Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Evolution of Staircase Structures in Diffusive Convection
Published on: September 5, 2018
Synchronous deglacial overturning and water mass source changes
Natalie L Roberts1, Alexander M Piotrowski, Jerry F McManus
1Godwin Laboratory for Palaeoclimate Research, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, UK. nr297@cam.ac.uk
Abstract:
Understanding changes in ocean circulation during the last deglaciation is crucial to unraveling the dynamics of glacial-interglacial and millennial climate shifts. We used neodymium isotope measurements on postdepositional iron-manganese oxide coatings precipitated on planktonic foraminifera to reconstruct changes in the bottom water source of the deep western North Atlantic at the Bermuda Rise. Comparison of our deep water source record with overturning strength proxies shows that both the deep water mass source and the overturning rate shifted rapidly and synchronously during the last deglacial transition. In contrast, any freshwater perturbation caused by Heinrich event 1 could have only affected shallow overturning. These findings show how changes in upper-ocean overturning associated with millennial-scale events differ from those associated with whole-ocean deglacial climate events.
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Isothermal Processes
An ideal gas can also undergo isothermal expansion or compression.
For example, consider 1 mole of an ideal gas inside an isolated cylinder at initial volume V...
Isochoric and Isobaric Processes
Suppose 1000 g of water is heated from 40 degrees...
Damped Oscillations
Although friction and other non-conservative...
Speciation Rates
Precipitation Gravimetry
In determining nickel by gravimetric analysis, a precipitant of ethanolic dimethylglyoxime is added to a hot nickel salt solution. This is quickly followed by the dropwise addition of dilute ammonia solution until precipitation occurs. A...

