Stability of North Atlantic Water Masses in Face of Pronounced Climate Variability During the Pleistocene

Authors

M. E. Raymo, Boston University
D. W. Oppo, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Benjamin P. Flower, University of South FloridaFollow
D. A. Hodell, University of Florida
J. F. McManus, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
K. A. Venz, University of Florida
K. F. Kleiven, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
K. McIntyre, University of California

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-21-2004

Keywords

paleoceanography, North Atlantic Deep Water, Pleistocene

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1029/2003PA000921

Abstract

Geochemical profiles from the North Atlantic Ocean suggest that the vertical δ¹³C structure of the water column at intermediate depths did not change significantly between glacial and interglacial time over much of the Pleistocene, despite large changes in ice volume and iceberg delivery from nearby landmasses. The most anomalous δ¹³C profiles are from the extreme interglaciations of the late Pleistocene. This compilation of data suggests that, unlike today (an extreme interglaciation), the two primary sources of northern deep water, Norwegian‐Greenland Sea and Labrador Sea/subpolar North Atlantic, had different characteristic δ¹³C values over most of the Pleistocene. We speculate that the current open sea ice conditions in the Norwegian‐Greenland Sea are a relatively rare occurrence and that the high‐δ¹³C deep water that forms in this region today is geologically unusual. If northern source deep waters can have highly variable δ¹³C, then this likelihood must be considered when inferring past circulation changes from benthic δ¹³C records.

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Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, v. 19, issue 2, art. PA2008

Copyright 2004 by the American Geophysical Union.

Scholar Commons Citation

Raymo, M. E.; Oppo, D. W.; Flower, Benjamin P.; Hodell, D. A.; McManus, J. F.; Venz, K. A.; Kleiven, K. F.; and McIntyre, K., "Stability of North Atlantic Water Masses in Face of Pronounced Climate Variability During the Pleistocene" (2004). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 24.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/24