Sea-surface Temperature Estimates and Freshwater Inputs from Offshore Greenland during the mid-Pliocene Warm Period

• Grant number: 25/04241-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Eduardo de Oliveira
• Grantee: Marcelo Augusto de Lira Mota
• Supervisor: Tom Dunkley Jones
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Birmingham, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/04935-9 - "Climate tipping cascade": The Amazon Rainforest and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet behavior under sustained global warming, BP.PD

Abstract

This research project investigates the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) under high-CO2 conditions, using the mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP; 3.26-3.03 Ma) as a future analogue. The mPWP featured CO2 levels (~400 ppm) and global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) 1-3°C above pre-industrial values, offering insights into ice-sheet dynamics and oceanic responses. The study aims to refine Earth System Models (ESMs) by analysing the links between North Atlantic SST variability, GrIS fluctuations, and broader climate impacts, including the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The research employs biomarker proxies such as TEX86 and Uk'37 for high-resolution SST reconstructions from 150 sediment samples at IODP Site U1602 (Eirik sediment drift, Greenland). It also utilises the BIT index to assess terrestrial organic matter inputs. The study is a collaboration between the University of São Paulo (USP), the University of Birmingham (UK), and the University of Southampton (UK). Initial training at Southampton will enhance expertise in GDGT analysis, while Birmingham will provide access to IODP Expedition 395 samples and advanced organic geochemistry facilities. The project strengthens Brazil's research capacity by integrating multi-proxy organic geochemical techniques into the ongoing FAPESP-funded postdoctoral study on climate tipping cascades between the GrIS, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and the Amazon Rainforest. Findings will inform climate adaptation strategies, enhance LaGO/IGc/USP methodologies, and be disseminated via publications, training courses, and conferences.