Inception of the Northern European ice sheet due to contrasting ocean and insolation forcing

About 115,000 yr ago the last interglacial reached its terminus and nucleation of new ice-sheet growth was initiated. Evidence from the northernmost Nordic Seas indicate that the inception of the last glacial was related to an intensification of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in its northern limb. The enhanced AMOC, combined with minimum Northern hemisphere insolation, introduced a strong sea-land thermal gradient that, together with a strong wintertime latitudinal insolation gradient, increased the storminess and moisture transport to the high Northern European latitudes at a time when the Northern hemisphere summer insolation approached its minimum.     

南海晚第四纪陆源沉积:粒度组成、动力控制及反映的东亚季风演化

对南海北部MD05-2904孔、西部MD05-2901孔、南部MD05-2897孔的有孔虫氧同位素进行测定,建立了高分辨率的年代地层。对3个孔的陆源碎屑组分的粒度分布进行了测定和主成分因子分析,结果发现,南海北部陆坡（南部陆坡）的陆源碎屑沉积特征主要受单一的因子Fn（Fs）控制,它可以控制62%（59%）的粒度变化特征。与Fn密切相关的粒度组分为1.52～2.92μm和11.8～27.4μm,与Fs相关的粒度组分为<2.42μm和6.76～14.30μm。南海西部陆坡获得两个主控因子Fw1和Fw2,分别控制46%和32%的粒度变化特征,与Fw1相关的粒度组分为1.26～2.66μm和10.8～14.3μm,与Fw2相关的粒度组分为4.24～7.42μm和30.1～43.7μm。对敏感粒级的变化序列进行分析发现,北部的Fn与海平面升降作用紧密相关,呈现冰期/间冰期旋回尺度的周期性。而南部的Fs呈现高频的岁差周期波动,可能与夏季风演化引起的源区风化、河流搬运等的变化有关。南海西部的陆源沉积物主要来自南海的西南和北部两个地区,分别由东亚夏季风和冬季风驱动的洋流搬运,Fw1和Fw2恰恰代表了这两种动力控制。因此,Fw1和Fw2控制的粒度组成变化间接指示了东亚夏季风和冬季风的演化。研究认为,晚第四纪以来东亚夏季风受控于低纬区的夏季日射量的变化,呈现典型的岁差周期性,而冬季风主要受高纬冰盖变化驱动,呈冰期/间冰期旋回尺度的波动,这反映了东亚季风演化的双重驱动机制。     

A prolonged warm and humid interval during marine isotope stage 13–15 as revealed by hydrographic reconstructions from the South China Sea (IMAGES MD972142)

Variations of orbital-driven insolation, ice volume, and greenhouse gas effects have been proposed as major controlling factors in determining the timing and amplitude of Quaternary cyclic climate changes. However, it remains to be determined how the internal feedback in the tropical atmosphere and ocean and the coupling between the low- and high-latitude systems may have produced instability or non-cyclic changes in the long-term climate evolution. Such “abnormalities” have been reported increasingly from paleoclimatic reconstructions in East Asia and the western Pacific for a prolonged warm and humid climate interval during marine isotope stage (MIS) 13–15, ～475–610 kya. To better address the climate abnormality in MIS 13–15 that has been observed in the western Pacific, here we report high-resolution late Quaternary planktic foraminifer faunal abundance and faunal sea surface temperature (SST) records from the International Marine Past Global Change (IMAGES) program core MD972142, which was retrieved from the southeastern South China Sea (SCS). Our results indicate that the faunal assemblages and SSTs in the southeastern SCS express a substantially prolonged, unusual warm interglacial-type climate condition in MIS 13–15. The climate was abnormally warm during the cold MIS 14. Our study also suggests a lowering of sea surface salinity (SSS) during MIS 13–15. While the western Pacific climate experienced a persistently warm and humid period at MIS 14, a “normal” cooling (～2 °C) condition on the surface of the eastern equatorial Pacific existed concomitantly. While assessing possible interpretations of this “abnormal” climate interval in MIS 13–15, our study indicates that an enhanced interhemispheric and/or longitudinal temperature gradient across the basin-wide Pacific cannot be ruled out. A change in the sensitivity of the East Asian Monsoon (EAM) that controlled temperature and precipitation patterns in East Asia and the western Pacific is probably also important or responsible for this climate abnormality. Based on our evidence, we suggest that the tropical dynamics would have played a role in the climate abnormality in MIS 13–15, through maintaining or even increasing the longitudinal SST gradient in the equatorial Pacific, which may have intensified the low-latitude trade winds in the eastern component of the Walker Circulation that drove a longer duration and/or stronger intensity of the summer vs. winter EAM.     

中更新世气候转型期南海北部和南部的气候变化差异

选取大洋钻探ODP184航次在南海北部采集的1144站为研究材料,通过分析中更新世0.4～1.4Ma期间506个样品中浮游有孔虫氧、碳稳定同位素的变化特征,并与南海南部ODP 1143站和西太平洋暖池ODP 807站的同位素资料进行比较,发现南海北部的氧、碳稳定同位素及其差值的变化响应中更新世气候转型事件,在中更新世距今约0.9Ma之后100ka的偏心率周期明显增强。在中更新世气候转型之前,南海北部、南海南部和赤道西太平洋都呈现出典型的热带气候特征,具有岁差和半岁差的气候周期;转型之后,随着北半球冰盖的进一步扩张,南海北部受东亚冬季风增强的影响而导致温度下降、温跃层变深,但南海南部与赤道西太平洋的温度变化较小且温跃层变浅,说明同属季风区的南海北部和南部对气候变化的响应有所不同。     

A High-Resolution Sea-Surface Temperature Record from the Tropical South China Sea (16,500–3000 yr B.P.)

The timing and magnitude of sea-surface temperature (SST) changes in the tropical southern South China Sea (SCS) during the last 16,500 years have been reconstructed on a high-resolution, ¹⁴C-dated sediment core using three different foraminiferal transfer functions (SIMMAX28, RAM, FP-12E) and geochemical (U^k′₃₇) SST estimates. In agreement with CLIMAP reconstructions, both the FP-12E and the U^k′₃₇ SST estimates show an average late glacial–interglacial SST difference of 2.0°C, whereas the RAM and SIMMAX28 foraminiferal transfer functions show only a minor (0.6°C) or no consistent late glacial–interglacial SST change, respectively. Both the U^k′₃₇ and the FP-12E SST estimates, as well as the planktonic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O values, indicate an abrupt warming (ca. 1°C in <200 yr) at the end of the last glaciation, synchronous (within dating uncertainties) with the Bølling transition as recorded in the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) ice core, whereas the RAM-derived deglacial SST increase appears to lag during this event by ca. 500 yr. The similarity in abruptness and timing of the warming associated with the Bølling transition in Greenland and the southern SCS suggest a true synchrony of the Northern Hemisphere warming at the end of the last glaciation. In contrast to the foraminiferal transfer function estimates that do not indicate any consistent cooling associated with the Younger Dryas (YD) climate event in the tropical SCS, the U^k′₃₇ SST estimates show a cooling of ca. 0.2–0.6°C compared to the Bølling–Allerød period. These U^k′₃₇ SST estimates from the southern SCS argue in favor of a Northern Hemisphere-wide, synchronous cooling during the YD period.     

Enhanced Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation supports the Last Glacial Inception

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a key feature of the climate system. However, its role during climate change is still poorly constrained particularly during an Interglacial to Glacial climate transition and the associated global cooling. We present here the first reconstruction of the evolution of the vertical structure of the rate of the AMOC from the Last Interglaciation to the subsequent glaciation (128,000–60,000 years ago) based on sedimentary (²³¹Pa/²³⁰Th) records. We show a deep AMOC during the interglacial warmth Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5.5 and a shallower glacial one during glacial MIS 4. The change between these two patterns occurred mostly during the glacial inception, i.e. the transition from MIS 5.5 to MIS 5.4. Our data show that AMOC was enhanced during this latter transition as a consequence of a large increase of the overturning rate of the Intermediate Waters, above 2500 m. We suggest that this AMOC pattern required a reinforced Gulf Stream-North Atlantic Current system that ultimately supported ice-sheet growth by providing heat and moisture to the Northern high latitudes. From MIS 5.4 to MIS 5.1, the AMOC was broadly continuous below 2000 m and supported periods of ice-sheet growth. As a result, a glacial AMOC is triggered at the beginning of MIS 4 due to the extension of ice-sheet and the subsequent reorganization of deep-water formation. This study highlights the role of intermediate waters as a major player during climate change.     

Continental ice sheets and the planetary radiation budget

The interaction between continential ice sheets and the planetary radiation budget is potentially important in climate-sensitivity studies. A simple ice-sheet model incorporated in an energybalance climate model provides a tool for studying this interaction in a quantitative way. Experiments in which the ice-sheet model is coupled step by step to the climate model show that ice sheets hardly affect the zonal mean radiation balance because the albedo feedback due to sea ice and snow cover is dominating. The model requires a 5% drop in the solar constant to create ice sheets of ice-age size.If the feedback between surface elevation and ice-mass balance is included (in a very crude way), the ice-sheet size (L, measured southward from 70°N) becomes much more sensitive to in insolation. For a range of normalized solar constants, roughly from 0.98 to 1.02, two stable solutions exist: L 0 and L 2000 km. This result demonstrates that the response of ice sheets to insolation variations is far from linear. It also stresses the need for explicit modeling of the ice-mass balance of ice sheets, particularly its dependence on surface elevation.     

中更新世气候转型时期南海生态环境的南北差异

中更新世气候转型在南海浮游有孔虫、氧同位素和其它生物记录上主要反映在900 ka BP前后发生高频率变化,特别是指示表层水骤然降温。北部冬季表层水温从24~25℃降至17~28℃,而南部也从26~27℃降至23~24℃。总的降温趋势与开放西太平洋一致,直接反映了西太平洋暖池在900 ka BP之后MIS22期间有明显的减弱。表层水大幅度降温还发生在后继的MIS 20、18、16几大冰期,说明主要冰期旋回周期由41 ka转变为100 ka经历了长达400 ka的过渡时期,并且冬季风增强也在过渡时期的后半段最明显。南海南北生物组合和δ18O值的差异,突出了中更新世气候转型期边缘海区南北气候梯度反差和冬季风在冰期增强的讯号。结论是：生态环境系统反应总体表现与冰期旋回一致的同时,还包含了独特的地区性系统演变特征。但是,南海—西太平洋地区在0.9 Ma BP前后表层海水盐度因东亚冬季风和海平面下降的定量变化,以及这些变化对气候转型时期海—气耦合过程和生态环境系统的影响,尚缺乏足够的资料和证据。     

南海南部晚第四纪表层海水温度的变化及其与极地冰芯古气候记录的比较

本次研究选取南海南部"太阳号"95航次17961-2柱状样(8°30.4′N,112°19.9′E,水深1795m,柱长10.3m)的175块样品进行浮游(Globigerinoides ruber)和底栖有孔虫(Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi)的氧碳稳定同位素及浮游有孔虫G.ruber壳体的Mg/Ca比值测定,再造了距今约140ka以来时间分辨率约800年的表层海水温度(SST)变化,揭示末次冰期南海南部的SST曾降温达约5℃,且存在类似Dansgaard-Oeschger(D/O)事件的千年尺度波动。将南海南部的研究结果与极地冰芯古气候记录进行对比,发现在千年时间尺度上南海南部SST的变化特征与南极冰芯的古气候变化相一致,而与格陵兰冰芯^δ18O所展示的锯齿状形态D/O事件的变化不一样,且最近的两个末次冰消期南海南部SST与代表高纬冰盖体积大小的底栖有孔虫^δ18O几乎同步变化,反映南海南部热带海区古气候变化的特殊性,为进一步研究低纬热带海区在全球古气候变化中的作用提供了新证据。     

Link between convection and meridional gradient of sea surface temperature in the Bay of Bengal

We use daily satellite estimates of sea surface temperature (SST) and rainfall during 1998–2005 to show that onset of convection over the central Bay of Bengal (88–92°E, 14–18°N) during the core summer monsoon (mid-May to September) is linked to the meridional gradient of SST in the bay. The SST gradient was computed between two boxes in the northern (88–92°E, 18–22°N) and southern (82–88°E, 4–8°N) bay; the latter is the area of the cold tongue in the bay linked to the Summer Monsoon Current. Convection over central bay followed the SST difference between the northern and southern bay (ΔT) exceeding 0.75°C in 28 cases. There was no instance of ΔT exceeding this threshold without a burst in convection. There were, however, five instances of convection occurring without this SST gradient. Long rainfall events (events lasting more than a week) were associated with an SST event (ΔT ≥ 0.75°C); rainfall events tended to be short when not associated with an SST event. The SST gradient was important for the onset of convection, but not for its persistence: convection often persisted for several days even after the SST gradient weakened. The lag between ΔT exceeding 0.75°C and the onset of convection was 0–18 days, but the lag histogram peaked at one week. In 75% of the 28 cases, convection occurred within a week of ΔT exceeding the threshold of 0.75°C. The northern bay SST, T _N , contributed more to ΔT, but it was a weaker criterion for convection than the SST gradient. A sensitivity analysis showed that the corresponding threshold for T _N was 29°C. We hypothesise that the excess heating (∼1°C above the threshold for deep convection) required in the northern bay to trigger convection is because this excess in SST is what is required to establish the critical SST gradient.     

Oceanic evidence for the mechanism of rapid northern hemisphere glaciation

The oxygen isotopic stage 5/4 boundary in deep-sea sediments marks a prominent interval of northern hemisphere ice-sheet growth that lasted about 10,000 yr. During much of this rapid ice growth, the North Atlantic Ocean from at least 40°N to 60°N maintained warm sea-surface temperatures, within 1° to 2°C of today's subpolar ocean. This oceanic warmth provided a local source of moisture for ice-sheet accretion on the adjacent continents. The unusually strong thermal gradient off the east coast of North America (an “interglacial” ocean alongside a “glacial” land mass) also should have directed low-pressure storms from warm southern latitudes north-ward toward the Laurentide Ice Sheet. In addition, minimal calving of ice into the North Atlantic occurred during most of the stage 5/4 transition, indicative of ice retention within the continents. Diminished summer and autumn insolation, a warm subpolar ocean, and minimal calving of ice are conducive to rapid and extensive episodes of northern hemisphere ice-sheet growth.     

The grain-size characterisation of coastal sand from the Somme estuary to Belgium: Sediment sorting processes and mixing in a tide- and storm-dominated setting

Sand-rich Holocene to modern clastic deposits in the eastern English Channel and the southern North Sea coasts of France and Belgium occur extensively as nearshore-sand bank, estuarine-tidal flat, aeolian dune and beach sub-environments. Sand samples (n = 665) collected from these deposits suggest the presence of three different populations: a largely dominant (83%) medium to fine quartz sand population (“b”), and finer- (14%) and coarser-grained (4%) populations (respectively “c” and “a”). The distribution of these populations among the four sub-environments reflects tide- and storm-dominated sorting and transport processes and a variable degree of mixing. These populations are derived from a mixture of very fine- to very coarse-grained fluvial, outwash and paraglacial sediments deposited on the beds of the eastern English Channel and southern North Sea during the late Pleistocene lowstand. The nearshore-sand bank environment, which also corresponds to the main offshore source area of the coastal deposits, exhibits population heterogeneity reflecting the variability of hydrodynamic conditions and sediment sorting in this zone. The nearshore topography of tidal ridges, banks and troughs in these tidal seas leads to variable bed and tide- and storm-induced shear stress conditions. These conditions only allow for the mobilisation and onshore transport of some of the finer fractions (populations “b” and “c”), leaving an offshore mixture of these finer populations with coarser, less mobilisable sediments (population “a”). Once in the coastal zone, these two finer populations undergo further hydrodynamic sorting and segregation. Variably sorted very fine sands to silts (population “c”) are trapped in the low-energy estuarine-tidal flat sub-environment, while the highly homogeneous population “b” is further sorted in aeolian dune and beach sub-environments. This sorting occurs via a coastal sand transport pathway linking the Somme estuary mouth to the southern North Sea bight where tidal range and wave energy decrease relative to the English Channel. Since this sand transport pathway enables longshore transport of hydrodynamically sorted medium to fine sand derived directly from the immediate nearshore zone, it has further contributed to a net flux of this sand population from the eastern English Channel sea bed to the southern North Sea.     

Orbital changes and climate

At the 41,000-period of orbital tilt, summer insolation forces a lagged response in northern ice sheets. This delayed ice signal is rapidly transferred to nearby northern oceans and landmasses by atmospheric dynamics. These ice-driven responses lead to late-phased changes in atmospheric CO₂ that provide positive feedback to the ice sheets and also project ‘late’ 41-K forcing across the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere. Responses in austral regions are also influenced by a fast response to summer insolation forcing at high southern latitudes.At the 22,000-year precession period, northern summer insolation again forces a lagged ice-sheet response, but with muted transfers to proximal regions and no subsequent effect on atmospheric CO₂. Most 22,000-year greenhouse-gas responses have the ‘early’ phase of July insolation. July forcing of monsoonal and boreal wetlands explains the early CH₄ response. The slightly later 22-K CO₂ response originates in the southern hemisphere. The early 22-K CH₄ and CO₂ responses add to insolation forcing of the ice sheets.The dominant 100,000-year response of ice sheets is not externally forced, nor does it result from internal resonance. Internal forcing appears to play at most a minor role. The origin of this signal lies mainly in internal feedbacks (CO₂ and ice albedo) that drive the gradual build-up of large ice sheets and then their rapid destruction. Ice melting during terminations is initiated by uniquely coincident forcing from insolation and greenhouse gases at the periods of tilt and precession.     

西太平洋深海沉积物记录的～80ka以来风尘物质输入与东亚冬季风强度

大洋沉积物中的风尘记录良好地揭示了风尘源区干旱化过程和季风强度变化。以位于西太平洋采薇海山附近的柱状沉积物(MABC19孔)为研究对象,在基于地磁场相对古强度对比获取年代框架的基础上,从沉积物粒度组分和磁学参数中提取研究区~80ka以来风尘物质的记录。沉积物高矫顽力磁性矿物参数结果指示,研究区风尘输入量自~80ka以来总体呈逐渐增加趋势,在MIS3/MIS2转换阶段风尘输入量增加明显,揭示了风尘源区古气候条件的转变。通过碎屑沉积物粒径—标准偏差方法提取代表风尘输入的敏感组分,其平均粒径记录了东亚冬季风强度在MIS3/MIS2转换阶段显著增大,该记录与黄土地区风尘记录指示的东亚冬季风强度变化在MIS3阶段高度一致,在其余时段存在着差异,初步推测这是由于高空风尘输送机制的海、陆差异所致。     

The monsoon imprint during the ‘atypical’ MIS 13 as seen through north and equatorial Indian Ocean records

Previous studies have suggested that Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 13, recognized as atypical in many paleoclimate records, is marked by the development of anomalously strong summer monsoons in the northern tropical areas. To test this hypothesis, we performed a multi-proxy study on three marine records from the tropical Indian Ocean in order to reconstruct and analyse changes in the summer Indian monsoon winds and precipitations during MIS 13. Our data confirm the existence of a low-salinity event during MIS 13 in the equatorial Indian Ocean but we argue that this event should not be considered as “atypical”. Taking only into account a smaller precession does not make it possible to explain such precipitation episode. However, when considering also the larger obliquity in a more complete orbitally driven monsoon “model,” one can successfully explain this event. In addition, our data suggest that intense summer monsoon winds, although not atypical in strength, prevailed during MIS 13 in the western Arabian Sea. These strong monsoon winds, transporting important moisture, together with the effect of insolation and Eurasian ice sheet, are likely one of the factors responsible for the intense monsoon precipitation signal recorded in China loess, as suggested by model simulations.     

南海晚第四纪表层古生产力与东亚季风变迁

根据南海南北陆坡两个站位的柱状样中底栖有孔虫分布,结合有机碳、稳定同位素分析,获得南海近4万年来高分辨率的表层古生产力记录,进而探讨晚第四纪东亚古季风的变迁。研究表明,由于冬季风在本次冰期、夏季风在全新世早期约10000aB．P．急剧增强,分别在南海南北陆坡产生海岸上升流,加上陆源营养物输入增多,使得表层古生产力明显增高、有机碳通量增大至3．5gC／(m²·10³a)以上,从而底栖有孔虫群中Buliminaaculeata和Uvigerinaperegrina占绝对优势。     

南海第四纪古海洋学研究进展

南海第四纪古海洋学研究,在近５年来取得迅速发展。从１９９４年的中德合作太阳号ＳＯ－９５航次到１９９９年的ＯＤＰ１８４航次,南海已经成为国际古海洋学研究的新热点。在地层学方面,南沙海区首次建起中国海第一个更新世深海地层序列,使用了包括４类微体化石的生物地层学、磁性地层学、同位素地层学和碳酸盐地层学的依据;至于最近４万年来的记录,东沙附近站位的时间分辨率精度已超过２０ａ。文章还综述了海水表层温度等古海洋学参数测定,深海沉积中古气候,特别是古季风演变记录,以及深海沉积作用和突变事件等方面的研究进展。     

台湾东北部海域海表温度季节与年际异常及其对历史气候重建的启示

SST（海洋表层温度,sea surface temperature）的季节与年际异常对于认识现代全球变暖、重建历史时期气候变化以及探讨气候变化机制具有重要意义,而台湾东北部海域SST季节与年际异常的研究却相对较少.为更好地理解现代全球变暖和历史气候变化,利用NOAA的全球海表温度最优插值资料、Hadley中心的全球海表温度数据以及MEI逐月指数,分析了现代全球变暖背景下台湾东北部海域SST季节与年际异常及其控制因素.季节尺度上,受东亚冬季风的影响,研究海区的冬季SST变化比夏季更为剧烈,冬季SST控制着该海域年均SST和SST季节性的变化.现代器测和古气候记录表明该现象在年际-百年尺度上可能一直存在.年际尺度上,SST异常与MEI指数存在显著的8个月滞后相关性,ENSO（厄尔尼诺—南方涛动,El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation）事件通过东亚冬季风来影响研究海域的SST变化.在历史气候重建中区分气候变化的多尺度性和替代指标的季节性、认识历史气候对ENSO及东亚冬季风的响应特征和机制,这将有助于进一步理解现代全球气候变暖的原因.      

南海北部末次冰消期及快速气候回返事件

对南海北部陆坡Ｖ３６－０６－３柱状样上部进行高分辨率地层学研究、浮游有孔虫和稳定同位素分析，并运用转换函数法和加权平均法求取约１５０００—７０００ａＢ．Ｐ．的末次冰消期中古环境参数的变化。结果发现约１０５００—７９００ａＢ．Ｐ．期间有一次强烈的古气候回返事件，与新仙女木期相对应，但持续时间较长。在此期间，冬季平均表层水温下降２．７℃，溶解氧与磷酸盐磷含量增高，古盐度与碳酸盐溶解度略有上升，黑潮水的影响大为降低，推测系海面上升过程中爪哇海海水进入南海所致。     

Extreme cold winter events in southern China during AD 1650–2000

Zheng, J., Ding, L., Hao, Z. & Ge, Q. 2012 (January): Extreme cold winter events in southern China during AD 1650–2000. Boreas, Vol. 41, pp. 1–12. 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2011.00225.x. ISSN 0300‐9483. We defined extreme cold winter events as those with occurrence probabilities lower than the 10th percentile of the probability density function, based on observed winter temperatures in southern China since 1951. Subsequently, we constructed impact severity levels using documentary evidence for those events during 1951–2000, considering three indexes for the freezing of rivers/lakes, widespread snow/ice storms, and cold damage to subtropical/tropical crops. Using these criteria we identified 50 extreme cold winters for the period AD 1650–1949 based on ～4000 pieces of comparable information extracted from local gazettes in southern China, after verification using data from three weather stations with long records. It was found that the frequencies of the extreme cold winter events since 1650 varied over time. The most frequent occurrences were found during AD 1650–1699 and in the first and second halves of the 19th century, with frequencies twice as high as in the second half of the 20th century. In contrast, the frequencies of extreme winters during the 18th century were close to that in the second half of the 20th century. High frequencies of extreme cold winters in AD 1650–1720 and AD 1795–1835 occurred during the sunspot Maunder and Dalton Minima. The intensities of some historical cold events, such as those during 1653–1654, 1670, 1690, 1861, 1892 and 1929, exceeded those of the coldest winter events since 1951.