Meltwater pulses in the Last Glacial Maximum transition: impacts on physical and dynamical structure of Southern Ocean

• Grant number: 11/02047-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2011
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Physical Oceanography
• Principal researcher: Ilana Elazari Klein Coaracy Wainer
• Grantee: Juliana Marini Marson
• Home Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/20977-9 - The evolution of Antarctic bottom water since the Last Glacial Maximum using optimum multiparameter analysis (OMP), BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Several proxy records show that climate experienced cooling during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) followed by an abrupt warming at the onset of a period known as Bølling-Allerød (BA), dated approximately at 14 000 years ago. It is believed that this warming and associated sea level rise was triggered by a meltwater pulse (MWP) - referred to as the meltwater pulse 1-A, which may had been originated at the Antarctic continent. As a consequence of this pulse, besides temperature increase and sea level rise, oceanic circulation changes were also recorded. However, there is still a gap on knowledge about how could a MWP modify the Southern Ocean regional circulation. The Southern Ocean plays an important role in the process of dense water masses formation, which is fundamental on global climate. Therefore, the objective of this proposal is to clarify some of the physical and dynamical impacts of a MWP originating from Antarctica on the Southern Ocean circulation. This will be done by analyzing global paleoclimate model transient results and then applying an ocean regional model to understand the regional implications. Understanding what happened in the past may help project what would be expected if the West Antarctica Ice Sheet keeps disintegrating on currently observed rates.

Scientific publications

(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)

MARSON, JULIANA M.; MYSAK, LAWRENCE A.; MATA, MAURICIO M.; WAINER, ILANA. Evolution of the deep Atlantic water masses since the last glacial maximum based on a transient run of NCAR-CCSM3. Climate Dynamics, v. 47, n. 3-4, p. 865-877, AUG 2016. Web of Science Citations: 0.

MARSON, J. M.; WAINER, I.; MATA, M. M.; LIU, Z. The impacts of deglacial meltwater forcing on the South Atlantic Ocean deep circulation since the Last Glacial Maximum. Climate of the Past, v. 10, n. 5, p. 1723-1734, 2014. Web of Science Citations: 6.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

. Meltwater Impacts on the Ocean Circulation since the Last Glacial Maximum. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC) São Paulo.