On the radiocarbon record in banded corals: exchange parameters and net transport of /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ between atmosphere and surface ocean

Journal Article · Sun Feb 20 04:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC088iC02p01271· OSTI ID:6307085

Druffel, E M; Suess, H E

We have made radiocarbon measurements of banded hermatypic corals from Florida, Belize, and the Galapagos Islands. Interpretation is presented here of these previously reported results. These measurements represent the /sup 14/C//sup 12/C ratios in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIOC) in the surface ocean waters of the Gulf Stream and the Peru Current at the time of coral ring formation. A depletion in radiocarbon concentration was observed incoral rings that grew from A.D. 1900--1952. It was caused by dilution of existing /sup 14/C levels with dead CO/sub 2/ from fossil fuel burning (the Suess effect, or S/sub e/). A similar trend was observed in the distribution of bomb-produced /sup 14/C in corals that had grown during the years following A.D. 1952. The concentration of bomb-produced radiocarbon was much higher in corals from temperate regions (Florida, Belize, Hawaiian Islands) than in corals from tropical regions (Galapagos Islands and Canton Island). The apparent radiocarbon ages of the surface waters in temperate and tropical oceans during the preanthropogenic period range from about 280 to 520 years B.P. (-40 to -69%). At all investigated locations, it is likely that waters at subsurface depths have the same apparent radiocarbon age of about 670 years B.P. From the change of oceanic ..delta../sup 14/C in the surface during post-bomb times, the approximate annual rate of net input of /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ to the ocean waters is calculated to be about 8% of the prevailing /sup 14/C difference between atmosphere and ocean. From this input and from preanthropogenic ..delta../sup 14/C values found at each location, it can be seen that vertical mixing of water in the Peru Current is about 3 times greater than that in the Gulf Stream.

• Research Organization: Chemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543
• OSTI ID: 6307085
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 88:C2; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CARBON 14
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CNIDARIA
CORALS
CURRENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FALLOUT
FALLOUT DEPOSITS
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MASS TRANSFER
NUCLEI
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
WATER CURRENTS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES