Middle Holocene expansion of Pacific Deep Water into the Southern Ocean
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Struve, Torben
Wilson, David J
van de Flierdt, Tina
Pratt, Naomi
Crocket, Kirsty C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The Southern Ocean is a key region for the overturning and mixing of water masses within the global ocean circulation system. Because Southern Ocean dynamics are influenced by the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds (SWW), changes in the westerly wind forcing could significantly affect the circulation and mixing of water masses in this important location. While changes in SWW forcing during the Holocene (i.e., the last ∼11,700 y) have been documented, evidence of the oceanic response to these changes is equivocal. Here we use the neodymium (Nd) isotopic composition of absolute-dated cold-water coral skeletons to show that there have been distinct changes in the chemistry of the Southern Ocean water column during the Holocene. Our results reveal a pronounced Middle Holocene excursion (peaking ∼7,000–6,000 y before present), at the depth level presently occupied by Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW), toward Nd isotope values more typical of Pacific waters. We suggest that poleward-reduced SWW forcing during the Middle Holocene led to both reduced Southern Ocean deep mixing and enhanced influx of Pacific Deep Water into UCDW, inducing a water mass structure that was significantly different from today. Poleward SWW intensification during the Late Holocene could then have reinforced deep mixing along and across density surfaces, thus enhancing the release of accumulated CO2 to the atmosphere.
Date Issued
2020-01-14
Date Acceptance
2019-12-01
Citation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2020, 117 (2), pp.889-894
ISSN
0027-8424
Publisher
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Start Page
889
End Page
894
Journal / Book Title
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Volume
117
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2020
Published under the PNAS license (https://www.pnas.org/site/aboutpnas/licenses.xhtml).
Published under the PNAS license (https://www.pnas.org/site/aboutpnas/licenses.xhtml).
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Commission of the European Communities
The Leverhulme Trust
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/2/889
Grant Number
NE/F016751/1
PIRG03-GA-2008-230828
RPG-398
NE/N001141/1
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-12-30