Carbon Isotope Constraints on the Deglacial CO 2 Rise from Ice Cores
Open accessAbstract
By the Numbers: As carbon dioxide is exchanged between the atmosphere, the oceans, and the terrestrial biosphere, its carbon isotopic composition is modified by various processes involved in its transfer between the different reservoirs. The carbon isotopic composition of the carbon dioxide contained in bubbles of air trapped in ice cores thus provides a record of the processes that regulated the composition of the atmosphere in the past. Using data from three Antarctic ice cores, Schmitt et al. (p. 711 , published online 29 March; see the Perspective by Brook ) present a record of the carbon isotopic makeup of atmospheric CO 2 for the past 24,000 years. The findings reveal the dominant role of the oceans during the early part of the deglaciation and the effects of the regrowth of the terrestrial biosphere later in the deglacial transition. Before the deglaciation, during the Last Glacial Maximum, the carbon cycle was essentially at equilibrium.
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The Antarctic ice core record shows steady enrichment in δ13C values from Late Pleistocene to Mid-Holocene time, reflecting carbon uptake by the terrestrial biosphere and carbon release from oceans.
“The Antarctic ice core record shows steady enrichment in δ 13 C values from Late Pleistocene to Mid-Holocene time ( 66, 67 ), reflecting carbon uptake by the terrestrial biosphere and carbon release from oceans ( 66 ; Fig. 5A)”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [67]
The Main Text (page not indicated) reports an almost linear δ¹³C rise from 12.2 to about 6 kyr BP and suggests terrestrial biosphere regrowth as a major contributor. But it reports stable values earlier, followed by an early-deglacial decrease associated with deep-ocean carbon release. It therefore does not support steady enrichment throughout the Late Pleistocene to mid-Holocene or ocean release as a cause of that enrichment. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredDuring the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene, atmospheric CO2 preserved in Antarctic glacial ice showed a stepped 70 ppm rise over 6,000 years, an average rise of 1 ppm per ~85 years.
“During the Late Pleistocene -Early Holocene, atmospheric CO2 preserved in air bubbles within glacial ice in Antarctica showed a stepped 70 ppm rise over 6,000 years ( 66, 67 ); an average rise of 1ppm per ~85 years.”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [67]
The Main Text (page not supplied) reports a deglacial CO2 rise with changing rates, from about 190 ppmv at the Last Glacial Maximum to about 280 ppmv in preindustrial times. A later Main Text passage reports a 30-ppmv rise in the first 2,000 years of deglaciation, but the copy does not establish the claimed 70-ppm rise over 6,000 years. The stated average of 1 ppm per roughly 85 years is arithmetic based on those unsupported figures. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe Antarctic ice core record shows no changes at the proposed Mid- and Late Holocene Sub-epoch boundaries.
“but shows no changes at the proposed Mid- and Late Holocene Sub-epoch boundaries.”
From The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene (2016) · cites this paper as [67]
The Main Text describes Antarctic ice-core carbon-isotope records and discusses stability from 24 to 19 kyr BP, not at the proposed Mid- or Late Holocene boundaries. Searches for those boundaries and for 8.2 and 4.2 kyr BP found no passage assessing whether the record changes there; Table S2 reports intervals but does not make that comparison. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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“and references therein] and d(13)C from atmospheric CO2 (66, 67).”
BackgroundCentennial-scale changes in the global carbon cycle during the last deglaciation
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- Authors
- Schmitt, J., Schneider, R., Elsig, J., Leuenberger, D., Lourantou, A., Chappellaz, J., Köhler, P., Joos, F., Stocker, T. F., Leuenberger, M., & Fischer, H.
- Affiliations
- University of Bern (CH)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Schmitt, Jochen
- ORCID
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2012-05-11
- Volume
- 336
- Issue
- 6082
- Pages
- 711-714
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2083986366
- Cited by
- 416
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 25.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- infoscience.epfl.ch
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (Alfred-Wegener-Institut) (acceptedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate variability and models
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Keywords
- atmospheric CO2, carbon isotope ratio, deglaciation, Last Glacial Maximum, Southern Ocean upwelling, carbon cycle, Antarctic ice cores, sea surface temperature, ocean circulation, Holocene
- MeSH terms
- Antarctic Regions, Atmosphere, Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Isotopes, Oceans and Seas, Seawater, Temperature, Time, Water Movements, Ice Cover, Climate Change, Carbon Cycle
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