Response of the Western Atlantic Ocean to changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation: from millennial to seasonal variability

• Grant number: 12/17517-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Young Investigators
• Duration: March 01, 2013 - November 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Geological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Cristiano Mazur Chiessi
• Grantee: Cristiano Mazur Chiessi
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Francisco William da Cruz Junior ; Ilana Elazari Klein Coaracy Wainer ; Silvia Helena de Mello e Sousa ; Wânia Duleba
• Associated grant(s): 18/15123-4 - Past perspectives on tipping elements of the climate system: the Amazon Rainforest and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (PPTEAM), AP.PFPMCG.JP2
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/21028-3 - Variability in the stratification of the upper part of the Brazil Current water column in Abrolhos region: an isotopic approach, BP.IC; 13/14599-1 - Response of the deep tropical South Atlantic to changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation: an isotopic approach, BP.MS; 13/25518-2 - Variability of the Brazil Current and its impacts on the South American climate during the last 30,000 years, BP.MS; 13/22521-2 - Effects of abrupt changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation over deep-water masses: an isotopic approach, BP.DD

Abstract

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) plays a fundamental role in the oceanography and climate of the Atlantic realm. Atmosphere-ocean general circulation models have predicted a weakening in AMOC strength for the coming decades. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the response of the western Atlantic Ocean to changes in AMOC on different time scales is a key issue. Here we propose to reconstruct changes in stratification of the upper water column and deep water geometry in the western Atlantic Ocean since Marine Isotope Stage 3 in order to explore the response of the western Atlantic Ocean to changes in AMOC on millennial to seasonal timescales. Therefore, we will analyze stable oxygen and carbon isotopes as well as Mg/Ca ratios in selected species of planktonic and benthic foraminifera from a suite of 18 carefully selected sediment cores from the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic Ocean. The sediment cores will have age models determined based on AMS 14C datings on monospecific foraminifera. Additionally, bulk sediment geochemistry will be analyzed on all cores in order to refine the variability in continental precipitation. Through this project we expect to: (i) significantly contribute to the debate of possible impacts that future changes in AMOC may have over the western Atlantic Ocean; (ii) establish a top-level research group on paleoceanography/paleoclimatology at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, USP; and (iii) set up at the same institution a cutting-edge laboratory specialized on stable oxygen and carbon isotope analyses on very small carbonate samples (i.e., ca. 10 microg) (AU)

Scientific publications

(44)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CAMPOS, MARILIA C.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; VOIGT, INES; PIOLA, ALBERTO R.; KUHNERT, HENNING; MULITZA, STEFAN. delta C-13 decreases in the upper western South Atlantic during Heinrich Stadials 3 and 2. Climate of the Past, v. 13, n. 4, APR 18 2017. (13/25518-2, 12/17517-3, 15/11016-0)

SUN, SHUWEN; SCHEFUSS, ENNO; MULITZA, STEFAN; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; SAWAKUCHI, ANDRE O.; ZABEL, MATTHIAS; BAKER, PAUL A.; HEFTER, JENS; MOLLENHAUER, GESINE. Origin and processing of terrestrial organic carbon in the Amazon system: lignin phenols in river, shelf, and fan sediments. BIOGEOSCIENCES, v. 14, n. 9, p. 2495-2512, MAY 17 2017. (12/17517-3, 11/06609-1)

PORTILHO-RAMOS, R. C.; CHIESSI, C. M.; ZHANG, Y.; MULITZA, S.; KUCERA, M.; SICCHA, M.; PRANGE, M.; PAUL, A.. Coupling of equatorial Atlantic surface stratification to glacial shifts in the tropical rainbelt. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, MAY 8 2017. (12/17517-3)

VOIGT, I.; CRUZ, A. P. S.; MULITZA, S.; CHIESSI, C. M.; MACKENSEN, A.; LIPPOLD, J.; ANTZ, B.; ZABEL, M.; ZHANG, Y.; BARBOSA, C. F.; et al. Variability in mid-depth ventilation of the western Atlantic Ocean during the last deglaciation. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 32, n. 9, p. 948-965, SEP 2017. (12/17517-3)

VOIGT, INES; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; PIOLA, ALBERTO R.; HENRICH, RUEDIGER. Holocene changes in Antarctic Intermediate Water flow strength in the Southwest Atlantic. PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, v. 463, p. 60-67, DEC 1 2016. (12/17517-3)

ZHANG, YANCHENG; ZHANG, XU; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; ZHANG, XIAO; LOHMANN, GERRIT; PRANGE, MATTHIAS; BEHLING, HERMANN; ZABEL, MATTHIAS; GOVIN, ALINE; et al. Equatorial Pacific forcing of western Amazonian precipitation during Heinrich Stadial 1. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 6, OCT 25 2016. (12/17517-3, 11/06609-1)

HOWE, JACOB N. W.; PIOTROWSKI, ALEXANDER M.; OPPO, DELIA W.; HUANG, KUO-FANG; MULITZA, STEFAN; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; BLUSZTAJN, JUREK. Antarctic intermediate water circulation in the South Atlantic over the past 25,000years. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 31, n. 10, p. 1302-1314, OCT 2016. (12/17517-3)

PORTILHO-RAMOS, R. C.; CRUZ, A. P. S.; BARBOSA, C. F.; RATHBURN, A. E.; MULITZA, S.; VENANCIO, I. M.; SCHWENK, T.; RUEHLEMANN, C.; VIDAL, L.; CHIESSI, C. M.; et al. Methane release from the southern Brazilian margin during the last glacial. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 8, APR 13 2018. (12/17517-3)

HAGGI, CHRISTOPH; SCHEFUSS, ENNO; SAWAKUCHI, ANDRE O.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; BERTASSOLI JR, DAILSON J.; HEFTER, JENS; ZABEL, MATTHIAS; BAKER, PAUL A.; SCHOUTEN, STEFAN. Modern and late Pleistocene particulate organic carbon transport by the Amazon River: Insights from long-chain alkyl diols. GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA, v. 262, p. 1-19, OCT 1 2019. (16/11141-2, 12/17517-3, 12/50260-6)

HOWE, JACOB N. W.; PIOTROWSKI, ALEXANDER M.; NOBLE, TARYN L.; MULITZA, STEFAN; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; BAYON, GERMAIN. North Atlantic Deep Water Production during the Last Glacial Maximum. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, v. 7, JUN 2016. (12/17517-3)

HOWE, JACOB N. W.; HUANG, KUO-FANG; OPPO, DELIA W.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; BLUSZTAJN, JUREK; PIOTROWSKI, ALEXANDER M.. Similar mid-depth Atlantic water mass provenance during the Last Glacial Maximum and Heinrich Stadial 1. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 490, p. 51-61, MAY 15 2018. (12/17517-3)

PORTILHO-RAMOS, RODRIGO DA COSTA; LIMA PINHO, TAINA MARCOS; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO MAZUR; BARBOSA, CATIA FERNANDES. Understanding the mechanisms behind high glacial productivity in the southern Brazilian margin. Climate of the Past, v. 15, n. 3, p. 943-955, MAY 27 2019. (12/17517-3)

HAEGGI, C.; CHIESSI, C. M.; SCHEFUSS, E.. Testing the D/H ratio of alkenones and palmitic acid as salinity proxies in the Amazon Plume. BIOGEOSCIENCES, v. 12, n. 23, p. 7239-7249, 2015. (12/17517-3)

ZHANG, YANCHENG; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; SAWAKUCHI, ANDRE O.; HAEGGI, CHRISTOPH; ZABEL, MATTHIAS; PORTILHO-RAMOS, RODRIGO C.; SCHEFUSS, ENNO; CRIVELLARI, STEFANO; WEFER, GEROLD. Different precipitation patterns across tropical South America during Heinrich and Dansgaard-Oeschger stadials. QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, v. 177, p. 1-9, DEC 1 2017. (12/17517-3, 11/06609-1, 12/50260-6)

PUPIM, F. N.; SAWAKUCHI, A. O.; ALMEIDA, R. P.; RIBAS, C. C.; KERN, A. K.; HARTMANN, G. A.; CHIESSI, C. M.; TAMURA, L. N.; MINELI, T. D.; SAVIAN, J. F.; et al. Chronology of Terra Firme formation in Amazonian lowlands reveals a dynamic Quaternary landscape. QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, v. 210, p. 154-163, APR 15 2019. (14/23334-4, 16/11141-2, 15/18314-7, 14/05582-0, 12/17517-3, 16/09293-9, 12/50260-6)

SANTOS, THIAGO P.; LESSA, DOUGLAS O.; VENANCIO, IGOR M.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; KUHNERT, HENNING; GOVIN, ALINE; MACHADO, THIAGO; COSTA, KAREN B.; TOLEDO, FELIPE; et al. Prolonged warming of the Brazil Current precedes deglaciations. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 463, p. 1-12, APR 1 2017. (12/17517-3)

WARRATZ, GRIT; HENRICH, RUEDIGER; VOIGT, INES; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; KUHN, GERHARD; LANTZSCH, HENDRIK. Deglacial changes in the strength of deep southern component water and sediment supply at the Argentine continental margin. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 32, n. 8, p. 796-812, AUG 2017. (12/17517-3)

GU, FANG; ZONNEVELD, KARIN A. F.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; ARZ, HELGE W.; PAETZOLD, JUERGEN; BEHLING, HERMANN. Long-term vegetation, climate and ocean dynamics inferred from a 73,500 years old marine sediment core (GeoB2107-3) off southern Brazil. QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, v. 172, p. 55-71, SEP 15 2017. (12/17517-3, 13/50297-0)

ZULAR, ANDRE; SAWAKUCHI, ANDRE OLIVEIRA; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO MAZUR; D'HORTA, FERNANDO MENDONCA; CRUZ, FRANCISCO WILLIAM; MELO DEMATTE, JOSE ALEXANDRE; RIBAS, CAMILA CHEREM; HARTMANN, GELVAM ANDRE; FONSECA GIANNINI, PAULO CESAR; AMARAL SOARES, EMILIO ALBERTO. The role of abrupt climate change in the formation of an open vegetation enclave in northern Amazonia during the late Quaternary. GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE, v. 172, p. 140-149, JAN 2019. (12/17517-3, 16/02656-9, 12/50260-6, 11/06609-1)

VENANCIO, I. M.; MULITZA, S.; GOVIN, A.; SANTOS, T. P.; LESSA, D. O.; ALBUQUERQUE, A. L. S.; CHIESSI, C. M.; TIEDEMANN, R.; VAHLENKAMP, M.; BICKERT, T.; et al. Millennial- to Orbital-Scalp Responses of Western Equatorial Atlantic Thermocline Depth to Changes in the Trade Wind System Since the Last Interglacial. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND PALEOCLIMATOLOGY, v. 33, n. 12, p. 1490-1507, DEC 2018. (12/17517-3)

MULITZA, STEFAN; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; SCHEFUSS, ENNO; LIPPOLD, JOERG; WICHMANN, DAVID; ANTZ, BENNY; MACKENSEN, ANDREAS; PAUL, ANDRE; PRANGE, MATTHIAS; REHFELD, KIRA; et al. Synchronous and proportional deglacial changes in Atlantic meridional overturning and northeast Brazilian precipitation. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 32, n. 6, p. 622-633, JUN 2017. (12/17517-3)

HAEGGI, CHRISTOPH; SAWAKUCHI, ANDRE O.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; MOLLENHAUER, GESINE; SAWAKUCHI, HENRIQUE O.; BAKER, PAUL A.; ZABEL, MATTHIAS; SCHEFUSS, ENNO. Origin, transport and deposition of leaf-wax biomarkers in the Amazon Basin and the adjacent Atlantic. GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA, v. 192, p. 149-165, NOV 2016. (12/17517-3, 11/14502-2, 11/06609-1)

LANTZSCH, HENDRIK; HANEBUTH, TILL J. J.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; SCHWENK, TILMANN; VIOLANTE, ROBERTO A.. The high-supply, current-dominated continental margin of southeastern South America during the late Quaternary. Quaternary Research, v. 81, n. 2, p. 339-354, MAR 2014. (12/17517-3, 10/09983-9)

CHIESSI, C. M.; MULITZA, S.; MOLLENHAUER, G.; SILVA, J. B.; GROENEVELD, J.; PRANGE, M.. Thermal evolution of the western South Atlantic and the adjacent continent during Termination 1. Climate of the Past, v. 11, n. 6, p. 915-929, 2015. (12/17517-3)

STRIKIS, NICOLAS M.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; CRUZ, FRANCISCO W.; VUILLE, MATHIAS; CHENG, HAI; DE SOUZA BARRETO, ELINE A.; MOLLENHAUER, GESINE; KASTEN, SABINE; KARMANN, IVO; EDWARDS, R. LAWRENCE; et al. Timing and structure of Mega-SACZ events during Heinrich Stadial 1. Geophysical Research Letters, v. 42, n. 13, p. 5477-5484, JUL 16 2015. (12/17517-3, 12/01187-4, 12/50260-6)

NAGAI, RENATA H.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; KUHNERT, HENNING; SOUSA, SILVIA H. M.; WAINER, ILANA E. K. C.; FIGUEIRA, RUBENS C. L.; MAHIQUES, MICHEL M.. South Brazilian Bight mid- to late Holocene hydrographic fluctuations. GEO-MARINE LETTERS, v. 40, n. 6, SI, p. 1045-1055, DEC 2020. (12/17517-3, 09/01594-6, 10/09983-9)

CRIVELLARI, STEFANO; VIANA, PATRICIA JUNIA; CAMPOS, MARILIA DE CARVALHO; KUHNERT, HENNING; MACHADO LOPES, ALYNE BARROS; CRUZ, JR., FRANCISCO WILLIAM DA; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO MAZUR. Development and characterization of a new in-house reference material for stable carbon and oxygen isotopes analyses. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, v. 36, n. 6, p. 1125-1134, JUN 1 2021. (16/10242-0, 20/06534-0, 12/17517-3, 18/15123-4)

ZHANG, YANCHENG; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; ZABEL, MATTHIAS; TRINDADE, RICARDO I. F.; HOLLANDA, MARIA HELENA B. M.; DANTAS, ELTON L.; GOVIN, ALINE; TIEDEMANN, RALF; WEFER, GEROLD. Origin of increased terrigenous supply to the NE South American continental margin during Heinrich Stadial 1 and the Younger Dryas. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 432, p. 493-500, DEC 15 2015. (12/17517-3)

VOIGT, INES; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; PRANGE, MATTHIAS; MULITZA, STEFAN; GROENEVELD, JEROEN; VARMA, VIDYA; HENRICH, RUEDIGER. Holocene shifts of the southern westerlies across the South Atlantic. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 30, n. 2, p. 39-51, FEB 2015. (12/17517-3, 10/09983-9)

GOVIN, A.; CHIESSI, C. M.; ZABEL, M.; SAWAKUCHI, A. O.; HESLOP, D.; HOERNER, T.; ZHANG, Y.; MULITZA, S.. Terrigenous input off northern South America driven by changes in Amazonian climate and the North Brazil Current retroflection during the last 250 ka. Climate of the Past, v. 10, n. 2, p. 843-862, 2014. (12/17517-3, 11/06609-1)

RAZIK, SEBASTIAN; GOVIN, ALINE; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; VON DOBENECK, TILO. Depositional provinces, dispersal, and origin of terrigenous sediments along the SE South American continental margin. MARINE GEOLOGY, v. 363, p. 261-272, MAY 1 2015. (12/17517-3)

CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; GROENEVELD, JEROEN; SILVA, JULIANA B.; CAMPOS, MARILIA C.; GURGEL, MARCIO H. C.. Variability of the Brazil Current during the late Holocene. PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, v. 415, n. SI, p. 28-36, DEC 1 2014. (12/17517-3, 10/09983-9)

BENDER, VERA B.; HANEBUTH, TILL J. J.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.. Holocene shifts of the Subtropical Shelf Front off southeastern South America controlled by high and low latitude atmospheric forcings. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 28, n. 3, p. 481-490, SEP 2013. (11/50394-0, 12/17517-3, 10/09983-9)

PRADO, L. F.; WAINER, I.; CHIESSI, C. M.; LEDRU, M-P; TURCQ, B.. A mid-Holocene climate reconstruction for eastern South America. Climate of the Past, v. 9, n. 5, p. 2117-2133, 2013. (12/17517-3, 10/09983-9, 11/06610-0)

MORARD, RAPHAEL; REINELT, MELANIE; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; GROENEVELD, JEROEN; KUCERA, MICHAL. Tracing shifts of oceanic fronts using the cryptic diversity of the planktonic foraminifera Globorotalia inflata. PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, v. 31, n. 9, p. 1193-1205, SEP 2016. (12/17517-3)

CRIVELLARI, STEFANO; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO MAZUR; KUHNERT, HENNING; HAGGI, CHRISTOPH; PORTILHO-RAMOS, RODRIGO DA COSTA; ZENG, JING-YING; ZHANG, YANCHENG; SCHEFUSS, ENNO; MOLLENHAUER, GESINE; HEFTER, JENS; et al. Increased Amazon freshwater discharge during late Heinrich Stadial 1. QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, v. 181, p. 144-155, FEB 1 2018. (12/17517-3, 13/22521-2)

HOEPPNER, NATALIE; LUCASSEN, FRIEDRICH; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; SAWAKUCHI, ANDRE O.; KASEMANN, SIMONE A.. Holocene provenance shift of suspended particulate matter in the Amazon River basin. QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, v. 190, p. 66-80, JUN 15 2018. (12/17517-3, 11/06609-1)

HAEGGI, CHRISTOPH; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MERKEL, UTE; MULITZA, STEFAN; PRANGE, MATTHIAS; SCHULZ, MICHAEL; SCHEFUSS, ENNO. Response of the Amazon rainforest to late Pleistocene climate variability. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 479, p. 50-59, DEC 1 2017. (12/17517-3)

GARCIA CHAPORI, NATALIA; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO MAZUR; BICKERT, TORSTEN; LAPRIDA, CECILIA. Sea-surface temperature reconstruction of the Quaternary western South Atlantic: New planktonic foraminiferal correlation function. PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, v. 425, p. 67-75, MAY 1 2015. (12/17517-3)

ZHANG, ZHOULING; CAO, ZHIMIAN; GRASSE, PATRICIA; DAI, MINHAN; GAO, LEI; KUHNERT, HENNING; GLEDHILL, MARTHA; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; DOERING, KRISTIN; FRANK, MARTIN. Dissolved silicon isotope dynamics in large river estuaries. GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA, v. 273, p. 367-382, MAR 15 2020. (12/17517-3)

GU, FANG; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; ZONNEVELD, KARIN A. F.; BEHLING, HERMANN. Late Quaternary environmental dynamics inferred from marine sediment core GeoB6211-2 off southern Brazil. PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, v. 496, p. 48-61, MAY 1 2018. (12/17517-3, 13/50297-0)

SANTOS, THIAGO P.; LESSA, DOUGLAS O.; VENANCIO, IGOR M.; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; MULITZA, STEFAN; KUHNERT, HENNING; ALBUQUERQUE, ANA LUIZA S.. The Impact of the AMOC Resumption in the Western South Atlantic Thermocline at the Onset of the Last Interglacial. Geophysical Research Letters, v. 44, n. 22, p. 11547-11554, NOV 28 2017. (12/17517-3)

CRIVELLARI, STEFANO; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO MAZUR; KUHNERT, HENNING; HAEGGI, CHRISTOPH; MOLLENHAUER, GESINE; HEFTER, JENS; PORTILHO-RAMOS, RODRIGO; SCHEFUSS, ENNO; MULITZA, STEFAN. Thermal response of the western tropical Atlantic to slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 519, p. 120-129, AUG 1 2019. (13/22521-2, 12/17517-3)

GU, FANG; CHIESSI, CRISTIANO M.; ZONNEVELD, KARIN A. F.; BEHLING, HERMANN. Shifts of the Brazil-Falklands/Malvinas Confluence in the western South Atlantic during the latest Pleistocene-Holocene inferred from dinoflagellate cysts. PALYNOLOGY, v. 43, n. 3, p. 483-493, JUL 3 2019. (12/17517-3, 13/50297-0)