A 200 Year Record of Carbon-13 and Carbon-14 Variations in a Bermuda Coral

Authors

Y. Nozaki, Yale University
D. M. Rye, Yale University
K. K. Turekian, Yale UniversityFollow
Richard E. Dodge, Yale UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1978

Publication Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Keywords

Meteorology, Chemical composition, Chemical interactions, Boundary layer, Exchange process, Chemical pceanography

ISSN

0094-8276

Volume

5

Issue/No.

10

First Page

825

Last Page

828

Abstract

A 200 year old brain coral, captured in Bermuda in 1976 was slabbed and x-rayed. Using the annual growth bands sequential, dated samples were taken over the entire growth period of the coral and analyzed for Δ¹⁴C, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O. During the past 80 years atmospheric variations in Δ¹⁴C and δ¹³C due to human effects, such as release of bomb C-14 and dilution of both C-14 and C-13 by fossil fuel burning, are closely tracked by the coral. Prior to 1900 divergences between the coral and tree Δ¹⁴C and δ¹³C can be related to world-wide changes in plant production and possibly oceanic upwelling rates.

Comments

©1978 by the American Geophysical Union

Additional Comments

NSF grant #: OCE 76-02039

NSUWorks Citation

Nozaki, Y., D. M. Rye, K. K. Turekian, and R. E. Dodge. 1978. "A 200 year record of carbon-13 and carbon-14 variations in a Bermuda coral." Geophysical Research Letters no. 5 (10):825-828. doi: 10.1029/GL005i010p00825.

DOI

10.1029/GL005i010p00825