Moist and Warm Conditions in Eurasia During the Last Glacial of the Middle Pleistocene Transition

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2023 May 10

PMID 37164947

Authors

Maria Fernanda Sanchez Goni

Thomas Extier

Josue M Polanco-Martinez

Coralie Zorzi

Teresa Rodrigues

Andre Bahr

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The end of the Middle Pleistocene Transition (MPT, ~ 800-670 thousand years before present, ka) was characterised by the emergence of large glacial ice-sheets associated with anomalously warm North Atlantic sea surface temperatures enhancing moisture production. Still, the direction and intensity of moisture transport across Eurasia towards potential ice-sheets is poorly constrained. To reconstruct late MPT moisture production and dispersal, we combine records of upper ocean temperature and pollen-based Mediterranean forest cover, a tracer of westerlies and precipitation, from a subtropical drill-core collected off South-West Iberia, with records of East Asia summer monsoon (EASM) strength and West Pacific surface temperatures, and model simulations. Here we show that south-western European winter precipitation and EASM strength reached high levels during the Marine Isotope Stage 18 glacial. This anomalous situation was caused by nearly-continuous moisture supply from both oceans and its transport to higher latitudes through the westerlies, likely fuelling the accelerated expansion of northern hemisphere ice-sheets during the late MPT.

Citing Articles

Hydroclimate variability in the central Mediterranean during MIS 17 interglacial (Middle Pleistocene) highlights timing offset with monsoon activity.

Capraro L, Incarbona A, Fornaciari E, Sabatino N, Scaillet S, Sprovieri R Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):18938.

PMID: 37919327 PMC: 10622447. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45812-x.

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