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Relaxation oscillators in concert: A framework for climate change at millennial timescales during the late Pleistocene
Author(s) -
Schulz Michael,
Paul André,
Timmermann Axel
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2002gl016144
Subject(s) - stadial , geology , glacial period , younger dryas , pleistocene , climatology , allerød oscillation , thermohaline circulation , climate state , abrupt climate change , climate change , oceanography , paleontology , global warming , effects of global warming
Using a box model of the North Atlantic Ocean and a parameterization of Heinrich Events, we suggest that self‐sustained oscillations of the large‐scale oceanic circulation provide a framework to accommodate crucial elements of late Pleistocene climate variability: ( i ) Dansgaard‐Oeschger‐style oscillations with varying interstadial length, ( ii ) synchronization between Dansgaard‐Oeschger stadials and Heinrich Events, and ( iii ) Younger Dryas‐type events. The latter result from the restart of the oscillations after a glacial maximum and can be regarded as Dansgaard‐Oeschger stadials, overprinted by rapidly changing boundary conditions.