Atlantic circulation changes across a stadial-interstadial transition

We combine consistently dated benthic carbon isotopic records distributed over the entire Atlantic Ocean with numerical simulations performed by a glacial configuration of the Norwegian Earth System Model with active ocean biogeochemistry, in order to interpret the observed Cibicides &delta;13C changes at the stadial-interstadial transition corresponding to the end of Heinrich Stadial 4 (HS4) in terms of ocean circulation and remineralization changes. We show that the marked increase in Cibicides &delta;13C observed at the end of HS4 between ~2000 and 4200 m in the Atlantic can be explained by changes in nutrient concentrations as simulated by the model in response to the halting of freshwater input in the high latitude glacial North Atlantic. Our model results show that this Cibicides &delta;13C signal is associated with changes in the ratio of southern-sourced (SSW) versus northern-sourced (NSW) water masses at the core sites, whereby SSW is replaced by NSW as a consequence of the resumption of deep water formation in the northern North Atlantic and Nordic Seas after the freshwater input is halted. Our results further suggest that the contribution of ocean circulation changes to this signal increases from ~40 % at 2000 m to ~80 % at 4000 m. Below ~4200 m, the model shows little ocean circulation change but an increase in remineralization across the transition marking the end of HS4. The simulated lower remineralization during stadials than interstadials is particularly pronounced in deep subantarctic sites, in agreement with the decrease in the export production of carbon to the deep Southern Ocean during stadials found in previous studies.</p

Atlantic circulation changes across a stadial-interstadial transition

[EN] We combine consistently dated benthic carbon isotopic records distributed over the entire Atlantic Ocean with numerical simulations performed by a glacial configuration of the Norwegian Earth System Model with active ocean biogeochemistry in order to interpret the observed Cibicides 13C changes at the stadial-interstadial transition corresponding to the end of Heinrich Stadial 4 (HS4) in terms of ocean circulation and remineralization changes. We show that the marked increase in Cibicides 13C observed at the end of HS4 between g1/42000 and 4200gm in the Atlantic can be explained by changes in nutrient concentrations as simulated by the model in response to the halting of freshwater input in the high-latitude glacial North Atlantic. Our model results show that this Cibicides 13C signal is associated with changes in the ratio of southern-sourced (SSW) versus northern-sourced (NSW) water masses at the core sites, whereby SSW is replaced by NSW as a consequence of the resumption of deep-water formation in the northern North Atlantic and Nordic Seas after the freshwater input is halted. Our results further suggest that the contribution of ocean circulation changes to this signal increases from g1/440g% at 2000gm to g1/480g% at 4000gm. Below g1/44200gm, the model shows little ocean circulation change but an increase in remineralization across the transition marking the end of HS4. The simulated lower remineralization during stadials compared to during interstadials is particularly pronounced in deep subantarctic sites, in agreement with the decrease in the export production of carbon to the deep Southern Ocean during stadials found in previous studies.This research has been supported by the Research Council of Norway (RNC – KLIMAFORSK contract no. 326603/E10 and Coordination and Support Activity contract no. 310328/E10). The research leading to these results derives from exchanges and collaborations between participants in the ACCLIMATE ERC project (FP7/2007-2013 grant agreement no. 339108) and ice2ice ERC project (FP7/2007-2013 grant agreement no. 610055). Guncheng Guo acknowledges support from the RCN-funded project ABRUPT (project no. 325333). Susana Lebreiro acknowledges funding from project CTM2017-84113-R. Jerry Tjiputra acknowledges RCN project INES (project no. 270061).Peer reviewe

High-resolution sea surface reconstructions off Cape Hatteras over the last 10 ka

International audienceThis study presents high-resolution foraminiferal-based sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity and upper water column stratification reconstructions off Cape Hatteras, a region sensitive to atmospheric and thermohaline circulation changes associated with the Gulf Stream. We focus on the last 10,000 years (10 ka) to study the surface hydrology changes under our current climate conditions and discuss the centennial to millennial time scale variability. We observed opposite evolutions between the conditions off Cape Hatteras and those south of Iceland, known today for the North Atlantic Oscillation pattern. We interpret the temperature and salinity changes in both regions as co-variation of activities of the subtropical and subpolar gyres. Around 8.3 ka and 5.2-3.5 ka, positive salinity anomalies are reconstructed off Cape Hatteras. We demonstrate, for the 5.2-3.5 ka period, that the salinity increase was caused by the cessation of the low salinity surface flow coming from the north. A northward displacement of the Gulf Stream, blocking the southbound low-salinity flow, concomitant to a reduced Meridional Overturning Circulation is the most likely scenario. Finally, wavelet transform analysis revealed a 1000-year period pacing the δ18O signal over the early Holocene. This 1000-year frequency band is significantly coherent with the 1000-year frequency band of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) between 9.5 ka and 7 ka and both signals are in phase over the rest of the studied period

Benthic foraminifera stable isotopes and bottom water oxygen estimation from the chilean margin

We investigate the geometry and ventilation of the water masses within bathyal depths (~1500 - ~2500 m) of the Southeast Pacific (SEP), inferring the lower depth limit variations of the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) since ~22 kyr cal. BP. We use three cores collected at the upper limit of the Pacific Deep Waters, between 41°S and 49°S and one core at a greater depth within this same water mass, at 46°S. The benthic foraminiferal assemblages and carbon and oxygen isotopes are used to show strong linkages between the timing of the deglacial Southern Ocean upwelling events and changes in the vertical extension and ventilation of the AAIW. In accordance with local/sub-local oxygen reconstructions, we propose at least 3 states of ventilation-AAIW vertical extension; i) the late glacial and the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR): AAIW depth-limit shoals, as its formation zone moves northward, ii) the deglaciation (excluding the ACR): the [O2] enrichment of the AAIW and the dominance of benthic species Trifarina angulosa indicate ventilated AAIW, along with a deepening of its lower limit, iii) the Holocene: enhanced influence of the Pacific Deep Water at bathyal depths (1500 -2500 m) in the SEP north of ~46°S, and the Circumpolar Deep Water south of ~46°S