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Last Glacial δ13C Distribution and Deep-Sea Circulation in the Atlantic Ocean: A Model - Data Comparison

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The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary

Abstract

We used a carbon cycle model (HAMOCC2) coupled to a general ocean circulation model (LSG) to explore the δ13C distribution in the glacial Atlantic Ocean. We compared the simulated δ13C pattern with a new data set of benthic carbon isotopes of the Western and Eastern Atlantic from the Last Glacial Maximum (18,000 to 20,000 14C years or 21,000 – 23,500 calendar years before present). The model output fits the δ13C distribution derived from sediment samples, when the glacial export of NADW to the Southern Ocean was reduced by 50% and the inflow of glacial AABW was held constant. In most cases, the modeled δ13C pattern matched the paleodata within a range of ±0.2%. Furthermore, the asymmetry between the glacial NADW distribution in the South Atlantic basins was reproduced by the coupled ocean circulation and carbon cycle models. No additional increase of the nutrient inventory in the deep ocean was necessary to reproduce the paleodata. Hence we conclude that a significant increase in biological pumping during glacials may not be necessary to explain the reconstructed δ13C distribution in this region. The results are discussed with respect to other scenarios for the decrease of global atmospheric pCO2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße, 28334, Bremen, Germany

    M. Matthies, T. Bickert & A. Paul

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  1. M. Matthies
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  2. T. Bickert
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  3. A. Paul
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. DFG Research Center Ocean Margins, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Gerold Wefer , Stefan Mulitza  & Volker Ratmeyer ,  & 

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Matthies, M., Bickert, T., Paul, A. (2003). Last Glacial δ13C Distribution and Deep-Sea Circulation in the Atlantic Ocean: A Model - Data Comparison. In: Wefer, G., Mulitza, S., Ratmeyer, V. (eds) The South Atlantic in the Late Quaternary. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18917-3_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18917-3_30

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