Dansgaard Oeschger Research Articles

Orbital‐ and millennial‐scale climate and vegetation changes between 32.5 and 6.9k cal a BP from Hanon Maar paleolake on Jeju Island, South Korea

ABSTRACTOrbital‐ and millennial‐scale climate and vegetation changes between 32.5 and 6.9k cal a BP from Hanon Maar paleolake on Jeju Island, Korea, were demonstrated by high‐resolution multi‐proxy data (pollen, magnetic susceptibility, total organic carbon, carbon/nitrogen ratios and sediment grain size). High‐resolution pollen records provided detailed information on the vegetation response to climate change. The Thalictrum pollen percentage, which corresponded to the magnetic susceptibility data, and the first principal component of principal‐component analysis of pollen data were good indicators of the orbital‐ and millennial‐scale dry/wet cycle in the study area. Hanon pollen and magnetic susceptibility records suggested that colder and drier conditions were prevalent between 25.2 and 17.6k cal a BP in the study area due to a precession‐induced decrease in summer insolation. Hanon multi‐proxy data were correlated with oxygen isotope records from Greenland and Hulu cave, suggesting the possible teleconnection of millennial‐scale climate oscillations between North Atlantic and East Asian regions. According to our results, Heinrich‐like cold events probably occurred around 31.1, 25.2 and 16.7k cal a BP, and the warm intervals observed around 30.7 and 29.9k cal a BP may have corresponded to Dansgaard–Oeschger warm events 4 and 3, respectively.

Instability of the Atlantic overturning circulation during Marine Isotope Stage 3

AbstractVariations in the strength of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) were involved in the occurrences of Dansgaard‐Oeschger (D‐O) events during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS3). The stability of the AMOC to North Atlantic freshwater perturbations is studied using a comprehensive climate model under MIS3 boundary conditions. An AMOC stability diagram constructed from a series of equilibrium freshwater perturbation experiments reveals a highly nonlinear dependence of AMOC strength on freshwater forcing. The MIS3 baseline state is remarkably unstable with respect to minor perturbations. The global climate signal associated with a change in AMOC strength is consistent with a transition from an interstadial to a stadial state including an annual mean surface air temperature drop of ~8 K in central Greenland. We suggest that minor freshwater perturbations in the hydrologic cycle, e.g., related to ice sheet processes, had the potential to trigger D‐O‐type climate shifts associated with a threshold in the atmosphere‐ocean system.

A Heuristic Model of Dansgaard–Oeschger Cycles. Part I: Description, Results, and Sensitivity Studies

Abstract A simple model for studying the Dansgaard–Oeschger (D-O) cycles of the last glacial period is presented, based on the T. Dokken et al. hypothesis for D-O cycles. The model is a column model representing the Nordic seas and is composed of ocean boxes stacked below a one-layer sea ice model with an energy-balance atmosphere; no changes in the large-scale ocean overturning circulation are invoked. Parameterizations are included for latent heat polynyas and sea ice export from the column. The resulting heuristic model was found to cycle between stadial and interstadial states at times scales similar to those seen in the proxy observational data, with the presence or absence of perennial sea ice in the Nordic seas being the defining characteristic for each of these states. The major discrepancy between the modeled oscillations and the proxy record is in the length of the interstadial phase, which is shorter than that observed. The modeled oscillations were found to be robust to parameter changes, including those related to the ocean heat flux convergence (OHFC) into the column. Production of polynya ice was found to be an essential ingredient for such sustained oscillatory behavior. A simple parameterization of natural variability in the OHFC enhances the robustness of the modeled oscillations. The authors conclude by discussing the implications of such a hypothesis for the state of the Nordic seas today and its state during the Last Glacial Maximum and contrasting the model to other hypotheses that invoke large-scale changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation for explaining millennial-scale variability in the climate system. An extensive time-scale analysis will be presented in the future.

Climate fluctuation on a kiloyear scale during the Late Last Glacial in Mu Us Desert, China: evidence from Rb and Sr contents and ratios

The MGS2 segment of the Milanggouwan stratigraphical section in China’s Salawusu River Valley records 5.5 sedimentary cycles consisting of dune sands alternating with fluviolacustrine facies or/and palaeosols. The high Rb and Sr contents and low Rb/Sr ratios in the fluviolacustrine facies indicate the presence of a warm and humid climate, and vice versa for a dry and cold climate. Rb and Sr appeared to have 5.5 element cycles that are consistent with the sedimentation changes, and each cycle lasts about 2 ka on average. This study suggests that the observed cycles mainly resulted from variations in the strength of the East Asian winter and summer monsoons, and the MGS2 segment experienced six cold-dry winter monsoons and five warm-humid summer monsoons during the OIS2. In addition, the millennial-scale monsoonal climate fluctuations revealed by the element cycles corresponded well with the Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles recorded in the Greenland ice cores and Heinrich events in the North Atlantic marine sediments. Therefore, the monsoonal climate fluctuations revealed by the Rb and Sr in the MGS2 segment were likely triggered by global climate change.

Millennial-Scale Sequence Stratigraphy: Numerical Simulation With Dionisos

Abstract We investigate whether depositional sequences can form on 1000 y or millennial scale, and what stratal architecture can develop as the result of these short term variations. Abrupt climate changes are caused by a complex interplay between atmospheric, oceanic, and cryospheric processes. Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) cycles of ∼ 1000 y and Bond cycles of ∼ 7000 y have been identified in climate studies since the early 1990s. A 3D forward stratigraphic model, Dionisos, was used in this study to analyze the possible stratigraphic architecture that may evolve in response to the millennial-scale climatic cycles. According to current knowledge, no detectable eustatic changes occur in a D-O cycle, but sea level may change slightly through several D-O cycles. An abrupt ∼ 20 m fall and subsequent rise characterize the Heinrich events between Bond cycles. Our modeling included three experiments: (i) stable sea level, (ii) slightly rising sea level, and (iii) slightly falling sea level between Heinrich events. The applied fluvial water discharge and sediment supply varied according to the millennial climatic variations in each experiment. The modeling experiments lead to the formulation of a conceptual model for millennial-scale stratigraphy relevant to glacial periods. The millennial-scale sequences belong to a two-fold hierarchy defined by a series of short D-O cycles nested within longer Bond cycles, which, in turn, are separated by the sharp Heinrich events. The stacking patterns predicted between Heinrich events include: (i) alternating thicker and thinner bedsets of normal regressive highstand progradation (HST) on D-O scale, if sea level is stable; (ii) highstand systems tract–transgressive systems tract (HST-TST) sequences on D-O scale, if the sea level is rising; and (iii) thickening and thinning forced regressive bedsets on D-O scale, if the sea level is falling. In case iii, the Bond-scale falling-stage systems tract (FST) has two distinct parts: a proximal slightly and gradually downstepping unit, followed by a strongly offlapping unit deposited offshore. The intra-FST surface that separates the two units corresponds to the Heinrich sea-level drop, and is referred to in this paper as the “Heinrich discontinuity.” This type of sequence consists of FST-LST-TST, and no HST may form.

Orbital- and millennial-scale environmental changes between 64 and 20 ka BP recorded in Black Sea sediments

Abstract. High-resolution pollen and dinoflagellate cyst records from sediment core M72/5-25-GC1 were used to reconstruct vegetation dynamics in northern Anatolia and surface conditions of the Black Sea between 64 and 20 ka BP. During this period, the dominance of Artemisia in the pollen record indicates a steppe landscape and arid climate conditions. However, the concomitant presence of temperate arboreal pollen suggests the existence of glacial refugia in northern Anatolia. Long-term glacial vegetation dynamics reveal two major arid phases ~64–55 and 40–32 ka BP, and two major humid phases ~54–45 and 28–20 ka BP, correlating with higher and lower summer insolation, respectively. Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) cycles are clearly indicated by the 25-GC1 pollen record. Greenland interstadials are characterized by a marked increase in temperate tree pollen, indicating a spread of forests due to warm/wet conditions in northern Anatolia, whereas Greenland stadials reveal cold and arid conditions as indicated by spread of xerophytic biomes. There is evidence for a phase lag of ~500 to 1500 yr between initial warming and forest expansion, possibly due to successive changes in atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic sector. The dominance of Pyxidinopsis psilata and Spiniferites cruciformis in the dinocyst record indicates brackish Black Sea conditions during the entire glacial period. The decrease of marine indicators (marine dinocysts, acritarchs) at ~54 ka BP and increase of freshwater algae (Pediastrum, Botryococcus) from 32 to 25 ka BP reveals freshening of the Black Sea surface water. This freshening is possibly related to humid phases in the region, to connection between Caspian Sea and Black Sea, to seasonal freshening by floating ice, and/or to closer position of river mouths due to low sea level. In the southern Black Sea, Greenland interstadials are clearly indicated by high dinocyst concentrations and calcium carbonate content, as a result of an increase in primary productivity. Heinrich events show a similar impact on the environment in the northern Anatolia/Black Sea region as Greenland stadials.

Millennial-scale variations in western Sierra Nevada precipitation during the last glacial cycle MIS 4/3 transition

Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) cycles had far-reaching effects on Northern Hemisphere and tropical climate systems during the last glacial period, yet the climatic response to D–O cycles in western North America is controversial, especially prior to 55ka. We document changes in precipitation along the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada during early Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages (MIS) 3 and 4 (55–67ka) from a U-series dated speleothem record from McLean's Cave. The timing of our multi-proxy geochemical dataset is coeval with D–O interstadials (15–18) and stadials, including Heinrich Event 6. The McLean's Cave stalagmite indicates warmer and drier conditions during Greenland interstadials (GISs 15–18), signified by elevated δ18O, δ13C, reflectance, and trace element concentrations, and less radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr. Our record extends evidence of a strong linkage between high-latitude warming and reduced precipitation in western North America to early MIS 3 and MIS 4. This record shows that the linkage persists in diverse global climate states, and documents the nature of the climatic response in central California to Heinrich Event 6.

Millennial Variability in an Idealized Ocean Model: Predicting the AMOC Regime Shifts

AbstractA salient feature of paleorecords of the last glacial interval in the North Atlantic is pronounced millennial variability, commonly known as Dansgaard–Oeschger events. It is believed that these events are related to variations in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and heat transport. Here, the authors formulate a new low-order model, based on the Howard–Malkus loop representation of ocean circulation, capable of reproducing millennial variability and its chaotic dynamics realistically. It is shown that even in this chaotic model changes in the state of the meridional overturning circulation are predictable. Accordingly, the authors define two predictive indices which give accurate predictions for the time the circulation should remain in the on phase and then stay in the subsequent off phase. These indices depend mainly on ocean stratification and describe the linear growth of small perturbations in the system. Thus, monitoring particular indices of the ocean state could help predict a potential shutdown of the overturning circulation.

An ice core record of near-synchronous global climate changes at the Bølling transition

The abrupt warming that initiated the Bølling–Allerød interstadial was the penultimate warming in a series of climate variations known as Dansgaard–Oeschger events. Despite the clear expression of this transition in numerous palaeoclimate records, the relative timing of climate shifts in different regions of the world and their causes are subject to debate. Here we explore the phasing of global climate change at the onset of the Bølling–Allerød using air preserved in bubbles in the North Greenland Eemian ice core. Specifically, we measured methane concentrations, which act as a proxy for low-latitude climate, and the 15N/14N ratio of N2, which reflects Greenland surface temperature, over the same interval of time. We use an atmospheric box model and a firn air model to account for potential uncertainties in the data, and find that changes in Greenland temperature and atmospheric methane emissions at the Bølling onset occurred essentially synchronously, with temperature leading by 4.5 years. We cannot exclude the possibility that tropical climate could lag changing methane concentrations by up to several decades, if the initial methane rise came from boreal sources alone. However, because even boreal methane-producing regions lie far from Greenland, we conclude that the mechanism that drove abrupt change at this time must be capable of rapidly transmitting climate changes across the globe. During the last glacial termination, climate changes associated with the Bølling–Allerød warming were seen throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. A combination of ice-core records and box modelling shows that this climate change was nearly synchronous across high and temperate latitudes.

NGRIP CH<sub>4</sub> concentration from 120 to 10 kyr before present and its relation to a δ<sup>15</sup>N temperature reconstruction from the same ice core

Abstract. During the last glacial cycle, Greenland temperature showed many rapid temperature variations, the so-called Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) events. The past atmospheric methane concentration closely followed these temperature variations, which implies that the warmings recorded in Greenland were probably hemispheric in extent. Here we substantially extend and complete the North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP) methane record from the Preboreal Holocene (PB) back to the end of the last interglacial period with a mean time resolution of 54 yr. We relate the amplitudes of the methane increases associated with DO events to the amplitudes of the local Greenland NGRIP temperature increases derived from stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) measurements, which have been performed along the same ice core (Kindler et al., 2014). We find the ratio to oscillate between 5 parts per billion (ppb) per °C and 18 ppb °C−1 with the approximate frequency of the precessional cycle. A remarkably high ratio of 25.5 ppb °C−1 is reached during the transition from the Younger Dryas (YD) to the PB. Analysis of the timing of the fast methane and temperature increases reveals significant lags of the methane increases relative to NGRIP temperature for DO events 5, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 19, and 20. These events generally have small methane increase rates and we hypothesize that the lag is caused by pronounced northward displacement of the source regions from stadial to interstadial. We further show that the relative interpolar concentration difference (rIPD) of methane is about 4.5% for the stadials between DO events 18 and 20, which is in the same order as in the stadials before and after DO event 2 around the Last Glacial Maximum. The rIPD of methane remains relatively stable throughout the full last glacial, with a tendency for elevated values during interstadial compared to stadial periods.

Temperature reconstruction from 10 to 120 kyr b2k from the NGRIP ice core

Abstract. In order to reconstruct the temperature of the North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP) site, new measurements of δ15N have been performed covering the time period from the beginning of the Holocene to Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) event 8. Together with previously measured and mostly published δ15N data, we present for the first time a NGRIP temperature reconstruction for the whole last glacial period from 10 to 120 kyr b2k (thousand years before 2000 AD) including every DO event based on δ15N isotope measurements combined with a firn densification and heat diffusion model. The detected temperature rises at the onset of DO events range from 5 °C (DO 25) up to 16.5 °C (DO 11) with an uncertainty of ±3 °C. To bring measured and modelled data into agreement, we had to reduce the accumulation rate given by the NGRIP ss09sea06bm timescale in some periods by 30 to 35%, especially during the last glacial maximum. A comparison between reconstructed temperature and δ18Oice data confirms that the isotopic composition of the stadial was strongly influenced by seasonality. We evidence an anticorrelation between the variations of the δ18Oice sensitivity to temperature (referred to as α) and obliquity in agreement with a simple Rayleigh distillation model. Finally, we suggest that α might be influenced by the Northern Hemisphere ice sheet volume.

Magnitude and temporal evolution of Dansgaard–Oeschger event 8 abrupt temperature change inferred from nitrogen and argon isotopes in GISP2 ice using a new least-squares inversion

Polar temperature is often inferred from water isotopes in ice cores. However, non-temperature effects on δ18O are important during the abrupt events of the last glacial period, such as changes in the seasonality of precipitation, the northward movement of the storm track, and the increase in accumulation. These effects complicate the interpretation of δ18O as a temperature proxy.Here, we present an independent surface temperature reconstruction, which allows us to test the relationship between δ18Oice and temperature, during Dansgaard–Oeschger event 8, 38.2 thousand yrs ago using new δ15N and δ40Ar data from the GISP2 ice core in Greenland. This temperature reconstruction relies on a new inversion of inert gas isotope data using generalized least-squares, and includes a robust uncertainty estimation.We find that both temperature and δ18O increased in two steps of 20 and 140 yrs, with an overall amplitude of 11.80±1.8 °C between the stadial and interstadial centennial-mean temperature. The coefficient α=dδO18/dT changes with each time-segment, which shows that non-temperature sources of fractionation have a significant contribution to the δ18O signal. When measured on century-averaged values, we find that α=dδO18/dT=0.32±0.06‰/°C, which is similar to the glacial/Holocene value of 0.328‰/°C.

Limited response of peatland CH<sub>4</sub> emissions to abrupt Atlantic Ocean circulation changes in glacial climates

Abstract. Ice-core records show that abrupt Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) climatic warming events of the last glacial period were accompanied by large increases in the atmospheric CH4 concentration (up to 200 ppbv). These abrupt changes are generally regarded as arising from the effects of changes in the Atlantic Ocean meridional overturning circulation and the resultant climatic impact on natural CH4 sources, in particular wetlands. We use two different ecosystem models of wetland CH4 emissions to simulate northern CH4 sources forced with coupled general circulation model simulations of five different time periods during the last glacial to investigate the potential influence of abrupt ocean circulation changes on atmospheric CH4 levels during D–O events. The simulated warming over Greenland of 7–9 °C in the different time periods is at the lower end of the range of 11–15 °C derived from ice cores, but is associated with strong impacts on the hydrological cycle, especially over the North Atlantic and Europe during winter. We find that although the sensitivity of CH4 emissions to the imposed climate varies significantly between the two ecosystem emissions models, the model simulations do not reproduce sufficient emission changes to satisfy ice-core observations of CH4 increases during abrupt events. The inclusion of permafrost physics and peatland carbon cycling in one model (LPJ-WHyMe) increases the climatic sensitivity of CH44 emissions relative to the Sheffield Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (SDGVM) model, which does not incorporate these processes. For equilibrium conditions this additional sensitivity is mostly due to differences in carbon cycle processes, whilst the increased sensitivity to the imposed abrupt warmings is also partly due to the effects of freezing on soil thermodynamics. These results suggest that alternative scenarios of climatic change could be required to explain the abrupt glacial CH4 variations, perhaps with a more dominant role for tropical wetland CH4 sources.

Hindcasting the continuum of Dansgaard–Oeschger variability: mechanisms, patterns and timing

Abstract. Millennial-scale variability associated with Dansgaard–Oeschger events is arguably one of the most puzzling climate phenomena ever discovered in paleoclimate archives. Here, we set out to elucidate the underlying dynamics by conducting a transient global hindcast simulation with a 3-D intermediate complexity earth system model covering the period 50 to 30 ka BP. The model is forced by time-varying external boundary conditions (greenhouse gases, orbital forcing, and ice-sheet orography and albedo) and anomalous North Atlantic freshwater fluxes, which mimic the effects of changing northern hemispheric ice volume on millennial timescales. Together these forcings generate a realistic global climate trajectory, as demonstrated by an extensive model/paleo data comparison. Our results are consistent with the idea that variations in ice-sheet calving and subsequent changes of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation were the main drivers for the continuum of glacial millennial-scale variability seen in paleorecords across the globe.

Periglacial fires and trees in a continental setting of Central Canada, Upper Pleistocene

Fire is a key factor controlling global vegetation patterns and carbon cycling. It mostly occurs under warm periods during which fuel builds up with sufficient moisture, whereas such conditions stimulate fire ignition and spread. Biomass burning increased globally with warming periods since the last glacial era. Data confirming periglacial fires during glacial periods are very sparse because such climates are likely too cold to favour fires. Here, tree occurrence and fires during the Upper Pleistocene glacial periods in Central Canada are inferred from botanical identification and calibrated radiocarbon dates of charcoal fragments. Charcoal fragments were archived in sandy dunes of central Saskatchewan and were dated >50000-26600 cal BP. Fragments were mostly gymnosperms. Parallels between radiocarbon dates and GISP2-δ¹⁸O records deciphered relationships between fire and climate. Fires occurred either hundreds to thousands of years after Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) interstadial warming events (i.e., the time needed to build enough fuel for fire ignition and spread) or at the onset of the DO event. The chronological uncertainties result from the dated material not precisely matching the fires and from the low residual ¹⁴C associated with old sample material. Dominance of high-pressure systems and low effective moisture during post-DO coolings likely triggered flammable periglacial ecosystems, while lower moisture and the relative abundance of fuel overshadowed lower temperatures for fire spread. Laurentide ice sheet (LIS) limits during DO events are difficult to assess in Central Canada due to sparse radiocarbon dates. Our radiocarbon data set constrains the extent of LIS. Central Saskatchewan was not covered by LIS throughout the Upper Pleistocene and was not a continental desert. Instead, our results suggest long-lasting periods where fluctuations of the northern tree limits and fires after interstadials occurred persistently.

North Atlantic marine radiocarbon reservoir ages through Heinrich event H4: a new method for marine age model construction

Abstract Cooling and sinking of dense saline water in the Norwegian–Greenland Sea is essential for the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water. The convection in the Norwegian–Greenland Sea allows for a northward flow of warm surface water and southward transport of cold saline water. This circulation system is highly sensitive to climate change and has been shown to operate in different modes. In ice cores the last glacial period is characterized by millennial-scale Dansgaard–Oeschger (D–O) events of warm interstadials and cold stadials. Similar millennial-scale variability (linked to D–O events) is evident from oceanic cores, suggesting a strong coupling of the atmospheric and oceanic circulations system. Particularly long-lasting cold stadials correlate with North Atlantic Heinrich events, where icebergs released from the continents caused a spread of meltwater over the northern North Atlantic and Nordic seas. The meltwater layer is believed to have caused a stop or near-stop in the deep convection, leading to cold climate. The spreading of meltwater and changes in oceanic circulation have a large influence on the carbon exchange between atmosphere and the deep ocean and lead to profound changes in the 14 C activity of the surface ocean. Here we demonstrate marine 14 C reservoir ages ( R ) of up to c. 2000 years for Heinrich event H4. Our R estimates are based on a new method for age model construction using identified tephra layers and tie-points based on abrupt interstadial warmings.

Molecular and stable carbon isotopic compositions of saturated fatty acids within one sedimentary profile in the Shenhu, northern South China Sea: Source implications

This study examined the distributions and stable carbon isotopic compositions of saturated fatty acids (SaFAs) in one 300cm long sedimentary profile, which was named as Site4B in Shenhu, northern South China Sea. The concentrations of total SaFAs in sediments ranged from 1.80 to 10.16μg/g (μg FA/g dry sediment) and showed an even-over-odd predominance in the carbon chain of C12 to C32, mostly with n-C16 and n-C18 being the two major components. The short-chain fatty acids (ScFAs; n-C12 to n-C18) mainly from marine microorganisms had average δ13C values of −26.7‰ to −28.2‰, whereas some terrigenous-sourced long-chain fatty acids (LcFAs; n-C21 to n-C32) had average δ13C values of −29.6‰ to −34.1‰. The other LcFAs (n-C24 & n-C26∼n-C28; average δ13C values are −26.1‰ to −28.0‰) as well as n-C19 and n-C20 SaFAs (average δ13C values are −29.1‰ and −29.3‰, respectively) showed a mixed signal of carbon isotope compositions.The relative bioproductivity calculation (marine vs. terrigenous) demonstrated that most of organic carbon accumulation throughout the sedimentary profile was contributed by marine organism. The high marine productivity in Shenhu, South China Sea may be related to the hydrocarbon seepage which evidenced by diapiric structures. Interestingly, there is a sever fluctuation of terrigenous inputs around the depth of 97cm below the seafloor (bsf), probably resulting from the influence of the Dansgaard–Oeschger events and the Younger Dryas event as revealed by 14C age measurements.

Pink marine sediments reveal rapid ice melt and Arctic meltwater discharge during Dansgaard–Oeschger warmings

The climate of the last glaciation was interrupted by numerous abrupt temperature fluctuations, referred to as Greenland interstadials and stadials. During warm interstadials the meridional overturning circulation was active transferring heat to the north, whereas during cold stadials the Nordic Seas were ice-covered and the overturning circulation was disrupted. Meltwater discharge, from ice sheets surrounding the Nordic Seas, is implicated as a cause of this ocean instability, yet very little is known regarding this proposed discharge during warmings. Here we show that, during warmings, pink clay from Devonian Red Beds is transported in suspension by meltwater from the surrounding ice sheet and replaces the greenish silt that is normally deposited on the north-western slope of Svalbard during interstadials. The magnitude of the outpourings is comparable to the size of the outbursts during the deglaciation. Decreasing concentrations of ice-rafted debris during the interstadials signify that the ice sheet retreats as the meltwater production increases.

High-resolution glacial and deglacial record of atmospheric methane by continuous-flow and laser spectrometer analysis along the NEEM ice core

Abstract. The Greenland NEEM (North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling) operation in 2010 provided the first opportunity to combine trace-gas measurements by laser spectroscopic instruments and continuous-flow analysis along a freshly drilled ice core in a field-based setting. We present the resulting atmospheric methane (CH4) record covering the time period from 107.7 to 9.5 ka b2k (thousand years before 2000 AD). Companion discrete CH4 measurements are required to transfer the laser spectroscopic data from a relative to an absolute scale. However, even on a relative scale, the high-resolution CH4 data set significantly improves our knowledge of past atmospheric methane concentration changes. New significant sub-millennial-scale features appear during interstadials and stadials, generally associated with similar changes in water isotopic ratios of the ice, a proxy for local temperature. In addition to the midpoint of Dansgaard–Oeschger (D/O) CH4 transitions usually used for cross-dating, sharp definition of the start and end of these events brings precise depth markers (with ±20 cm uncertainty) for further cross-dating with other palaeo- or ice core records, e.g. speleothems. The method also provides an estimate of CH4 rates of change. The onsets of D/O events in the methane signal show a more rapid rate of change than their endings. The rate of CH4 increase associated with the onsets of D/O events progressively declines from 1.7 to 0.6 ppbv yr−1 in the course of marine isotope stage 3. The largest observed rate of increase takes place at the onset of D/O event #21 and reaches 2.5 ppbv yr−1.

A Pb isotope tracer of ocean-ice sheet interaction: the record from the NE Atlantic during the Last Glacial/Interglacial cycle

Ice sheet-ocean interactions are both a response to climate forcing and a source of climate feedback, releasing freshwater to the surface ocean and influencing climate and atmospheric CO2 through changes in ocean circulation. Documenting the outcomes of these interactions for recent glacial cycles is important given current and future scenarios of polar ice retreat. However, this is currently hampered by lack of accurate constraints on ice sheet development and demise. Marine sedimentary Pb isotope records have potential to investigate these aspects of ice sheet feedbacks at high temporal resolution because of the sensitivity of the Pb isotope composition to continental weathering intensity and solute flux. Here we present a Pb isotope record sourced from the FeMn oxyhydroxide fraction in marine sediments from ODP Site 980 on Feni Drift (2168 mbsl, Rockall Trough, NE Atlantic), spanning the last 43 ka. The location of Site 980 at the northern edge of the British–Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) makes it well-placed to monitor changes in BIIS development as it responded to migration of the Polar Front during the Last Glacial/Interglacial cycle. The data reveal millennial-scale cyclicity in Pb isotope composition, reminiscent of Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, from the start of the record until Heinrich event 2 (43–24 ka), characterised by extreme shifts to radiogenic compositions (i.e. variation in 206Pb/204Pb from ∼18.9 to 20.5). The period 24–17.5 ka is also characterised by exceptionally radiogenic and highly variable Pb isotope compositions, associated with the rapid and repeated expansion and collapse of the BIIS. The presence of such radiogenic Pb isotope compositions during periods of maximum ice sheet activity support interpretation of the subglacial environment as an active weathering environment, contributing to biogeochemical cycles through the transport vectors of meltwater release and debris-laden ice calving.