Separating natural and bomb-produced radiocarbon in the ocean: The potential alkalinity method

TitleSeparating natural and bomb-produced radiocarbon in the ocean: The potential alkalinity method
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
AuthorsRubin, SI, Key, RM
JournalGlobal Biogeochemical Cycles
Volume16
Issue4
Date PublishedDec 3
ISBN Number0886-6236
Keywordsbomb-produced radiocarbon, CO2, indian-ocean, inventory, natural radiocarbon, pacific-ocean, potential alkalinity method, radiocarbon inventory, radiocarbon separation, silicate method, thermocline, ventilation, woce
Abstract

[1] The use of radiocarbon (Delta(14)C) as a tracer for oceanic processes generally requires differentiation of naturally occurring radiocarbon from the bomb component produced by atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. We present a new separation method based on the strong linear correlation between Delta(14)C and potential alkalinity. Unlike previous techniques the new algorithm is applicable at all latitudes. Additionally, the potential alkalinity method provides an estimate of surface ocean prebomb Delta(14)C concentrations. Predictions with the technique appear to be unbiased and have uncertainties which are less than previous techniques.

DOI10.1029/2001GB001432