Radiocarbon evidence for the stability of polar ocean overturning during the Holocene

Abstract Proxy-based studies have linked the pre-industrial atmospheric $$p_{{\rm{CO}}_{2}}$$ p CO 2 rise of ∼20 ppmv in mid- to late Holocene an inferred increase Southern Ocean overturning and associated biogeochemical changes. However, history polar ocean ventilation through remains poorly constrained, leaving important gaps assessment feedbacks between changes circulation carbon cycle a warm climate state. The deep-ocean radiocarbon content, which provides measure ventilation, responds on centennial millennial time scales. Here we present absolutely dated deep-sea coral records from Drake Passage, South America Antarctica, Reykjanes Ridge, south Iceland, over Holocene. Our data suggest that Antarctic circumpolar waters North Atlantic Deep Water is surprisingly invariant within proxy uncertainties at our sampling resolution. findings indicate long-term, large-scale has not been disturbed level resolvable by probably responsible for atmosphere evolution Instead, continuous nutrient redistribution water column following deglaciation, as well land organic stock, might regulated CO 2 budget during this period.