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Pacific Ocean and Cenozoic evolution of climate
Author(s) -
Lyle Mitchell,
Barron John,
Bralower Timothy J.,
Huber Matthew,
Olivarez Lyle Annette,
Ravelo A. Christina,
Rea David K.,
Wilson Paul A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/2005rg000190
Subject(s) - cenozoic , biogeochemical cycle , oceanography , carbon cycle , climate state , climate model , climatology , earth science , environmental science , climate change , geology , global warming , effects of global warming , ecosystem , paleontology , ecology , structural basin , biology
The Pacific Ocean has played a major role in climate evolution throughout the Cenozoic (65–0 Ma). It is a fundamental component of global heat transport and circulation, the dominant locus of primary productivity, and, consequently, the largest reservoir for carbon exchange between the oceans and the atmosphere. A satisfactory understanding of the Cenozoic evolutionary history of the Pacific and its impact on global climate is currently data‐limited. Nevertheless, the large dynamic range of Cenozoic conditions sets the stage to greatly expand our understanding of global climate and biogeochemical cycles. Past Earth “experiments” are particularly useful to understand interactions between climate and geosystems under different greenhouse gas loads. We highlight in this review four important problems in which the Pacific played a major role: the effect of changing geographic boundary conditions on ocean circulation; interactions between the carbon cycle and climate; the Pacific Ocean's influence on North American climate and its water cycle; and the gradual evolution of climate systems.