Carbon isotope exchange between gaseous CO2 and thin solution films: Artificial cave experiments and a complete diffusion-reaction model

Abstract Speleothem stable carbon isotope (δ 13 C) records provide important paleoclimate and paleo-environmental information. However, the interpretation of these records in terms of past climate or environmental change remains challenging because of various processes affecting the δ 13 C signals. A process that has only been sparsely discussed so far is carbon isotope exchange between the gaseous CO 2 of the cave atmosphere and the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) contained in the thin solution film on the speleothem, which may be particularly important for strongly ventilated caves. Here we present a novel, complete reaction diffusion model describing carbon isotope exchange between gase…