmospheric N 2 O. To consider Holocene variability in this source, we reconstruct the Holocene paleo‐denitrification history of the Peru margin, a major marine denitrification center, using high‐resolution sedimentary δ 15 N data. This record along with a contemporaneous one from the western Arabian Sea (Altabet et al., 2002) shows similarities with the recently available high‐resolution atmospheric N 2 O record (Flückiger et al., 2002). While the role of terrestrial processes in the observed N 2 O changes remains uncertain, these results suggest that variability in marine denitrification in major upwelling centers such as the Peru margin and the Arabian Sea contributed significantly to atmospheric N 2 O evolution during the Holocene.