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The polar ocean and glacial cycles in atmospheric CO2 concentration

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel M. Sigman

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA)

  • Mathis P. Hain

    (Guyot Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
    DFG Leibniz Center for Earth Surface Process and Climate Studies, Institute for Geosciences, Potsdam University)

  • Gerald H. Haug

    (DFG Leibniz Center for Earth Surface Process and Climate Studies, Institute for Geosciences, Potsdam University
    Geological Institute, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland)

Abstract

Glacial cycles tracked The oscillations during the past 2.5 million years between ice ages and interglacials were probably triggered by orbital changes, but the observed amplitude and timing of these climate cycles still awaits a full explanation. One notable correlation links lower partial pressure (or concentration) of CO2 with ice ages: changes in CO2 concentration may cause some of the ice-age cooling, but what causes the loss of CO2 is unknown. Daniel Sigman, Mathis Hain and Gerald Haug review the evidence in support of the hypothesis that the Southern Ocean is an important driver of these glacial/interglacial changes in partial pressure of CO2.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel M. Sigman & Mathis P. Hain & Gerald H. Haug, 2010. "The polar ocean and glacial cycles in atmospheric CO2 concentration," Nature, Nature, vol. 466(7302), pages 47-55, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:466:y:2010:i:7302:d:10.1038_nature09149
    DOI: 10.1038/nature09149
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    Cited by:

    1. Gagan Mandal & Jia-Yuh Yu & Shih-Yu Lee, 2022. "The Roles of Orbital and Meltwater Climate Forcings on the Southern Ocean Dynamics during the Last Deglaciation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Ann Holbourn & Wolfgang Kuhnt & Denise K. Kulhanek & Gregory Mountain & Yair Rosenthal & Takuya Sagawa & Julia Lübbers & Nils Andersen, 2024. "Re-organization of Pacific overturning circulation across the Miocene Climate Optimum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Yuhao Dai & Jimin Yu & Haojia Ren & Xuan Ji, 2022. "Deglacial Subantarctic CO2 outgassing driven by a weakened solubility pump," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Sebastien Moreau & Tore Hattermann & Laura Steur & Hanna M. Kauko & Heidi Ahonen & Murat Ardelan & Philipp Assmy & Melissa Chierici & Sebastien Descamps & Tilman Dinter & Tone Falkenhaug & Agneta Fran, 2023. "Wind-driven upwelling of iron sustains dense blooms and food webs in the eastern Weddell Gyre," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Jonathan Maitland Lauderdale, 2024. "Ocean iron cycle feedbacks decouple atmospheric CO2 from meridional overturning circulation changes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Liao Chang & Babette A. A. Hoogakker & David Heslop & Xiang Zhao & Andrew P. Roberts & Patrick Deckker & Pengfei Xue & Zhaowen Pei & Fan Zeng & Rong Huang & Baoqi Huang & Shishun Wang & Thomas A. Bern, 2023. "Indian Ocean glacial deoxygenation and respired carbon accumulation during mid-late Quaternary ice ages," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Shantong Sun & Andrew F. Thompson & Jimin Yu & Lixin Wu, 2024. "Transient overturning changes cause an upper-ocean nutrient decline in a warming climate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    8. Shinya Iwasaki & Lester Lembke-Jene & Kana Nagashima & Helge W. Arz & Naomi Harada & Katsunori Kimoto & Frank Lamy, 2022. "Evidence for late-glacial oceanic carbon redistribution and discharge from the Pacific Southern Ocean," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Zhengquan Yao & Xuefa Shi & Qiuzhen Yin & Samuel Jaccard & Yanguang Liu & Zhengtang Guo & Sergey A. Gorbarenko & Kunshan Wang & Tianyu Chen & Zhipeng Wu & Qingyun Nan & Jianjun Zou & Hongmin Wang & Ji, 2024. "Ice sheet and precession controlled subarctic Pacific productivity and upwelling over the last 550,000 years," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    10. Michael E. Weber & Ian Bailey & Sidney R. Hemming & Yasmina M. Martos & Brendan T. Reilly & Thomas A. Ronge & Stefanie Brachfeld & Trevor Williams & Maureen Raymo & Simon T. Belt & Lukas Smik & Hendri, 2022. "Antiphased dust deposition and productivity in the Antarctic Zone over 1.5 million years," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    11. Zhenyu Qin & Xuefeng Sun, 2023. "Glacial–Interglacial Cycles and Early Human Evolution in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-26, August.

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