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Fluctuations in marine radiocarbon reservoir age in the western Pacific: Evidence of reduced E-W Pacific gradient over the past 6000 years
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  • Hong-Wei Chiang,
  • J. Bruce H. Shyu,
  • Sze-Chieh Liu,
  • Chung-Che Wang,
  • Chuan-Chou Shen,
  • George S Burr,
  • Shing-Lin Wang
Hong-Wei Chiang
Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University
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J. Bruce H. Shyu
National Taiwan University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Sze-Chieh Liu
Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei
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Chung-Che Wang
National Taiwan University
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Chuan-Chou Shen
Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University
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George S Burr
retired
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Shing-Lin Wang
Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University
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Abstract

Radiocarbon (C) is a useful tracer for surface ocean circulation and mixing, which reflects air-sea CO exchange. We present radiocarbon marine reservoir ages (R) and corrections (ΔR) in Holocene inferred from 18 paired C and Th ages on fossil corals from Lanyu Island offshore eastern Taiwan. The results show large fluctuations in the ΔR value, with averages of -330 and -5 C yr for 6000–5100 yr BP and the past 150 years, respectively. The extremely young R in the mid-Holocene indicate a well-equilibrated North Equatorial Current (NEC), likely stemmed from enhanced air-sea interactions and strengthened Pacific Walker circulation. This suggests a larger E–W gradient across the Equatorial Pacific and hence La Niña-like condition, consistent with both model simulations and other paleo-proxy records. Combining the ΔR records in the northern South China Sea, the results imply an increasing influence of the NEC water on the subtropical western Pacific since the mid-Holocene.