Fate of Fossil Fuel Carbon Dioxide and the Global Carbon Budget

The fate of fossil fuel carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere depends on the exchange rates of carbon between the atmosphere and three major carbon reservoirs, namely, the oceans, shallow-water sediments, and the terrestrial biosphere. Various assumptions and models used to estimate the global carbon budget for the last 20 years are reviewed and evaluated. Several versions of recent atmosphere-ocean models appear to give reliable and mutually consistent estimates for carbon dioxide uptake by the oceans. On the other hand, there is no compelling evidence which establishes that the terrestrial biomass has decreased at a rate comparable to that of fossil fuel combustion over the last two decades, as has been recently claimed.

[1]  H. Oeschger,et al.  Predicting future atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. , 1978, Science.

[2]  M. Stuiver.  Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Reservoir Changes , 1978, Science.

[3]  G. Likens,et al.  The biota and the world carbon budget. , 1978, Science.

[4]  George M. Woodwell,et al.  The Carbon Dioxide Question , 1978 .

[5]  W. Schlesinger.  Carbon Balance in Terrestrial Detritus , 1977 .

[6]  B. Bolin,et al.  Changes of land biota and their importance for the carbon cycle. , 1977, Science.

[7]  H. E. Goeller,et al.  Carbon Dioxide and Climate: The Uncontrolled Experiment , 1977 .

[8]  A. T. Wilson,et al.  12C/13C in cellulose and lignin as palaeothermometers , 1977, Nature.

[9]  W. Broecker,et al.  An evaluation of the apparent dissociation constants of carbonic acid in seawater , 1976 .

[10]  W. Broecker,et al.  A method for shipboard measurement of CO2 partial pressure in seawater , 1976 .

[11]  M. Stuiver.  The 14C distribution in West Atlantic abyssal waters , 1976 .

[12]  H. Oeschger,et al.  A box diffusion model to study the carbon dioxide exchange in nature , 1975 .

[13]  W. Broecker,et al.  Gas exchange rates between air and sea , 1974 .

[14]  C. Culberson,et al.  The solubility of calcite in seawater at atmospheric pressure and 35%permil; salinity , 1973 .

[15]  C. Culberson,et al.  MEASUREMENT OF THE APPARENT DISSOCIATION CONSTANTS OF CARBONIC ACID IN SEAWATER AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE1 , 1973 .

[16]  Charles D. Keeling,et al.  Industrial production of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels and limestone , 1973 .

[17]  R. Bieri.  Dissolved noble gases in marine waters , 1971 .

[18]  R. Weiss,et al.  Dissolved gas saturation anomalies and excess helium in the ocean H. Craig and R.F. Weiss, Earth Planet. Sci. Letters 10 (1971) 289-296 , 1971 .

[19]  W. Broecker,et al.  Interchange of water between the major oceans , 1970 .

[20]  W. F. Libby,et al.  Equilibration of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide with Sea Water: Possible Enzymatic Control of the Rate , 1969, Science.

[21]  R. Weiss,et al.  Dissolved gases in the equatorial and south Pacific Ocean , 1967 .

[22]  On the Exchange of Carbon Dioxide between the Atmosphere and the Sea , 1960 .

[23]  G. J. Fergusson.  Reduction of atmospheric radiocarbon concentration by fossil fuel carbon dioxide and the mean life of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere , 1958, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

[24]  H. Suess.  Radiocarbon Concentration in Modern Wood , 1955, Science.