On the identification of a Pliocene time slice for data-model comparison

Haywood, Alan M.; Dolan, Aisling M.; Pickering, Steven J.; Dowsett, Harry J.; McClymont, Erin L.; Prescott, Caroline L.; Salzmann, Ulrich; Hill, Daniel J.; Hunter, Stephen J.; Lunt, Daniel J.; Pope, James O.; Valdes, Paul J.. 2013 On the identification of a Pliocene time slice for data-model comparison. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A, 371, 20120515. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2012.0515

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Official URL: http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/371...

Abstract/Summary

The characteristics of the mid-Pliocene warm period (mPWP: 3.264–3.025 Ma BP) have been examined using geological proxies and climate models. While there is agreement between models and data, details of regional climate differ. Uncertainties in prescribed forcings and in proxy data limit the utility of the interval to understand the dynamics of a warmer than present climate or evaluate models. This uncertainty comes, in part, from the reconstruction of a time slab rather than a time slice, where forcings required by climate models can be more adequately constrained. Here, we describe the rationale and approach for identifying a time slice(s) for Pliocene environmental reconstruction. A time slice centred on 3.205 Ma BP (3.204–3.207 Ma BP) has been identified as a priority for investigation. It is a warm interval characterized by a negative benthic oxygen isotope excursion (0.21–0.23‰) centred on marine isotope stage KM5c (KM5.3). It occurred during a period of orbital forcing that was very similar to present day. Climate model simulations indicate that proxy temperature estimates are unlikely to be significantly affected by orbital forcing for at least a precession cycle centred on the time slice, with the North Atlantic potentially being an important exception.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2012.0515
ISSN:	1364-503X
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences Meteorology and Climatology
Date made live:	31 Oct 2013 13:03 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/503664

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2012.0515

ISSN:

1364-503X

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

NORA Subject Terms:

Earth Sciences
Meteorology and Climatology

Date made live:

31 Oct 2013 13:03 +0 (UTC)