Enhanced deep Southern Ocean stratification during the lukewarm interglacials

Huang Huang (), Jan Fietzke, Marcus Gutjahr, Martin Frank, Gerhard Kuhn, Xu Zhang, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Dengfeng Li, Jingyan Hu and Jimin Yu
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Huang Huang: Laoshan Laboratory
Jan Fietzke: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Marcus Gutjahr: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Martin Frank: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Gerhard Kuhn: Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung
Xu Zhang: Madingley Road
Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand: Madingley Road
Dengfeng Li: Sun Yat-Sen University
Jingyan Hu: Sun Yat-Sen University
Jimin Yu: Laoshan Laboratory

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Between ~800 and 430 thousand years ago lukewarm interglacials were characterized by lower atmospheric CO2 levels and colder Antarctic temperatures than subsequent interglacials. The Southern Ocean is thought to have played a crucial role, but associated ocean circulation changes remain poorly constrained, at least in part, due to the scarcity of proxy data. By using a novel 2D laser ablation technique, we here provide the first orbital-resolution Southern Ocean seawater Pb isotope records over the past 800 thousand years from a ferromanganese crust located at mid-depth (~1.6 km water depth) on Antarctica’s Pacific margin. Our results reveal systematically higher 208Pb/206Pb ratios during lukewarm interglacials than during more recent interglacials while 206Pb/204Pb ratios remained similar, suggesting reduced vertical deep-water mixing in the Southern Ocean during lukewarm interglacials. By enhancing deep-sea carbon sequestration and thereby lowering atmospheric CO2, strengthened deep Southern Ocean stratification likely imposed critical impacts on the lukewarm interglacial climates.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63938-6

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