Open AccessA tentative reconstruction of the last interglacial and glacial inception in Greenland based on new gas measurements in the Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP) ice core
Author(s) -
Landais Amaelle,
Chappellaz Jérôme,
Delmotte Marc,
Jouzel Jean,
Blunier Thomas,
Bourg Christine,
Caillon Nicolas,
Cherrier Stéphane,
Malaizé Bruno,
MassonDelmotte Valérie,
Raynaud Dominique,
Schwander Jakob,
Steffensen Jørgen Peder
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2002jd003147
Subject(s) - geology , ice core , interglacial , glacial period , chronology , climatology , ice sheet , physical geography , oceanography , paleontology , geography
The disturbed stratigraphy of the ice in the lowest 10% of the Greenland GRIP ice core prevents direct access to climatic information older than 110 kyr. This is especially regretful since this period covers the previous interglacial corresponding to marine isotopic stage 5e (MIS 5e, 130–120 kyr B.P.). Here we present a tentative reconstruction of the disturbed GRIP chronology based on the succession of globally well mixed gas parameters. The GRIP δ 18 O ice chronological sequence is obtained by comparing a new set of δ 18 O of atmospheric O 2 and CH 4 measurements from the bottom section of the GRIP core with their counterpart in the Vostok Antarctic profiles. This comparison clearly identifies ice from the penultimate glacial maximum (MIS 6, 190–130 kyr B.P.) in the GRIP core. Further it allows rough reconstruction of the last interglacial period and of the last glacial inception in Greenland which appears to lay its Antarctic counterpart. Our data suggest that while Antarctica is already entering into a glaciation, Greenland is still experiencing a warm maximum during MIS 5e.