Oceanic Uptake of Fossil Fuel CO 2 : Carbon-13 Evidence

1992/04/03 by Paul D. Quay, Bronte Tilbrook, C. S. Wong · 6 citations
Environmental Science · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics #Marine and coastal ecosystems #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena

paper · doi:10.1126/science.256.5053.74

openalex publication_date 1992/04/03 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

The delta(13)C value of the dissolved inorganic carbon in the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean has decreased by about 0.4 per mil between 1970 and 1990. This decrease has resulted from the uptake of atmospheric CO(2) derived from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. The net amounts of CO(2) taken up by the oceans and released from the biosphere between 1970 and 1990 have been determined from the changes in three measured values: the concentration of atmospheric CO(2), the delta(13)C of atmospheric CO(2) and the delta(13)C value of dissolved inorganic carbon in the ocean. The calculated average net oceanic CO(2) uptake is 2.1 gigatons of carbon per year. This amount implies that the ocean is the dominant net sink for anthropogenically produced CO(2) and that there has been no significant net CO(2) released from the biosphere during the last 20 years.

Citations

• Discussion Reporting of 14C Data

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