A model intercomparison of radiocarbon-based marine reservoir ages during the last 55&thinsp;kyr including abrupt changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Köhler, Peter; Menviel, Laurie; Pöppelmeier, Frerk; Heaton, Timothy J.; Bard, Edouard; Skinner, Luke C.

doi:10.5194/cp-22-729-2026

Articles | Volume 22, issue 4

https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-729-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-729-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 22, issue 4

Research article

|

10 Apr 2026

Research article |

| 10 Apr 2026

A model intercomparison of radiocarbon-based marine reservoir ages during the last 55 kyr including abrupt changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

Peter Köhler, Laurie Menviel, Frerk Pöppelmeier, Timothy J. Heaton, Edouard Bard, and Luke C. Skinner

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-729-2026-supplement

Data sets

Simulation results of 2 EMICs for marine reservoir age determination using 14C during the last 55 kyr Peter Köhler, Laurie Menviel, Frerk Pöppelmeier et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.987388

Marine radiocarbon reservoir ages simulated for IntCal20, link to model results in NetCDF format M. Butzin, T. J. Heaton, P. K\"{o}hler, et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.902301

Marine20 - the marine radiocarbon age calibration curve (0-55 000 cal BP), simulated data for IntCal20 T.~J. Heaton, P. K\"{o}hler, M. Butzin, et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.914500

Splines of reconstructed deep ocean ^{14}C ages over that last 25 kyr and simulation results of the carbon and radiocarbon cycle across the last 55 kyr P. K\"ohler, L. C. Skinner, F. Adolphi, et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.967149

Short summary

Radiocarbon (¹⁴C) is decaying over time, which is used to determine the age of carbon-containing objects. Calibration curves are necessary to come from measured ¹⁴C values to calendar ages. We use different models in order to improve future calibration curves, especially around times of abrupt changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. We find that uncertainties during those times are underrepresented in present calibrations, especially in the Atlantic.