Year: 1980
Type: article
Abstract: A constraint on radiocarbon reservoir models is that the DC gain of a system (system transfer function at zero frequency) should equal the equilibrium ratio of the atmospheric radiocarbon mass to the production rate. The simple one-box model is essentially a “black box” but the value of the single residence time is theoretically equal to the DC gain. Using a sunspot-production rate algorithm as the forcing function, predictions of the one-box model match the14C data from ad 1700 to 1900 better than the 3-box, 5-box and box-diffusion models. The more complex models tend to pile up14C in the atmosphere because their DC gains are too high, and they over-attenuate the de Vries “wiggles”. The DC gains can be reduced to more acceptable levels by adjusting model parameters, particularly the sizes of the ocean reservoirs. Better fits to the “wiggles” are also obtained by parameter adjustment. Water content of deep-sea sediments constitutes an extra reservoir for dead carbon, and should help reduce system DC gain.
Source: Radiocarbon
Authors: Gregory Lazear, Paul E Damon, Robert Sternberg
Institution: University of Arizona
Language: English
Subfield: Paleontology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W2476500885