Preprint Article Version 2 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Atmospheric CO2 Two Box Model Accurately Tracks 14C and 13C without Requiring the "Revelle Isotopic Anomaly"

Version 1 : Received: 20 December 2022 / Approved: 22 December 2022 / Online: 22 December 2022 (03:27:04 CET)
Version 2 : Received: 17 January 2023 / Approved: 17 January 2023 / Online: 17 January 2023 (02:24:26 CET)

How to cite: Taylor, S. Atmospheric CO2 Two Box Model Accurately Tracks 14C and 13C without Requiring the "Revelle Isotopic Anomaly". Preprints 2022, 2022120413. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202212.0413.v2 Taylor, S. Atmospheric CO2 Two Box Model Accurately Tracks 14C and 13C without Requiring the "Revelle Isotopic Anomaly". Preprints 2022, 2022120413. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202212.0413.v2

Abstract

Although total nett CO2 atmospheric flow can be estimated with reasonable accuracy, the contributing gross fluxes between the atmosphere and the earth's surface are poorly understood. This paper presents a method, driven by the objective of simplicity, by which the global outflow and inflow of CO2 between atmosphere and a globally equivalent "mixing reservoir" can be estimated, using the isotopes 14C and 13C as tracers. It has been asserted that the isotopic carbon in CO2 cannot be directly used as a tracer in flow studies because it is not subject to the Revelle factor. Evidence is provided showing that this view is mistaken. The model contains 7 key parameters which are used to create synthetic records of Δ14C and d13C spanning 200 years or more, including during the period of atmospheric weapons testing and its decay known as the "bomb pulse". By optimising the fit between these computed values and the historical records of d13C and Δ14C, all seven key parameters are determined. The effective "mixing reservoir" is thereby determined to have a size around six times that of the atmosphere, with global outflux rising from 39.7 GTC yr-1 in 1750 to 58.9 GTC/yr in 2020, this figure probably not including annually cycled carbon.

Keywords

CO2 turnover time; anthropogenic emissions; CO2 flux; global warming

Subject

Environmental and Earth Sciences, Atmospheric Science and Meteorology

Comments (1)

Comment 1
Received: 17 January 2023
Commenter: Stephen Taylor
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author
Comment: Change "exception" to "anomaly" in title and throughout.
Abstract.  Small text changes to notation following comments from reader
Introduction. Reworded to elaborate on the problem and the method
Radiocarbon Summary. Small text changes.
Rename "Isotopic Ratiometric Exception" to "Isotopic Revelle Anomaly"
CO2 Finite Reserve Model. Clarifications to the purpose of the 7  parameters
Results. Minor changes to determined values.
Table 1. Updated
Fig 6. Updated
Table 2. Extended and Updated.
Discussion. Extend to include each solved parameter.
Remove Table 3. as superfluous
Conclusion. Minor edits to text.
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