Sea Surface Temperature Reconstruction Research Articles

Constraints on the vital effect in coccolithophore and dinoflagellate calcite by oxygen isotopic modification of seawater

In this study, we show that there are independent controls of 18O/16O and 13C/12C fractionation in coccolithophore and dinoflagellate calcite due to the contrasting kinetics of each isotope system. We demonstrate that the direction and magnitude of the oxygen isotope fractionation with respect to equilibrium is related to the balance between calcification rate and the replenishment of the internal pool of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). As such, in fast growing cells, such as those of Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica (forming the so-called “heavy group”), calcification of the internal carbon pool occurs faster than complete isotopic re-adjustment of the internal DIC pool with H2O molecules. Hence, coccoliths reflect the heavy oxygen isotope signature of the CO2 overprinting the whole DIC pool. Conversely, in large and slow growing cells, such as Coccolithus pelagicus ssp. braarudii, complete re-equilibration is achieved due to limited influx of CO2 leading to coccoliths that are precipitated in conditions close to isotopic equilibrium (“equilibrium group”). Species exhibiting the most negative oxygen isotope composition, such as Calcidiscus leptoporus (“light group”), precipitate coccolith under increased pH in the coccolith vesicle, as previously documented by the “carbonate ion effect”. We suggest that, for the carbon isotope system, any observed deviation from isotopic equilibrium is only “apparent”, as the carbon isotopic composition in coccolith calcite is controlled by a Rayleigh fractionation originating from preferential incorporation of 12C into organic matter. Therefore, species with low PIC/POC ratios as E. huxleyi and G. oceanica are shifted towards positive carbon isotope values as a result of predominant carbon fixation into the organic matter. By contrast, cells with higher PIC/POC as C. braarudii and C. leptoporus maintain, to some extent, the original negative isotopic composition of the CO2. The calcareous dinoflagellate Thoracosphaera heimii exhibits different behaviour for both isotopic systems, in particular with respect to its very negative carbon isotope composition, owing to coeval intra and extracellular biomineralisation in this group. In this study, we also investigate the sensitivity of 18O/16O fractionation to varying ambient oxygen isotope composition of the medium for inorganic, coccolithophore, and dinoflagellate calcite precipitated under controlled laboratory conditions. The varying responses of different taxa to increased oxygen isotope composition of the growth medium may point to a potential bias in sea surface temperature reconstructions that are based on the oxygen isotopic compositions of sedimentary calcite, especially during times of changing seawater oxygen isotopic composition. Overall, this study represents an important step towards establishing a mechanistic understanding of the “vital effect” in coccolith and dinoflagellate calcite, and provides valuable information for interpreting the geochemistry of the calcareous nannofossils in the sedimentary record, at both monospecific and interspecies levels.

Acidity decline in Antarctic ice cores during the Little Ice Age linked to changes in atmospheric nitrate and sea salt concentrations

AbstractAcidity is an important chemical variable that impacts atmospheric and snowpack chemistry. Here we describe composite time series and the spatial pattern of acidity concentration (Acy = H+ − HCO3−) during the last 2000 years across the Dronning Maud Land region of the East Antarctic Plateau using measurements in seven ice cores. Coregistered measurements of the major ion species show that sulfuric acid (H2SO4), nitric acid (HNO3), and hydrochloric acid (HCl) determine greater than 98% of the acidity value. The latter, also described as excess chloride (ExCl−), is shown mostly to be derived from postdepositional diffusion of chloride with little net gain or loss from the snowpack. A strong inverse linear relationship between nitrate concentration and inverse accumulation rate provides evidence of spatially homogenous fresh snow concentrations and reemission rates of nitrate from the snowpack across the study area. A decline in acidity during the Little Ice Age (LIA, 1500–1900 Common Era) is observed and is linked to declines in HNO3 and ExCl− during that time. The nitrate decline is found to correlate well with published methane isotope data from Antarctica (δ13CH4), indicating that it is caused by a decline in biomass burning. The decrease in ExCl− concentration during the LIA is well correlated to published sea surface temperature reconstructions in the Atlantic Ocean, which suggests increased sea salt aerosol production associated with greater sea ice extent.

Fast Multidimensional Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition Using a Data Compression Technique

Abstract The process of obtaining key information on climate variability and change from large climate datasets often involves large computational costs and removal of noise from the data. In this study, the authors accelerate the computation of a newly developed, multidimensional temporal–spatial analysis method, namely multidimensional ensemble empirical mode decomposition (MEEMD), for climate studies. The original MEEMD uses ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) to decompose the time series at each grid point and then pieces together the temporal–spatial evolution of climate variability and change on naturally separated time scales, which is computationally expensive. To accelerate the algorithm, the original MEEMD is modified by 1) using principal component analysis (PCA) to transform the original temporal–spatial multidimensional climate data into principal components (PCs) and corresponding empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs); 2) retaining only a small fraction of PCs and EOFs that contain spatially and temporally coherent structures; 3) decomposing PCs into oscillatory components on naturally separated time scales; and 4) obtaining the original MEEMD components on naturally separated time scales by summing the contributions of the similar time scales from different pairs of EOFs and PCs. The study analyzes extended reconstructed sea surface temperature (ERSST) to validate the accelerated (fast) MEEMD. It is demonstrated that, for ERSST climate data, the fast MEEMD can 1) compress data with a compression rate of one to two orders and 2) increase the speed of the original MEEMD algorithm by one to two orders.

A reconstruction of sea surface temperature variability in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico from 1734 to 2008 C.E. using cross‐dated Sr/Ca records from the coral Siderastrea siderea

AbstractThis study uses skeletal variations in coral Sr/Ca from three Siderastrea siderea coral colonies within the Dry Tortugas National Park in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico (24°42′N, 82°48′W) to reconstruct monthly sea surface temperature (SST) variations from 1734 to 2008 Common Era (C.E.). Calibration and verification of the replicated coral Sr/Ca‐SST reconstruction with local, regional, and historical temperature records reveals that this proxy‐temperature relationship is stable back to 1879 C.E. The coral SST reconstruction contains robust interannual (~2.0°C) and multidecadal variability (~1.5°C) for the past 274 years, the latter of which does not covary with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. Winter SST extremes are more variable than summer SST extremes (±2.2°C versus ±1.6°C, 2σ) suggesting that Loop Current transport in the winter dominates variability on interannual and longer time scales. Summer SST maxima are increasing (+1.0°C for 274 years, σMC = ±0.5°C, 2σ), whereas winter SST minima contain no significant trend. Colder decades (~1.5°C) during the Little Ice Age (LIA) do not coincide with decades of sunspot minima. The coral SST reconstruction contains similar variability to temperature reconstructions from the northern Gulf of Mexico (planktic foraminifer Mg/Ca) and the Caribbean Sea (coral Sr/Ca) suggesting areal reductions in the Western Hemisphere Warm Pool during the LIA. Mean summer coral SST extremes post‐1985 C.E. (29.9°C) exceeds the long‐term summer average (29.2°C for 1734–2008 C.E.), yet the warming trend after 1985 C.E. (0.04°C for 24 years, σMC = ±0.5, 2σ) is not significant, whereas Caribbean coral Sr/Ca studies contain a warming trend for this interval.

Distribution of intact and core tetraether lipids in water column profiles of suspended particulate matter off Cape Blanc, NW Africa

In the reconstruction of sea surface temperature (SST) from sedimentary archives, secondary sources, lateral transport and selective preservation are considered to be mainly negligible in terms of influencing the primary signal. This is also true for the archaeal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) that form the basis for the TEX86 SST proxy. Our samples represent four years variability on a transect off Cape Blanc (NW Africa). We studied the subsurface production, vertical and lateral transport of intact polar lipids and core GDGTs in the water column at high vertical resolution on the basis of suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples from the photic zone, the subsurface oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), nepheloid layers (NL) and the water column between these. Furthermore we compared the water column SPM GDGT composition with that in underlying surface sediments. This is the first study that reports TEX86 values from the precursor intact polar lipids (IPLs) associated with specific head groups (IPL-specific TEX86). We show a clear deviation from the sea surface GDGT composition in the OMZ between 300 and 600m. Since neither lateral transport nor selective degradation provides a satisfactory explanation for the observed TEX-derived temperature profiles, with a bias towards higher temperatures for both core- and IPL-specific TEX86 values, we suggest that subsurface in situ production of archaea with a distinct relationship between lipid biosynthesis and temperature is a responsible mechanism. However, in the NW-African upwelling system the GDGT contribution of the OMZ to the surface sediments did not seem to affect the sedimentary TEX86 as it showed no bias and still reflected the signal of the surface waters between 0 and 60m.

Multi-specimen and multi-site calibration of Aleutian coralline algal Mg/Ca to sea surface temperature

Higher latitude oceanic and climatic reconstructions are needed to distinguish natural climate variability from anthropogenic warming in regions projected to experience significant increases in temperature during this century. Clathromorphum nereostratum is a long-lived coralline alga abundant along the Aleutian archipelago that records seasonal to centennial fluctuations in seawater temperatures in its high-Mg calcite skeleton. Thus, C. nereostratum is an important proxy archive to reconstruct past seawater temperature variability in this data-poor subarctic region. Here, we measured magnesium to calcium ratios (Mg/Ca) by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) along the growth axis in six live-collected specimens from three islands in the Aleutian archipelago to assess Mg/Ca reproducibility and to calibrate algal Mg/Ca against modern gridded sea surface temperature (SST) data products. The master Mg/Ca–SST transfer function, determined by averaging the algal Mg/Ca–SST from each island (n=6), resulted in a reconstruction error of ±0.45°C, a 31–46% reduction in error compared to the reconstruction error for a single alga. The master algal-SST record interpolated to monthly and annual resolution significantly varied with gridded SST data products (r2=0.98, p<0.0001, n=517 and r2=.27, p<0.0003, n=44, respectively) for the period from 1960 to 2003. Therefore, coralline algal Mg/Ca-derived SST reconstructions record absolute changes in past SST variability in the Aleutian archipelago. The transfer functions developed here can be applied to Mg/Ca records generated from long-lived specimens of C. nereostratum to reconstruct northern North Pacific and Bering Sea SST variability for the past several hundred years.

Millennial-scale Atlantic/East Pacific sea surface temperature linkages during the last 100,000 years

Amplifying both internally generated variability and remote climate signals from the Atlantic Ocean via coupled air–sea instabilities, the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) is well situated to detect past climate changes and variations in Central American wind systems that dynamically link the Atlantic and the Pacific.Here we compare new and previously published alkenone-based sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions from diverse environments within the ETP, i.e. the Eastern Pacific Warm Pool (EPWP), the equatorial and the northern Peruvian Upwelling regions over the past 100,000 yr. Over this time period, a fairly constant meridional temperature gradient across the region is observed, indicating similar hydrographic conditions during glacial and interglacial periods. The data further reveal that millennial-scale cold events associated with massive iceberg surges in the North Atlantic (Heinrich events) generate cooling in the ETP from ∼8°N to ∼2°S. Data from Heinrich event 1, however, indicate that the response changes sign south of 2°S. These millennial-scale alterations of the SST pattern across diverse environments of the ETP support previous climate modeling experiments that suggested an Atlantic–Pacific connection caused by the intensification of the Central American gap winds, enhanced upwelling and mixing north of the equator and supported by positive air–sea feedbacks in the eastern tropical Pacific.

Sea-surface temperature reconstruction from trace elements variations of tropical coralline red algae

We used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to obtain high-resolution variations of the Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Li/Ca composition of free-living forms (i.e. rhodoliths) of the coralline red algal species Sporolithon durum in order to test their potential to archive seawater temperature information. A monitoring experiment was conducted based on alizarin red S (ARS) staining of rhodoliths specimens collected in various locations across a ∼1 km2 rhodolith bed in the vicinity of Nouméa, New Caledonia, where in situ temperature (IST) variations were recorded for 22 months between November 2009 and August 2011. A >45-year comparison of Mg and trace elements with sea-surface temperature (SST) was established from the analysis of 5 different branches belonging to three of the largest (7.4–8.5 cm in diameter) rhodolith specimens observed at the site. Consistent mean Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Li/Ca concentrations and seasonal patterns are found for the rhodoliths' last living years (2009–2011) across 43 branches and for the full 1963–2008 period across the 5 branches. Average elemental concentrations (Mg/Ca: 0.31 ± 0.04 mol/mol; Sr/Ca: 3.5 ± 0.4 mmol/mol and Li/Ca: 0.08 ± 0.02 mmol/mol) fall within range of those found in the literature. Individual element variations show good reproducibility between records and Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Li/Ca co-vary systematically. Combined records of Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Li/Ca are highly correlated with the IST monthly pattern for the 2009–2011 period (0.82 < r < 0.91; p < 0.001) and with local variations of monthly SST for the 1963–2008 period (0.65 < r < 0.85; p < 0.001), with Mg/Ca systematically being the best fit to monthly seawater temperature variations. Inter-annual Mg/Ca anomalies show significant correlation with the Oceanic Nino Index (ONI), indicating that S. durum rhodoliths also have the capacity to record the regional climate pattern in the tropical Pacific. Finally, consistent variations between the combined Mg/Ca record in S. durum rhodoliths and one Sr/Ca record of a Porites sp. coral from the same site, as well as a similar relationship with local SST at both monthly and interannual scales, suggest that S. durum rhodoliths have the potential to compare favourably with corals in terms of SST reconstruction.

Influence of Northwest Cloudbands on Southwest Australian Rainfall

Northwest cloudbands are tropical-extratropical feature that crosses the Australian continent originating from Australia’s northwest coast and develops in a NW-SE orientation. In paper, atmospheric and oceanic reanalysis data (NCEP) and Reynolds reconstructed sea surface temperature data were used to examine northwest cloudband activity across the Australian mainland. An index that reflected the monthly, seasonal, and interannual activity of northwest cloudbands between 1950 and 1999 was then created. Outgoing longwave radiation, total cloud cover, and latent heat flux data were used to determine the number of days when a mature northwest cloudband covered part of the Australian continent between April and October. Regional indices were created for site-specific investigations, especially of cloudband-related rainfall. High and low cloudband activity can affect the distribution of cloudbands and their related rainfall. In low cloudband activity seasons, cloudbands were mostly limited to the south and west Australian coasts. In high cloudband activity seasons, cloudbands penetrated farther inland, which increased the inland rainfall. A case study of the southwest Australian region demonstrated that, in a below average rainfall year, cloudband-related rainfall was limited to the coast. In an above average rainfall year, cloudband-related rainfall occurred further inland.

A 12-Million-Year Temperature History of the Tropical Pacific Ocean

The appearance of permanent El Niño-like conditions prior to 3 million years ago is founded on sea-surface temperature (SST) reconstructions that show invariant Pacific warm pool temperatures and negligible equatorial zonal temperature gradients. However, only a few SST records are available, and these are potentially compromised by changes in seawater chemistry, diagenesis, and calibration limitations. For this study, we establish new biomarker-SST records and show that the Pacific warm pool was ~4°C warmer 12 million years ago. Both the warm pool and cold tongue slowly cooled toward modern conditions while maintaining a zonal temperature gradient of ~3°C in the late Miocene, which increased during the Plio-Pleistocene. Our results contrast with previous temperature reconstructions that support the supposition of a permanent El Niño-like state.

Organic-geochemical proxies of sea surface temperature in surface sediments of the tropical eastern Indian Ocean

In this study we reconstruct sea surface temperatures (SSTs) using two lipid-based biomarker proxies (alkenone unsaturation index U37K′ and TEX86 index based on glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers) in 36 surface sediment samples from the Indonesian continental margin off west Sumatra and south of Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands. Comparison of measured temperatures (World Ocean Atlas 09) to reconstructed temperatures suggests that SST estimates based on U37K′ reflect the SE monsoon SST in the upwelling area south of Java and the Lesser Sunda Islands. Estimates based on TEX86 using the calibration for temperatures >20°C (TEX86H) are up to 2°C lower than U37K′-based SSTs. This offset is possibly related to either one or a combination of two factors: (i) the depth habitats of the source organisms and (ii) different seasonal production and/or seasonality of export associated with phytoplankton blooming triggered by primary productivity. In the non-upwelling area off west Sumatra, the alkenone-based SSTs are cooler than measured temperatures during the entire year, likely reflecting the limitations of the U37K′ proxy beyond 28°C, while reconstructed temperatures based on TEX86H are consistent with mean annual SST.

Variations in GDGT distributions through the water column in the South East Atlantic Ocean

The TetraEther indeX of 86 carbon atoms (TEX86) temperature proxy is widely used in reconstructions of past sea surface temperature. Most current calibrations are based on surface sediment distributions of the glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether lipids (GDGTs) that comprise TEX86 and assume that these GDGTs are exported from the upper mixed layer. However, GDGT export from deeper waters could impact sedimentary GDGT distributions and therefore TEX86 paleothermometry. Here we examine GDGT distributions in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and underlying sediments collected from the Southeast Atlantic Ocean. Our results reveal different GDGT distributions – specifically the ratio between GDGTs bearing 2 vs. 3 cyclopentyl moieties, [2/3] ratios – between surface, subsurface (>50–200m) and deep water (>200m) SPM, which suggests the occurrence of in situ (deep) production that is not apparent when considering TEX86. The GDGT distributions in sediments match those of subsurface waters rather than surface waters, suggesting that they have not been preferentially derived from the upper mixed layer; this is consistent with GDGT abundances being highest in shallow subsurface SPM (∼100 to 200m). It remains unclear what governs the different [2/3] ratios throughout the water column, but it is likely related to a combination of temperature and thaumarchaeotal community structure.

An offset in TEX86 values between interbedded lithologies: Implications for sea-surface temperature reconstructions

The TEX86 (TetraEther indeX of tetraethers consisting of 86 carbon atoms) sea-surface temperature (SST) proxy is based on the distribution of isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) membrane lipids of pelagic Thaumarchaeota that are preserved in marine sediments. It is a valuable tool for reconstructing past SSTs from sedimentary archives; however there are still major uncertainties as to the effects of variables other than temperature on the proxy. Here we present the first study of GDGT variability across early Cretaceous interbedded pelagic and shelf-sourced turbiditic sediments from two Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) sites in the western North Atlantic. The results indicate that a small, but consistent, offset in TEX86 ratios, equivalent to ~1–2°C of temperature difference, occurs between interbedded lithologies of a similar age. The offset can be attributed to spatial differences in sea-surface temperatures or thaumarchaeotal populations between the shelf and the open ocean, or to secondary diagenetic effects related to oxic degradation of the GDGTs. Of these, a difference in either thaumarchaeotal taxa or ecology between those living in the shelf and ocean areas seems most plausible. Regardless of the root cause of the offset, these findings highlight the necessity of careful sample selection prior to TEX86 analysis, to ensure robust interpretation of palaeotemperature trends.

Qualitative and quantitative reconstructions of surface water characteristics and recent hydrographical changes in the Trondheimsfjord, central Norway

Abstract. In the present study we investigated dinocyst assemblages in the Trondheimsfjord over the last 25 to 50 yr from three well-dated multi-cores (210Pb and 137Cs) retrieved along the fjord axis. The downcore distribution of the dinocysts is discussed in view of changes in key hydrographic parameters of the surface waters (sea-surface temperatures (SSTs), sea-surface salinities (SSSs), and river discharges) monitored in the fjord. We examine the impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation pattern and of waste water supply from the local industry and agriculture on the fjord ecological state and thus dinocyst species diversity. Our results show that dinocyst production and diversity in the fjord is not evidently affected by human-induced eutrophication. Instead the assemblages appear to be mainly controlled by the NAO-related changes in nutrient availability and the physico-chemical characteristics of the surface mixed layer. Still, discharges of major rivers have been modulated since 1985 by the implementation of hydropower plants, which certainly influences the amounts of nutrients supplied to the fjord. The impact, however, is variable according to the local geographical setting, and barely differentiated from natural changes in river run off. We ultimately test the use of the modern analogue technique (MAT) for the reconstruction of winter and summer SSTs and SSSs and annual primary productivity (PP) in this particular fjord setting. The reconstructed data are compared with time series of summer and winter SSTs and SSSs measured at 10 m water depth, as well as with mean annual PPs along the Norwegian coast and in Scandinavian fjords. The reconstructions are generally in good agreement with the instrumental measurements and observations from other fjords. Major deviations can be attributed to peculiarities in the assemblages linked to the particular fjord setting and the related hydrological structure.

Spatial and temporal variability of SST and ocean color in the Gulf of Maine based on cloud-free SST and chlorophyll reconstructions in 2003–2012

The spatial and temporal variability of sea surface temperature (SST) and Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) is examined using daily, cloud-free Data INterpolating Empirical Orthogonal Function (DINEOF) reconstructions during 2003–2012. The utility of the DINEOF SST and Chl-a is demonstrated through direct comparisons with buoy- and ship-based observations. EOF analyses of cloud-free products are further used to quantify the SST and Chl-a variability on seasonal to inter-annual timescales. The first mode of SST is dominated by an annual cycle in response to net surface heat flux, with SST lagging surface flux by ~57days. The second mode of SST underscores interactions between GOM, the Scotian Shelf, and the slope sea in response to the basin scale atmospheric forcing represented by the North Atlantic Oscillation. The third mode correlates well with the evolution of Scotian Shelf-slope frontal displacement. The first EOF mode of Chl-a is dominated by a winter–spring bloom and a fall bloom, with a spatial distribution modified by the tidal mixing that facilitates nutrient delivery from the deep ocean. The second EOF mode is likely associated with a winter bloom in the warm slope sea, where the low-frequency variations of second modes of SST and Chl-a are in phase, suggesting a possible coupling between physical and biological responses to atmospheric forcing. The third mode of the Chl-a is likely associated with freshening events associated with advection of the Scotian Shelf Water, which enhance stratifications in the eastern GOM.

Sea surface temperature variations in the western Mediterranean Sea over the last 20 kyr: A dual‐organic proxy (U K′ 37 and LDI) approach

A high-resolution sea surface temperature (SST) reconstruction of the western Mediterranean was accomplished using two independent, algae-based molecular organic proxies, i.e., the U-37(K) index based on long-chain unsaturated ketones and the novel long-chain diol index (LDI) based on the relative abundances of C-28 and C-30 1,13- and 1,15-diols. Two marine records, from the western and eastern Alboran Sea basin, spanning the last 14 and 20kyr, respectively, were studied. Results from the surface sediments suggest that the two proxies presently reflect seasons with similar SST or simply annual mean SST. Both proxy records reveal the transition from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene in the eastern Alboran Sea with an SST increase of approximately 7 degrees C for U-37(K) and 9 degrees C for LDI. Minimum SSTs (10-12 degrees C) are reached at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum and during the last Heinrich event with a subsequent rapid SST increase in LDI-SST toward the beginning of the Bolling period (20 degrees C), while U-37(K)-SST remains constantly low (similar to 12 degrees C). The Bolling-Allerod period is characterized by a rapid increase and subsequent decrease in U-37(K)-SST, while the LDI-SST decrease continuously. Short-term fluctuations in U-37(K)-SST are probably related to the availability of nutrients and seasonal changes. The Younger Dryas is recorded as a short cold interval followed by progressively warmer temperatures. During the Holocene, the general lower U-37(K)-derived temperature values in the eastern Alboran (by approximately 1.5-2 degrees C) suggest a southeastward cold water migration by the western Alboran gyre and divergence in the haptophyte blooming season between both basins. Key Points High-resolution SST reconstruction is performed in the westernmost Mediterranean Two algae-based proxies show the temperature evolution for the last 20 kyr Derived SSTs suggest different growth seasons of alkenone and diol producers

Reconstruction of southwestern Atlantic sea surface temperatures during the last Century: Cabo Frio continental shelf (Brazil)

Modern sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were estimated from UK′37 values of ten core-top sediment samples collected under the Cabo Frio upwelling system and validated by comparison with satellite-derived SSTs. UK′37-SSTs were found to reflect annual SST means in the offshore area and seasonal means (winter/spring) in the inshore and central areas. The latter areas are mainly influenced by upwelling processes whereas the offshore area is under the influence of the thermal front of the Brazil Current (BC). SST variability during the last century was then reconstructed from three short sediment cores. The record showed a general cooling trend in the inshore and central areas, suggesting intensification of the upwelling process. The trends at the offshore area reflected oscillations of the BC thermal front, with piling up of warmer BC waters closer to the coast since ca. 1950.

CO2 radiative forcing and Intertropical Convergence Zone influences on western Pacific warm pool climate over the past 400 ka

The western Pacific warm pool (WPWP) is an important heat source for the atmospheric circulation and influences climate conditions worldwide. Estimating WPWP sensitivity to past radiative forcing perturbations is important for understanding the magnitudes and patterns of current and projected tropical climate change. Here we present a new Mg/Ca-based sea surface temperature (SST) reconstruction over the past 400ka from the Bismarck Sea, off Papua New Guinea, along with benthic foraminiferal δ18O records and a transient intermediate complexity earth system model simulation. The Mg/Ca-SST record exhibits a close similarity with atmospheric CO2 content for the whole study period. Our model analysis demonstrates that greenhouse gas forcing is the primary driver for glacial/interglacial SST changes in the entire WPWP region. Mg/Ca-SST in the Bismarck Sea also includes a weaker precessional component, which covaries with reconstructed and simulated local precipitation, and simulated surface currents. We propose that orbitally driven latitudinal shifts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and oceanic heat advection are responsible for this residual SST variability. On glacial timescales the reconstructed WPWP surface temperature changes over the past 400ka are highly correlated with East Antarctic air temperature variations. The strong effect of greenhouse gas forcings on both records and on global mean temperature variability allows us to determine a scaling factor of 1–1.5 between reconstructed WPWP temperature anomalies and estimates of the global mean temperature.

Study on the “winter persistence barrier” of Indian Ocean dipole events using observation data and CMIP5 model outputs

This study investigates the persistence barrier phenomenon associated with positive Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) events during the various phases of its development. The results derived from three observational datasets (the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation, International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set, and Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature) indicate that significant winter persistence barriers (WPBs) occur during IOD events, both in its growing and decaying phases. The simulation skill of the 14 models within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 with respect to persistence barriers was also evaluated and compared with observational data. The results show that although most models were able to simulate the WPB reasonably well during the growing phase, only five models could capture the appropriate WPB during the decaying phase. Further analysis demonstrates that the zonal equatorial gradient of climatological sea surface temperature (SST) and zonal sea surface winds at the equator in the Indian Ocean are very weak in winter, which indicates that the coupling between ocean and atmosphere is weakest in winter and encourages a rapid variation of IOD events and a swift reduction of persistence, favoring the occurrence of WPBs; furthermore, a deep climatological thermocline in winter implies that the subsurface water temperature cannot influence SST readily, and the memory of the subsurface temperature cannot help SST to recover from the loss of persistence during this period, leading to the occurrence of WPBs. In addition, an analysis of the climatological conditions in the outputs from the 14 models shows that those models that can (cannot) capture the winter climatological conditions frequently simulate the WPBs appropriately (poorly). This confirms that the occurrence of the WPB for IOD events may be closely related to particular winter climatological conditions, indicating that the WPB is an inherent property of IOD events.

The impact of tropical western Pacific convection on the North Pacific atmospheric circulation during the boreal winter

In this study, we investigate the impact of atmospheric convection over the western tropical Pacific (100–145°E, 0–20°N) on the boreal winter North Pacific atmosphere flow by analyzing National Center for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis 1, Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature and Global Precipitation Climatology Project data. The western tropical Pacific convection is not only the main energy source driving the local Hadley and Walker circulations, but it also significantly influences North Pacific circulation, by modifying a mid-latitude Jet stream through the connection with the local Hadley circulation. On the one hand, this strong convection leads to a northward expansion of local Hadley cells simultaneous with a northward movement of the western North Pacific jet because of the close correlation between the Jet and Hadley circulation boundaries. On the other hand, this strong convection also intensifies tropical Pacific Walker circulation, which reduces the eastern Pacific sea surface temperature, resembling a La Nina state through the enhanced equatorial upwelling. The cooling of the eastern tropical Pacific has an inter-tropical convergence zone located further north; thus, the local Hadley circulation moves northward. As a result, the jet axis over the eastern North Pacific, which also corresponds to the boundary of the local Hadley circulation, moves to higher latitude. Consequently, this northward movement of the Jet axis over the North Pacific is reflected as a northwest–southeast dipole sea level pressure (SLP) pattern. The composite analysis of SLP over the North Pacific against the omega (Ω) (Pa/s) at 500 hPa over the western tropical Pacific actually reveals that this northwest-southeast dipole structure is attributed to the intensified tropical western Pacific convection, which pushes the Pacific Jet to the north. Finally we also analyzed south Pacific for the austral winter as did previously to North Pacific, and found that the results were consistent.