Stable isotopes of carbon dioxide in the marine atmosphere along a hemispheric course from China to Antarctica

Abstract

During the 24th Chinese Antarctic Expedition, the air samples were collected at 10:00 and 22:00 (local time) along the track of ship “Xuelong” from Shanghai Harbor, China to Antarctica. Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and its isotopic compositions were measured in these samples. Mean CO2 concentration at 22:00 (419.4 ± 27.1 ppmv) was higher than that at 10:00 (392.7 ± 20.0 ppmv), whereas δ13C–CO2 values at 22:00 (−8.58 ± 0.47‰) were lower than those at 10:00 (−8.23 ± 0.49‰), indicating that the 13C/12C ratio might be associated with the photosynthesis and respiration of terrestrial or marine organisms during the diurnal cycle. Overall the mean δ13C– and δ18O–CO2 were −8.39 ± 0.51‰ and 0.03 ± 1.39‰, respectively, from 30°N to 69°S, and the δ13C significantly negatively correlated with δ18O–CO2. A small but progressive increase in δ13C values with increasing latitudes southward was in good agreement with the expected trend. The enhanced CO2 concentrations occurred in the atmosphere close to Eurasia continent, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, and the δ13C oscillations agreed well with anthropogenic pollution. In the range of 30°S–50°S, CO2 concentrations were generally low with relatively stable δ13C and δ18O values. In Antarctic Convergence Zone, a great difference of δ13C occurred between 10:00 and 22:00, and atmospheric CO2 was significantly depleted in 13C at 22:00. Our results indicated that the isotopic compositions of CO2 in the marine atmosphere might be a sensitive indicator for the strength of CO2 source and sink from the ocean.