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Interhemispheric Atlantic seesaw response during the last deglaciation
Stephen Barker1, Paula Diz, Maryline J Vautravers
1School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3YE, UK. barkers3@cf.ac.uk
Nature
|February 27, 2009
Summary
New South Atlantic records reveal rapid, opposite temperature shifts during deglaciation, linking abrupt Atlantic changes to gradual Southern Ocean adjustments. This highlights the Southern Ocean's key role in millennial climate variability and past carbon dioxide increases.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Oceanography
- Climate Dynamics
Background:
- Millennial-scale temperature changes in Greenland and Antarctica suggest a bipolar seesaw mechanism influencing global heat distribution via Atlantic Ocean circulation.
- The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is a key component in regulating Earth's climate system and heat transport.
Observation:
- New South Atlantic paleoclimate records document rapid temperature fluctuations during the last deglaciation.
- These South Atlantic changes occurred instantaneously, within dating uncertainties, and were opposite in sign to North Atlantic temperature variations.
Findings:
- The study establishes a direct causal link between abrupt shifts in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and more gradual climate adjustments in the Southern Ocean.
- Evidence suggests that changes in the Southern Ocean are intrinsically connected to the dynamics of the Atlantic circulation system.
Implications:
- The Southern Ocean plays a critical role in the generation and propagation of millennial-scale climate variability.
- These findings underscore the Southern Ocean's significance in driving deglacial climate change and the subsequent rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
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