Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions
Abstract During each of the dramatic global warmings that ended the Pleistocene ice ages, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was disrupted. It is not clear whether this was a contributing cause or simply an effect of deglaciation. Here we show that in an ensemble of simulations w...
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Wiley
2016-08-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069846 |
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| author | Eric D. Galbraith Timothy M. Merlis Jaime B. Palter |
| author_facet | Eric D. Galbraith Timothy M. Merlis Jaime B. Palter |
| author_sort | Eric D. Galbraith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract During each of the dramatic global warmings that ended the Pleistocene ice ages, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was disrupted. It is not clear whether this was a contributing cause or simply an effect of deglaciation. Here we show that in an ensemble of simulations with a global climate model, AMOC disruption causes a consistent and sustained positive radiative imbalance of ~0.4 W m−2. The imbalance is accommodated by heat accumulation in the ocean interior, representing an overall planetary warming, subsequently released by deep convection in the North Atlantic when the AMOC resumes. The results suggest a means by which AMOC disruptions could have helped to tip the planet out of stable glaciated states. However, the fact that AMOC disruptions occurred during prior Heinrich Stadials without causing deglaciation shows that other factors, such as ice sheet dynamics, or controls on CO2, were also key for deglaciation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bead1c396e324ba4839f110b958a3ac9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-bead1c396e324ba4839f110b958a3ac92025-08-20T02:31:39ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-08-0143158214822110.1002/2016GL069846Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptionsEric D. Galbraith0Timothy M. Merlis1Jaime B. Palter2ICREA Barcelona SpainAtmospheric and Oceanic Science McGill University Montreal Quebec CanadaAtmospheric and Oceanic Science McGill University Montreal Quebec CanadaAbstract During each of the dramatic global warmings that ended the Pleistocene ice ages, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) was disrupted. It is not clear whether this was a contributing cause or simply an effect of deglaciation. Here we show that in an ensemble of simulations with a global climate model, AMOC disruption causes a consistent and sustained positive radiative imbalance of ~0.4 W m−2. The imbalance is accommodated by heat accumulation in the ocean interior, representing an overall planetary warming, subsequently released by deep convection in the North Atlantic when the AMOC resumes. The results suggest a means by which AMOC disruptions could have helped to tip the planet out of stable glaciated states. However, the fact that AMOC disruptions occurred during prior Heinrich Stadials without causing deglaciation shows that other factors, such as ice sheet dynamics, or controls on CO2, were also key for deglaciation.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069846radiative balanceclimate modeldeglaciationocean circulationice agesbipolar seesaw |
| spellingShingle | Eric D. Galbraith Timothy M. Merlis Jaime B. Palter Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions Geophysical Research Letters radiative balance climate model deglaciation ocean circulation ice ages bipolar seesaw |
| title | Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions |
| title_full | Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions |
| title_fullStr | Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions |
| title_short | Destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation disruptions |
| title_sort | destabilization of glacial climate by the radiative impact of atlantic meridional overturning circulation disruptions |
| topic | radiative balance climate model deglaciation ocean circulation ice ages bipolar seesaw |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069846 |
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