Deglacial Pulse of Neutralized Carbon from the Pacific Seafloor:
Constraints from the Radiocarbon Budget
Abstract
In the intermediate depth Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, multiple
deglacial radiocarbon (14C) records show anomalously low 14C/C values
that appear to be best explained by the addition of 14C-free geologic
carbon. We use inverse carbon cycle modeling and data assimilation of
reconstructed atmospheric CO2 and ∆14C to develop an upper bound
constraint on this speculated deglacial geologic carbon release. Our
analysis suggests two primary opportunities where large bicarbonate
pulses (up to 1.3 PgC yr-1) could occur with little effect on
atmospheric CO2 and without upsetting 14C mass-balance constraints.
Including the release of 14C-free permafrost carbon and regrowth of the
terrestrial biosphere, we obtain a set of permissible scenarios for
ocean geologic carbon release that ranges from 900-2400 PgC. Based on
these results, we conclude that geologic carbon release is a plausible
interpretation for the spatio-temporal cluster of anomalous 14C data
near the East Pacific Rise.