Antarctic topography at the Eocene–Oligocene boundary

Wilson, Douglas S.; Jamieson, Stewart S. R.; Barrett, P. J.; Leitchenkov, G.; Gohl, Karsten; Larter, Robert D

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.05.028

Cited by 181 publications

(241 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…The ice-sheet volume at the glacial maximum corresponds to ∼69.0 m of equivalent sea level in this model, ∼14.0 m more than previous modelling results 18 , probably owing to larger Antarctic land surface 24 .…”

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confidence: 55%

“…1a) The ice-sheet model employed in our GIA computations is characterized by a 2.2 Myr growth phase caused by a combination of decreasing CO 2 and orbital forcing that drives summer temperatures below the threshold for glaciation 18 but uses a new reconstruction of Antarctic topography 24 at EOT time (Methods). The ice-sheet volume at the glacial maximum corresponds to ∼69.0 m of equivalent sea level in this model, ∼14.0 m more than previous modelling results 18 , probably owing to larger Antarctic land surface 24 .We run a reference simulation (Fig. 1a-d) for an Earth model defined by an elastic lithosphere thickness (LT) of 100 km, and by a viscosity profile (RVP) that is discretized into a lower mantle (LM), a transition zone (TZ) and an upper mantle (UM) and is characterized by viscosities of 1.0 × 10 22 , 5.0 × 10 20 and 2.5 × 10 20 Pa s respectively (RVP-100 km-LT simulation).…”

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confidence: 53%

“…The ice-sheet model employed in our GIA computations is characterized by a 2.2 Myr growth phase caused by a combination of decreasing CO 2 and orbital forcing that drives summer temperatures below the threshold for glaciation 18 but uses a new reconstruction of Antarctic topography 24 at EOT time (Methods). The ice-sheet volume at the glacial maximum corresponds to ∼69.0 m of equivalent sea level in this model, ∼14.0 m more than previous modelling results 18 , probably owing to larger Antarctic land surface 24 .…”

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Relative sea-level rise around East Antarctica during Oligocene glaciation

et al. 2013

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Antarctic glaciation was abruptly established during the EoceneOligocene transition (EOT) in two ∼200-kyr-spaced phases between 34.0 Myr and 33.5 Myr ago, as recorded by the oxygen isotope composition of marine biogenic calcite 3,4,9 (δ 18 O). The first shift (EOT-1) is believed to represent a transient glaciation [10][11][12] , later followed by the establishment of a continental-scale ice sheet across the Oligocene isotope event-1 33.7 Myr ago; ref. 4). This is consistent with Northern Hemisphere ocean-sediment cores, which indicate a 60 ± 20 m relative sea level (rsl) fall across the EOT (refs 13-15). Under isostatic equilibrium conditions, the observed regression nearly corresponds to the rsl drop expected from glacioeustasy 6 . Along the Antarctic margins, however, the rsl changes accompanying the glaciation are expected to strongly deviate from the eustatic, because of large crustal and gravitational perturbations induced by the ice sheet on the deformable Earth 6 . Furthermore, strong regional rsl change gradients would be maintained long after the ice-sheet stabilization, by the flexure of lithosphere 16 . This necessitates self-consistent physical models for rsl change to compare near-field sedimentary sequences with far-field ice-sheet volume estimates.Here we evaluate the regionally varying rsl changes in response to glacial expansion and their effects on glaciomarine facies 17 around East Antarctica with a numerical model for glacial-hydro isostatic adjustment (GIA). Our model is based on the solution of the gravitationally self-consistent sea-level equation 7,8 for a prescribed Antarctic ice-sheet chronology 18 and a linear viscoelastic rheology for the solid Earth (Methods and Supplementary Information). We compare the model results with sedimentary records from the Wilkes Land Margin (Fig. 1a) The ice-sheet model employed in our GIA computations is characterized by a 2.2 Myr growth phase caused by a combination of decreasing CO 2 and orbital forcing that drives summer temperatures below the threshold for glaciation 18 but uses a new reconstruction of Antarctic topography 24 at EOT time (Methods). The ice-sheet volume at the glacial maximum corresponds to ∼69.0 m of equivalent sea level in this model, ∼14.0 m more than previous modelling results 18 , probably owing to larger Antarctic land surface 24 .We run a reference simulation (Fig. 1a-d) for an Earth model defined by an elastic lithosphere thickness (LT) of 100 km, and by a viscosity profile (RVP) that is discretized into a lower mantle (LM), a transition zone (TZ) and an upper mantle (UM) and is characterized by viscosities of 1.0 × 10 22 , 5.0 × 10 20 and 2.5 × 10 20 Pa s respectively (RVP-100 km-LT simulation). To evaluate how the GIA signal varies according to the mantle viscosity, we perform simulations for an ensemble of viscosity profiles (EVPs) characterized by viscosities varying in the range of

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Relative sea-level rise around East Antarctica during Oligocene glaciation

et al. 2013

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“…We recognise that our simulation of CO 2 may be improved in subsequent studies that include geological processes that are still missing in our model set-up. For instance, tectonics leading to mountain uplift (Kutzbach et al, 1993) and closure of sea ways (Kennett, 1977;Toggweiler and Bjornsson, 2000;Hamon et al, 2013), erosion (Wilson et al, 2012;Gasson et al, 2015;Stap et al, 2016b), and vegetation changes (Knorr et al, 2011;Liakka et al, 2014;Hamon et al, 2012) may have affected the climate system during the past 38 Myr. Here, we will purely focus on the influence of ice sheets on the climate, in particular the relation between CO 2 and temperature, during this time.…”

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confidence: 99%

The influence of ice sheets on temperature during the past 38 million years inferred from a one-dimensional ice sheet–climate model

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Since the inception of the Antarctic ice sheet at the Eocene-Oligocene transition ( ∼ 34 Myr ago), land ice has played a crucial role in Earth's climate. Through feedbacks in the climate system, land ice variability modifies atmospheric temperature changes induced by orbital, topographical, and greenhouse gas variations. Quantification of these feedbacks on long timescales has hitherto scarcely been undertaken. In this study, we use a zonally averaged energy balance climate model bidirectionally coupled to a one-dimensional ice sheet model, capturing the ice-albedo and surface-height-temperature feedbacks. Potentially important transient changes in topographic boundary conditions by tectonics and erosion are not taken into account but are briefly discussed. The relative simplicity of the coupled model allows us to perform integrations over the past 38 Myr in a fully transient fashion using a benthic oxygen isotope record as forcing to inversely simulate CO 2 . Firstly, we find that the results of the simulations over the past 5 Myr are dependent on whether the model run is started at 5 or 38 Myr ago. This is because the relation between CO 2 and temperature is subject to hysteresis. When the climate cools from very high CO 2 levels, as in the longer transient 38 Myr run, temperatures in the lower CO 2 range of the past 5 Myr are higher than when the climate is initialised at low temperatures. Consequently, the modelled CO 2 concentrations depend on the initial state. Taking the realistic warm initialisation into account, we come to a best estimate of CO 2 , temperature, ice-volume-equivalent sea level, and benthic δ 18 O over the past 38 Myr. Secondly, we study the influence of ice sheets on the evolution of global temperature and polar amplification by comparing runs with ice sheet-climate interaction switched on and off. By passing only albedo or surface height changes to the climate model, we can distinguish the separate effects of the ice-albedo and surfaceheight-temperature feedbacks. We find that ice volume variability has a strong enhancing effect on atmospheric temperature changes, particularly in the regions where the ice sheets are located. As a result, polar amplification in the Northern Hemisphere decreases towards warmer climates as there is little land ice left to melt. Conversely, decay of the Antarctic ice sheet increases polar amplification in the Southern Hemisphere in the high-CO 2 regime. Our results also show that in cooler climates than the pre-industrial, the ice-albedo feedback predominates the surface-heighttemperature feedback, while in warmer climates they are more equal in strength.

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“…The geometry, distribution and thickness of sediment sequences produced by these processes can provide insight into the ice sheet development and palaeocirculation of the Weddell Sea. Additionally, sediment thickness grids are needed for palaeotopography (Lythe et al, 2001;Le Brocq et al, 2010;Wilson et al, 2011) and palaeobathymetry (Brown et al, 2006;Hayes et al, 2009) reconstructions at epochs with similar or higher atmospheric pCO 2 than today, like the Eocene, Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene (Pagani et al, 2005;Tripati et al, 2009Tripati et al, , 2011. These palaeo-surface reconstructions provide boundary conditions for palaeoclimate models (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%