Reconstruction of surface ocean water pCO sub(2(aq)) in Nansha area, the South China Sea during the last 30 ka

• Published in: Chinese science bulletin Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 199 - 203
• Main Authors: Hu, Jianfang, Jia, Guodong, Peng, Ping'an, Fang, Dianyong, Zhao, Quanhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2003
• Subjects: Marine; ISEW, South China Sea; ISEW, South China Sea, Spratly Is
• ISSN: 1001-6538

The reconstruction of pCO sub(2) in the tropical ocean is one of the most important issues to understand global climatic changes. In this study, the high-resolution stratigraphic analysis of core 17962 was conducted, which is located in the southern South China Sea (SCS). The contents of sedimentary organic matter, the stable carbon isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter, and the delta super(13)C values of black carbon and terrigenous n-alkanes were determined. And the delta super(13)C sub(wc) value of carbon derived from aquatic was calculated. On the basis of delta super(13)C sub(org)-pCO sub(2) equation proposed by Popp et al. (1989), we estimated the pCO sub(2) in the Nansha area, SCS, since the last glaciation using delta super(13)C sub(wc) instead of delta super(13)C sub(org). The results show that the average pCO sub(2) was estimated at 240 ppmV during the last glaciation, and at 320 ppmV in the Holocene. A comparison of surface sea pCO sub(2) with the atmosphere CO sub(2) recorded in the Vostok ice core, indicates that CO sub(2) in surface water of the southern SCS could emit into atmosphere during the last 30 ka.