The Mid-Pliocene South Atlantic and Southern Ocean circulations as reference for the 21st century climate

• Grant number: 16/23670-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2017
• End date: January 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Physical Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Ilana Elazari Klein Coaracy Wainer
• Grantee: Gabriel Marques Pontes
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/08282-1 - Understanding the Mechanisms of the Mid-Pliocene Atlantic ITCZ Change and its impacts on tropical rainfall, BE.EP.DD

Abstract

Recent findings of the Mid-Pliocene climate have attracted attention of the research community. The mid-Pliocene is the most geologically recent interval in Earth history of sustained global warmth with anual mean temperatures 2-3°C above modern and atmospheric CO2 concentrations as or above present day (365-425 ppm). Moreover, tectonic displacements that ocurried durig early Pliocene gave rise to the modern ocean circulation pattern. Thus, this study will analyse the circulation of the South Atlantic and its Southern ocean sector during the Mid-Pliocene as an anologue to the 21st century climate. The South Atlantic Ocean is important in regaluating the global climate as it links exchanges of heat, salt, and other tracers between the North Atlantic and the Pacific, Indian, and Southern oceans. However, it is one of the less studied oceans in the climate and oceanography literature. Nowadays, there is growing interest in better understanding the South Atlantic dynamics. However, the majority of the studies focus on understanding the South Atlantic variability on interannual to decadal timescales, and there still a need for long-term studies particularly regarding changes in warmer scenarios. (AU)

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)

PONTES, GABRIEL M.; TASCHETTO, ANDREA S.; SEN GUPTA, ALEX; SANTOSO, AGUS; WAINER, ILANA; HAYWOOD, ALAN M.; CHAN, WING-LE; ABE-OUCHI, AYAKO; STEPANEK, CHRISTIAN; LOHMANN, GERRIT; et al. Mid-Pliocene El Nino/Southern Oscillation suppressed by Pacific intertropical convergence zone shift. NATURE GEOSCIENCE, v. 15, n. 9, p. 22-pg., 2022-08-11. (16/23670-0, 21/11035-6)

PONTES, GABRIEL M.; WAINER, ILANA; TASCHETTO, ANDREA S.; SEN GUPTA, ALEX; ABE-OUCHI, AYAKO; BRADY, ESTHER C.; CHAN, WING-LE; CHANDAN, DEEPAK; CONTOUX, CAMILLE; FENG, RAN; et al. Drier tropical and subtropical Southern Hemisphere in the mid-Pliocene Warm Period. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 10, n. 1, AUG 10 2020. (16/23670-0)

Academic Publications

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

PONTES, Gabriel Marques. Ocean-Atmosphere interactions in the mid-Pliocene global warming: Lessons for the 21st century climate. 2022. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto Oceanográfico (IO/DIDC) São Paulo.