The global carbon dioxide budget

E.T. Sundquist

doi:10.1126/science.259.5097.934

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The global carbon dioxide budget

E.T. Sundquist

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Abstract

The increase in atmospheric CO 2 levels during the last deglaciation was comparable in magnitude to the recent historical increase. However, global CO 2 budgets for these changes reflect fundamental differences in rates and in sources and sinks. The modern oceans are a rapid net CO 2 sink, whereas the oceans were a gradual source during the deglaciation. Unidentified terrestrial CO 2 sinks are important uncertainties in both the deglacial and recent CO 2 budgets. The deglacial CO 2 budget represents a complexity of long-term dynamic behavior that is not adequately addressed by current models used to forecast future atmospheric CO 2 levels.

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E.T. Sundquist. 1993. The global carbon dioxide budget. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.259.5097.934

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