Changes in Atmospheric Circulation and Ocean Ice Cover over the North Atlantic During the Last 41,000 Years

High-resolution, continuous multivariate chemical records from a central Greenland ice core provide a sensitive measure of climate change and chemical composition of the atmosphere over the last 41,000 years. These chemical series reveal a record of change in the relative size and intensity of the c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1994-03, Vol.263 (5154), p.1747-1751
Main Authors: Mayewski, P. A., Meeker, L. D., Whitlow, S., Twickler, M. S., Morrison, M. C., Bloomfield, P., Bond, G. C., Alley, R. B., Gow, A. J., Grootes, P. M., Meese, D. A., Ram, M., Taylor, K. C., Wumkes, W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
540110
540310 - Environment, Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
Calcium
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Chlorides
Climate change
Climatic changes
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH PLANET
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Environmental aspects
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Exact sciences and technology
Geochemistry
ICE
ICE CAPS
Ice sheets
Icebergs
Marine
Marine and continental quaternary
Mineralogy
Oceans
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY
PLANETS
Salts
Sea ice
SEAS
Silicates
Sodium
SURFACE WATERS
Surficial geology
Water geochemistry
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:High-resolution, continuous multivariate chemical records from a central Greenland ice core provide a sensitive measure of climate change and chemical composition of the atmosphere over the last 41,000 years. These chemical series reveal a record of change in the relative size and intensity of the circulation system that transported air masses to Greenland [defined here as the polar circulation index (PCI)] and in the extent of ocean ice cover. Massive iceberg discharge events previously defined from the marine record are correlated with notable expansions of ocean ice cover and increases in PCI. During stadials without discharge events, ocean ice cover appears to reach some common maximum level. The massive aerosol loadings and dramatic variations in ocean ice cover documented in ice cores should be included in climate modeling.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.263.5154.1747