A high-resolution climate simulation dataset for the past 540 million years

Area of Science:

• Paleoclimatology
• Earth System Science
• Climate Modeling

Background:

• The Phanerozoic Eon (540 million years ago to present) experienced significant climate and biosphere evolution.
• Understanding past climate dynamics is crucial for future climate projections and identifying driving mechanisms.
• Paleoclimate proxy data are valuable, but climate simulations offer a complementary approach for deep-time investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate a high-resolution climate simulation dataset spanning the Phanerozoic Eon.
• To provide a valuable resource for multidisciplinary research in paleoclimate, geology, geochemistry, and paleontology.

Main Methods:

• Conducted 55 snapshot simulations of Earth's climate over the past 540 million years.
• Utilized the Community Earth System Model version 1.2.2 (CESM1.2.2) with a 10-million-year interval.
• Generated global monthly surface temperature and precipitation data at a 0.9° × 1.25° horizontal resolution.

Main Results:

• Developed an open-access dataset of past climate conditions.
• The dataset provides detailed global distributions of temperature and precipitation.
• Simulations cover a vast timescale, offering insights into long-term climate variability.

Conclusions:

• The generated climate simulation dataset is a significant resource for studying Phanerozoic climate evolution.
• This data facilitates interdisciplinary research, enhancing our understanding of Earth's past climate system.
• The dataset supports improved future climate modeling and projections.