Researcher ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9704-8696
Graduation Year
2026
Date of Submission
4-2026
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Environment, Economics, and Politics (EEP)
Reader 1
Branwen WIllians
Reader 2
Mark Huber
Terms of Use & License Information
Abstract
The Earth’s oceans buffer climate change, regulate weather patterns, sustain global food security, and support biomedical research. Ocean currents redistribute heat and nutrients while promoting genetic diversity, which can serve as a source of novel compounds for biomedical research. Understanding ocean circulation is essential for maintaining these ecosystem services as the climate continues to change. Upwelling, a form of vertical water movement that transports nutrient-rich deep water to the surface, plays a key role in marine productivity and carbon cycling. However, global upwelling patterns remain incompletely mapped. Radiocarbon (14C), a radioactive isotope of carbon, provides a useful tracer of ocean circulation. Nuclear weapons testing in the 1940s and 1950s produced a pronounced spike in radiocarbon in the atmosphere, which was subsequently absorbed by the oceans. Previous studies have used averaged, normalized radiocarbon records from proxy organisms to infer the location and intensity of upwelling. Here, I present a simplified method for visualizing upwelling that relies on single radiocarbon records from individual locations. Specifically, I demonstrate that the ratio of the timing of peak radiocarbon concentration to the slope of its post-peak decline can serve as an initial indicator of upwelling. This lightweight approach may help identify regions of interest for more detailed investigation and improve our understanding of ocean-driven carbon sequestration.
Recommended Citation
Mukherjee, Rena Reshmi, "Exploration of the Use of Radiocarbon Time-Series Records as Indicators of Upwelling Areas" (2026). CMC Senior Theses. 4135.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/4135
