Review of Tropospheric Bomb ¹⁴C Data for Carbon Cycle Modeling and Age Calibration Purposes

Abstract

Comprehensive published radiocarbon data from selected atmospheric records, tree rings, and recent organic matter were analyzed and grouped into 4 different zones (three for the Northern Hemisphere and one for the whole Southern Hemisphere). These 14 C data for the summer season of each hemisphere were employed to construct zonal, hemispheric, and global data sets for use in regional and global carbon model calculations including calibrating and comparing carbon cycle models. In addition, extended monthly atmospheric 14 C data sets for 4 different zones were compiled for age calibration purposes. This is the first time these data sets were constructed to facilitate the dating of recent organic material using the bomb 14 C curves. The distribution of bomb 14 C reflects the major zones of atmospheric circulation.