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Atmospheric CO 2 forcing on glacial thermohaline circulation and climate
Author(s) -
Liu ZhengYu,
Shin SangIk,
Webb Robert S.,
Lewis William,
OttoBliesner Bette L.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1029/2004gl021929
Subject(s) - thermohaline circulation , north atlantic deep water , antarctic bottom water , glacial period , shutdown of thermohaline circulation , oceanography , geology , salinity , climatology , paleoclimatology , ocean current , deep sea , environmental science , climate change , geomorphology
A coupled climate model study indicates the paleoclimate record of glacial thermohaline circulation (THC) and reversed deep‐sea temperature‐salinity (T‐S) distribution in the Atlantic can be explained largely by lower glacial atmospheric CO 2 alone. The reduced CO 2 leads to increased Southern Ocean wintertime sea‐ice cover and salinity, increased production of dense Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), enhanced cold and saline AABW penetration into the deep North Atlantic, increased oceanic vertical stability, and reduced North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) circulation. The dominant role of CO 2 forcing during the glacial implies a positive feedback between the Southern Ocean regulated THC and the glacial global carbon cycle.