Deep-water circulation changes lead North Atlantic climate during deglaciation

Francesco Muschitiello (), William J. D’Andrea, Andreas Schmittner, Timothy J. Heaton, Nicholas L. Balascio, Nicole deRoberts, Marc W. Caffee, Thomas E. Woodruff, Kees C. Welten, Luke C. Skinner, Margit H. Simon and Trond M. Dokken
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Francesco Muschitiello: University of Cambridge
William J. D’Andrea: Columbia University
Andreas Schmittner: Oregon State University
Timothy J. Heaton: University of Sheffield
Nicholas L. Balascio: College of William and Mary
Nicole deRoberts: Columbia University
Marc W. Caffee: Purdue University
Thomas E. Woodruff: Purdue University
Kees C. Welten: University of California
Luke C. Skinner: University of Cambridge
Margit H. Simon: NORCE Norwegian Research Centre and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research
Trond M. Dokken: NORCE Norwegian Research Centre and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Constraining the response time of the climate system to changes in North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation is fundamental to improving climate and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation predictability. Here we report a new synchronization of terrestrial, marine, and ice-core records, which allows the first quantitative determination of the response time of North Atlantic climate to changes in high-latitude NADW formation rate during the last deglaciation. Using a continuous record of deep water ventilation from the Nordic Seas, we identify a ∼400-year lead of changes in high-latitude NADW formation ahead of abrupt climate changes recorded in Greenland ice cores at the onset and end of the Younger Dryas stadial, which likely occurred in response to gradual changes in temperature- and wind-driven freshwater transport. We suggest that variations in Nordic Seas deep-water circulation are precursors to abrupt climate changes and that future model studies should address this phasing.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09237-3

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