Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current
Abstract The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) operates as an important link in global thermohaline circulation, and ITF variability probably modulated Pliocene climate change. Yet, whether ITF variability accounted for oceanographic change south of Northwest Cape remains controversial. Here, we present...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083670 |
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| author | David De Vleeschouwer Benjamin F. Petrick Alfredo Martínez‐García |
| author_facet | David De Vleeschouwer Benjamin F. Petrick Alfredo Martínez‐García |
| author_sort | David De Vleeschouwer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) operates as an important link in global thermohaline circulation, and ITF variability probably modulated Pliocene climate change. Yet, whether ITF variability accounted for oceanographic change south of Northwest Cape remains controversial. Here, we present a multiproxy oceanographic reconstruction from the Perth Basin and reconstruct the Pliocene history of the Leeuwin Current (LC). We show that the LC was active throughout the Pliocene, albeit with fluctuations in intensity and scope. Three main factors controlled LC strength. First, a tectonic ITF reorganization caused an abrupt and permanent LC reduction at 3.7 Ma. On shorter timescales, eustatic sea level and direct orbital forcing of wind patterns hampered or promoted the LC. At 3.3 Ma, for instance, LC intensity plunged in response to a eustatic ITF restriction. Site U1459 then fell outside the extent of a weakened LC, and the latitudinal sea surface temperature gradient along West Australia doubled its steepness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e5a7ec7e12634fa1ab177a95ddad4167 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-e5a7ec7e12634fa1ab177a95ddad41672025-08-20T02:33:55ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072019-07-0146148310831910.1029/2019GL083670Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin CurrentDavid De Vleeschouwer0Benjamin F. Petrick1Alfredo Martínez‐García2MARUM‐Center for Marine Environmental Sciences University of Bremen Bremen GermanyMax‐Planck‐Institut für Chemie Mainz GermanyMax‐Planck‐Institut für Chemie Mainz GermanyAbstract The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) operates as an important link in global thermohaline circulation, and ITF variability probably modulated Pliocene climate change. Yet, whether ITF variability accounted for oceanographic change south of Northwest Cape remains controversial. Here, we present a multiproxy oceanographic reconstruction from the Perth Basin and reconstruct the Pliocene history of the Leeuwin Current (LC). We show that the LC was active throughout the Pliocene, albeit with fluctuations in intensity and scope. Three main factors controlled LC strength. First, a tectonic ITF reorganization caused an abrupt and permanent LC reduction at 3.7 Ma. On shorter timescales, eustatic sea level and direct orbital forcing of wind patterns hampered or promoted the LC. At 3.3 Ma, for instance, LC intensity plunged in response to a eustatic ITF restriction. Site U1459 then fell outside the extent of a weakened LC, and the latitudinal sea surface temperature gradient along West Australia doubled its steepness.https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083670 |
| spellingShingle | David De Vleeschouwer Benjamin F. Petrick Alfredo Martínez‐García Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current Geophysical Research Letters |
| title | Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current |
| title_full | Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current |
| title_fullStr | Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current |
| title_short | Stepwise Weakening of the Pliocene Leeuwin Current |
| title_sort | stepwise weakening of the pliocene leeuwin current |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083670 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daviddevleeschouwer stepwiseweakeningoftheplioceneleeuwincurrent AT benjaminfpetrick stepwiseweakeningoftheplioceneleeuwincurrent AT alfredomartinezgarcia stepwiseweakeningoftheplioceneleeuwincurrent |