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Surface changes in the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the last millennium

Author

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  • Alan D. Wanamaker

    (Iowa State University
    School of Ocean Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University)

  • Paul G. Butler

    (School of Ocean Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University)

  • James D. Scourse

    (School of Ocean Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University)

  • Jan Heinemeier

    (AMS 14C Dating Centre, Aarhus University)

  • Jón Eiríksson

    (Earth Science Institute, University of Iceland
    Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen)

  • Karen Luise Knudsen

    (Aarhus University)

  • Christopher A. Richardson

    (School of Ocean Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University)

Abstract

Despite numerous investigations, the dynamical origins of the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the Little Ice Age remain uncertain. A major unresolved issue relating to internal climate dynamics is the mode and tempo of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation variability, and the significance of decadal-to-centennial scale changes in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation strength in regulating the climate of the last millennium. Here we use the time-constrained high-resolution local radiocarbon reservoir age offset derived from an absolutely dated annually resolved shell chronology spanning the past 1,350 years, to reconstruct changes in surface ocean circulation and climate. The water mass tracer data presented here from the North Icelandic shelf, combined with previously published data from the Arctic and subtropical Atlantic, show that surface Atlantic meridional overturning circulation dynamics likely amplified the relatively warm conditions during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the relatively cool conditions during the Little Ice Age within the North Atlantic sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Alan D. Wanamaker & Paul G. Butler & James D. Scourse & Jan Heinemeier & Jón Eiríksson & Karen Luise Knudsen & Christopher A. Richardson, 2012. "Surface changes in the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the last millennium," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 3(1), pages 1-7, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:3:y:2012:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1901
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1901
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