IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v9y2018i1d10.1038_s41467-018-07457-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Major intensification of Atlantic overturning circulation at the onset of Paleogene greenhouse warmth

Author

Listed:
  • S. J. Batenburg

    (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
    University of Oxford)

  • S. Voigt

    (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)

  • O. Friedrich

    (Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg)

  • A. H. Osborne

    (GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel)

  • A. Bornemann

    (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe)

  • T. Klein

    (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)

  • L. Pérez-Díaz

    (University of London)

  • M. Frank

    (GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel)

Abstract

During the Late Cretaceous and early Cenozoic the Earth experienced prolonged climatic cooling most likely caused by decreasing volcanic activity and atmospheric CO2 levels. However, the causes and mechanisms of subsequent major global warming culminating in the late Paleocene to Eocene greenhouse climate remain enigmatic. We present deep and intermediate water Nd-isotope records from the North and South Atlantic to decipher the control of the opening Atlantic Ocean on ocean circulation and its linkages to the evolution of global climate. The marked convergence of Nd-isotope signatures 59 million years ago indicates a major intensification of deep-water exchange between the North and South Atlantic, which coincided with the turning point of deep-water temperatures towards early Paleogene warming. We propose that this intensification of Atlantic overturning circulation in concert with increased atmospheric CO2 from continental rifting marked a climatic tipping point contributing to a more efficient distribution of heat over the planet.

Suggested Citation

  • S. J. Batenburg & S. Voigt & O. Friedrich & A. H. Osborne & A. Bornemann & T. Klein & L. Pérez-Díaz & M. Frank, 2018. "Major intensification of Atlantic overturning circulation at the onset of Paleogene greenhouse warmth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07457-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07457-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07457-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-018-07457-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07457-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.