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Constraint of the CO 2 rise by new atmospheric carbon isotopic measurements during the last deglaciation
Author(s) -
Lourantou Anna,
Lavrič Jošt V.,
Köhler Peter,
Barnola JeanMarc,
Paillard Didier,
Michel Elisabeth,
Raynaud Dominique,
Chappellaz Jérôme
Publication year - 2010
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 - 10.1029/2009gb003545
Subject(s) - ice core , deglaciation , younger dryas , interglacial , geology , glacial period , stadial , carbon cycle , oceanography , climatology , isotopes of carbon , carbon dioxide , physical geography , atmospheric sciences , climate change , total organic carbon , geomorphology , geography , chemistry , ecosystem , ecology , environmental chemistry , biology , organic chemistry
The causes of the ∼80 ppmv increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) during the last glacial‐interglacial climatic transition remain debated. We analyzed the parallel evolution of CO 2 and its stable carbon isotopic ratio ( δ 13 CO 2 ) in the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) Dome C ice core to bring additional constraints. Agreeing well but largely improving the Taylor Dome ice core record of lower resolution, our δ 13 CO 2 record is characterized by a W shape, with two negative δ 13 CO 2 excursions of 0.5‰ during Heinrich 1 and Younger Dryas events, bracketing a positive δ 13 CO 2 peak during the Bølling/Allerød warm period. The comparison with marine records and the outputs of two C cycle box models suggest that changes in Southern Ocean ventilation drove most of the CO 2 increase, with additional contributions from marine productivity changes on the initial CO 2 rise and δ 13 CO 2 decline and from rapid vegetation buildup during the CO 2 plateau of the Bølling/Allerød.