North Atlantic Ocean Carbon Isotope Measurements from 1874-2005

Delta carbon-13, delta carbon-14, and percent modern carbon measurements collected from discrete water samples and profiles in the North Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, and Norwegian Sea. The dataset was compiled by researchers from Aarhus University, Bangor University, Iowa State University, Queen's University Belfast, and the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Data collection spans over a century, from 1874 to 2005.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing ocean ventilation rates and water mass ages by analyzing delta carbon-14 and percent modern carbon values over time.
• Investigating the oceanic bomb radiocarbon pulse by tracking delta carbon-14 time series across the temperate North Atlantic region.
• Calibrating marine radiocarbon chronologies, such as for Arctica islandica shells, using the provided delta carbon-14 reference data.
• Studying carbon source partitioning and biogeochemical processes by correlating delta carbon-13 measurements with other oceanographic parameters.

Strengths

• Temporal coverage spans 131 years (1874-2005), capturing long-term trends.
• Data includes three key carbon isotope metrics: DELTA CARBON-13, DELTA CARBON-14, and Percent Modern Carbon.
• Spatial coverage includes multiple basins: the North Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, and Norwegian Sea.

Limitations

• Specific sample count, row count, and spatial resolution are unknown.
• The most recent data is from 2005, lacking contemporary observations from the last two decades.
• Data collection platforms are listed as 'unknown', limiting reproducibility and methodological assessment.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI Accession 0144342), originally associated with CDIAC.

Collection Method

Data collected from discrete water samples and profiles using CTD and bottle instruments.

Time Range

1874-01-01 to 2005-12-31

Freshness

Data collection ended on 2005-12-31; no update frequency is specified.

Geography

North Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, Norwegian Sea