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Dry hydroclimates in the late Palaeocene-early Eocene hothouse world
Victor A Piedrahita1,2,3,4, Andrew P Roberts4, Eelco J Rohling5,6
1Key Laboratory of Deep Petroleum Intelligent Exploration and Development, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China.
Nature Communications
|August 15, 2024
Summary
Extreme global warming caused significant aridification in subtropical regions during the Late Palaeocene-early Eocene (LPEE). These dry conditions, linked to carbon cycle changes, persisted for thousands of years, offering insights into current climate change.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Climate Science
- Earth System Science
Background:
- Understanding hydroclimate shifts during extreme warming events is crucial for subtropical regions.
- The Late Palaeocene-early Eocene (LPEE) offers a valuable analogue for studying past massive carbon cycle perturbations and their climatic impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct hydroclimate conditions in proto-Mediterranean zones of the western Tethys during the LPEE.
- To investigate the influence of carbon cycle perturbations on hydroclimate variability and aridification.
Main Methods:
- Paleoclimate reconstruction using geological proxies (details not specified in abstract).
- Analysis of long-term and short-lived carbon cycle changes and their correlation with hydroclimate data.
Main Results:
- Carbon cycle perturbations controlled orbitally forced hydroclimate variability during the LPEE.
- Long-term carbon changes led to gradual precipitation reduction, while short-lived perturbations caused rapid warming and extreme dryness.
- Hydroclimate recovery after major warming events took approximately 24-27 kyr.
Conclusions:
- Massive carbon cycle perturbations significantly impacted LPEE hydroclimate, inducing aridification.
- The findings suggest that anthropogenic warming could lead to prolonged aridification with long-lasting consequences.
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