A comprehensive global 3D model of delta-18O in atmospheric CO2

I have built the first comprehensive global 3D model to simulate delta-18O in atmospheric CO2. The aim is to disentangle this isotope signal which offers the potential to determine the CO2 gross fluxes of the terrestrial biosphere. Model surface processes have been validated against regional experiments while the integrated atmospheric signal has been investigated comparing with global atmospheric observations. Modelled surface processes compare well with observed data over the whole latitude range except for high northern latitudes where the experimental data are very sparse. The water isotopes of rain are well reproduced but the soil signal is too attenuated in the model. The model further simulates very well the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2. For delta-18O(CO2), it precedes the measured cycle by two month. This discrepancy could not be resolved with our current knowledge of delta-18O(CO2). The modelled amplitude is very sensitive to different parameterisations, standard values result in only 2/3 of the observed amplitude. Concerning the meridional gradient in delta-18O(CO2), I could show that about one half of the signal comes from the covariance of delta-18O(CO2) sources with atmospheric transport and the other half from the imbalance of delta-18O(CO2) isofluxes between the northern and southern hemisphere.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Heidelberg

Year

2002

Author dc:creator

• Cuntz, Matthias

Contributors dc:contributor

• Levin, Ingeborg

Repository record source_url

http://www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/archiv/3023

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de:3023