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Use of carbon isotopes in paleosols as an indicator of the P(CO 2 ) of the paleoatmosphere
Author(s) -
Cerling Thure E.
Publication year - 1992
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 - 10.1029/92gb01102
Subject(s) - paleosol , carbonate , isotopes of carbon , geology , cretaceous , paleontology , isotope , carbon fibers , δ13c , organic matter , mineralogy , stable isotope ratio , total organic carbon , absolute dating , geochemistry , chemistry , environmental chemistry , radiocarbon dating , organic chemistry , materials science , physics , quantum mechanics , composite number , composite material , loess
Measurements of carbon isotopic composition of coexisting paleosol organic matter and carbonate results in improved estimates of the paleo‐P(CO 2 ) content of the paleoatmosphere. Measurements from Tertiary paleosols indicate that the levels of CO 2 in the early Eocene, middle and late Miocene, and Pliocene were less than 1000 ppmV. Early Cretaceous levels of P(CO 2 ) were significantly higher, of the order of 1500 to 3000 ppmV.