On the influence of climatic factors on the ratio between the cosmogenic isotope 14C and total carbon in the atmosphere in the past

• Published in: Geochronometria Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 216 - 222
• Main Authors: Koudriavtsev, Igor, Dergachev, Valentin, Nagovitsyn, Yury, Ogurtsov, Maxim, Jungner, Högne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Versita 01.09.2014
• Subjects: climate change; cosmogenic isotopes 14C and 10Be; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Quantitative Geology; Research Article; solar activity; cosmogenic isotopes; C and; Be; solar activity; climate change
• ISSN: 1733-8387; 1897-1695
• DOI: 10.2478/s13386-013-0161-2

Radiocarbon 14 C is a cosmogenic isotope, which is most extensively used by scientists from a wide variety of fields. Its rate of generation in the atmosphere depends on solar modulation and thus, studying 14 C concentration in natural archives, one can reconstruct solar activity level in the past. The paper shows results of box-model calculations of generation of the 14 C isotope in the atmosphere and its relative abundance during the time interval 1389–1800 AD, taking into account influence of changing climate. This interval includes the deep minimum of solar activity and period of significant change in atmospheric concentration of CO 2 and global temperature. The performed analysis showed that concentration of 14 C in the atmosphere reflects not only variations of the galactic cosmic rays intensity but as well changes of temperature and atmospheric CO 2 concentration. It is shown that the decrease in CO 2 concentration in the atmosphere during 1550–1600 can be connected with absorption of CO 2 by the ocean surface layer. Thus, taking into account the climatic changes is an important condition for the reconstruction of solar activity in the past using data based on cosmogenic isotopes.