Mid-Pliocene equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature reconstruction: a multi-proxy perspective
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
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Abstract
The Mid-Pliocene is the most recent interval of sustained global warmth, which can be used to examine conditions predicted for the near future. An accurate spatial representation of the low-latitude Mid-Pliocene Pacific surface ocean is necessary to understand past climate change in the light of forecasts of future change. Mid-Pliocene sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies show a strong contrast between the western equatorial Pacific (WEP) and eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) regardless of proxy (faunal, alkenone and Mg/Ca). All WEP sites show small differences from modern mean annual temperature, but all EEP sites show significant positive deviation from present-day temperatures by as much as 4.4°C. Our reconstruction reflects SSTs similar to modern in the WEP, warmer than modern in the EEP and eastward extension of the WEP warm pool. The east-west equatorial Pacific SST gradient is decreased, but the pole to equator gradient does not change appreciably. We find it improbable that increased greenhouse gases (GHG) alone would cause such a heterogeneous warming and more likely that the cause of Mid-Pliocene warmth is a combination of several forcings including both increased meridional heat transport and increased GHG.
Suggested Citation
Dowsett, H.J., and Robinson, M.M., 2009, Mid-Pliocene equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature reconstruction: a multi-proxy perspective: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, v. 13, p. 109-125, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2008.0206.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Mid-Pliocene equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature reconstruction: a multi-proxy perspective |
| Series title | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
| DOI | 10.1098/rsta.2008.0206 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Publication Date | October 14, 2008 |
| Year Published | 2009 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Royal Society Publishing |
| Publisher location | London, England |
| Contributing office(s) | Eastern Geology and Paleoclimate Science Center |
| Description | 17 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
| First page | 109 |
| Last page | 125 |