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Southern Ocean warming and Wilkes Land ice sheet retreat during the mid-Miocene

Author

Listed:
  • Francesca Sangiorgi

    (Utrecht University)

  • Peter K. Bijl

    (Utrecht University)

  • Sandra Passchier

    (Montclair State University)

  • Ulrich Salzmann

    (Northumbria University)

  • Stefan Schouten

    (NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research
    Utrecht University)

  • Robert McKay

    (Victoria University of Wellington)

  • Rosemary D. Cody

    (Victoria University of Wellington)

  • Jörg Pross

    (Heidelberg University)

  • Tina Flierdt

    (South Kensington Campus)

  • Steven M. Bohaty

    (University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre Southampton)

  • Richard Levy

    (GNS Science)

  • Trevor Williams

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Carlota Escutia

    (CSIC-University of Granada)

  • Henk Brinkhuis

    (Utrecht University
    NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research)

Abstract

Observations and model experiments highlight the importance of ocean heat in forcing ice sheet retreat during the present and geological past, but past ocean temperature data are virtually missing in ice sheet proximal locations. Here we document paleoceanographic conditions and the (in)stability of the Wilkes Land subglacial basin (East Antarctica) during the mid-Miocene (~17–13.4 million years ago) by studying sediment cores from offshore Adélie Coast. Inland retreat of the ice sheet, temperate vegetation, and warm oligotrophic waters characterise the mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO; 17–14.8 Ma). After the MCO, expansion of a marine-based ice sheet occurs, but remains sensitive to melting upon episodic warm water incursions. Our results suggest that the mid-Miocene latitudinal temperature gradient across the Southern Ocean never resembled that of the present day. We demonstrate that a strong coupling of oceanic climate and Antarctic continental conditions existed and that the East Antarctic subglacial basins were highly sensitive to ocean warming.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesca Sangiorgi & Peter K. Bijl & Sandra Passchier & Ulrich Salzmann & Stefan Schouten & Robert McKay & Rosemary D. Cody & Jörg Pross & Tina Flierdt & Steven M. Bohaty & Richard Levy & Trevor Will, 2018. "Southern Ocean warming and Wilkes Land ice sheet retreat during the mid-Miocene," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-02609-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02609-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Jenny A. Gales & Robert M. McKay & Laura De Santis & Michele Rebesco & Jan Sverre Laberg & Amelia E Shevenell & David Harwood & R. Mark Leckie & Denise K. Kulhanek & Maxine King & Molly Patterson & Re, 2023. "Climate-controlled submarine landslides on the Antarctic continental margin," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Suning Hou & Lennert B. Stap & Ryan Paul & Mei Nelissen & Frida S. Hoem & Martin Ziegler & Appy Sluijs & Francesca Sangiorgi & Peter K. Bijl, 2023. "Reconciling Southern Ocean fronts equatorward migration with minor Antarctic ice volume change during Miocene cooling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.

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