Ocean Weathering as a Key to Glacial Problems

The geochemical record of the oceanic sediments discloses that the glacial ocean is well stratified, while during deglacial time, upwelling prevails. In the previous chapter, we identified how oceanic water stores and releases carbon by considering the concept of ocean weathering and calcification. This combination of changes in oceanic conditions and the processes of carbon storage and release provide an immediate explanation for the variations in the atmospheric CO2 concentration during the glacial–interglacial cycles. Our numerical model successfully reproduced several characteristic features, including the onset, changes in period and amplitude, and sawtooth patterns of the cycles. The development of amplitude is now considered to be a natural consequence of one cycle. Here, we demonstrate that the conventional ice-based model and the carbon-based model can be seamlessly integrated, enhancing our understanding of the features of glacial–interglacial cycles.