Abstract
Abstract Understanding interglacial climate variability is a key issue in the scientific community. Here we compared records from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 to those from MIS 1 (Holocene) as they are perceived to be possible analogs. Our study on the Iberian Margin, a key area to investigate surface dynamics in the Atlantic Ocean, incorporates coccolithophore assemblage and alkenone data of core MD03–2699 and their statistical analyses. Evaluating similarities between MIS 11 and MIS 1 depends on the way the two MIS are being aligned, i.e. at the deglaciation or based on the precession signal. During the deglaciation of either MIS 12 or MIS 2, the Iberian Margin was affected by abrupt decreases in SST and in coccolithophores' paleoproductivity caused by the arrival of subpolar surface waters. Just prior to the decline, in both the intervals, the Portugal Current affected the studied site, although a possible difference in upwelling strength is here suggested and related to more intense westerlies during the last glacial than the late MIS 12. Similar surface-ocean dynamics occurred at the onset of both MIS 11 and MIS 1 as indicated by the prevalence of the Iberian Poleward Current and sometimes the Azores Current, although the subtropical waters were more oligotrophic during the MIS 2 deglaciation than the MIS 12 one. Synchronizing our records according to the precession cycles aligns the early-to-mid Holocene with the second, warmer phase of MIS 11c. During both these intervals, the western Iberian Margin was mainly affected by the Iberian Poleward Current that transported more temperate-warm, mesotrophic surface waters during MIS 11c than during the early-to-mid Holocene. During the early to mid-Holocene the Iberian Margin endured incursions of colder surface waters that did not occur during MIS 11c allowing us to hypothesize that the studied site experienced, from a paleoceanographic point of view, a more stable period during MIS 11c than the early Holocene. Finally, spectral analysis suggests the role of full, half and fourth precession components in driving surface-ocean variability during MIS 11 and during the last 24 kyr BP.
Highlights
During the last decade, many studies focused on the possible analogy between MarineIsotope Stage (MIS) 11 and the Holocene (Hodell et al, 2000; Loutre, 2003; Loutre and Berger, 2003; Rohling et al, 2010; Tzedakis, 2010; Kandiano et al, 2012; Bubenshchikova et al, 2015).Both interglacial periods are characterized by minima in Earth’s eccentricity; a particular configuration that occurred only once more during the last 1 Myr, i.e. during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 19
We compared MIS 11 and MIS 1 coccolithophore and alkenone derived records from core MD03-2699 located on the Iberian margin to search for possible analogies in the temporal evolution of the surface-ocean dynamics
principal component analysis (PCA) to the data with the aim to distinguish possible differences or analogies between the characteristics of the surface water masses affecting the site, in particular in regard to Sea-Surface Temperature (SST) and nutrient availability. Both MIS 12 and MIS 2 experienced the same surface-ocean evolution, namely a productive period being interrupted by the arrival of subpolar waters and followed by variable conditions during the transition into full interglacial conditions
Summary
Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 and the Holocene (Hodell et al, 2000; Loutre, 2003; Loutre and Berger, 2003; Rohling et al, 2010; Tzedakis, 2010; Kandiano et al, 2012; Bubenshchikova et al, 2015). Both interglacial periods are characterized by minima in Earth’s eccentricity; a particular configuration that occurred only once more during the last 1 Myr, i.e. during MIS 19. While not often mentioned in this context, other interglacials (i.e., MIS 5e, 9e, 15a, 15e) show this phasing, but with varying amounts of precessional power and obliquity amplitude (Yin and Berger, 2010)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
