Radiocarbon in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Methane: Global Distribution and Trends

For many years, there has been a growing concern in the field of atmospheric chemistry about anthropogenic and natural perturbations of the major atmospheric cycles of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, and recently, oxygen. The concern is mainly due to the implications of these trace gases on global climate. In view of the atmospheric carbon cycle, the most abundant trace gases, carbon dioxide and methane, just recently became the subject of detailed 14C investigations. These may play an important role in providing the supplementary and independent information needed to better evaluate the current observations.