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Abrupt climate events are generally attributed as a characteristic of glacial (intermediate-to-large cryosphere) climate states. While a large cryosphere may be a necessary boundary condition for millennial-scale events to persist, it remains unclear whether high-magnitude climate variability is purely a glacial phenomenon requiring cryosphere-driven feedbacks. High-resolution climate records are used to portray North Atlantic climate's progression through low-ice, interglacial boundary conditions of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11c into the glacial inception. We show that this period is marked by rapid shifts in both deep overflow and surface climate. The reorganization between polar and Atlantic waters at subpolar latitudes appears to accompany changes in the flow of deep water emanating from the Nordic Seas, regardless of magnitude or boundary conditions. Further, during both glacial and interglacial boundary conditions, we find that a reduction in deep water precedes surface hydrographic change. The existence of surface and deep ocean events during an interglacial, with similar magnitudes, abruptness, and surface-deep phasing as their glacial counterparts, alters our concept of “warm” climate stability and the requisite cryospheric thresholds and feedbacks for it.

There is emergent evidence that abrupt shifts of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) have occurred during interglacial periods, with recent observations and model simulations showing that we may have over-estimated its stability during warm climates. In this study, we present a multi-proxy reconstruction of deep-water characteristics from the Rockall Trough in the Eastern North Atlantic to assess the variability of Nordic seas and Labrador Sea deep-water formation during past interglacial periods MIS 1, 5, 11, and 19. To test the warm climate stability hypothesis and to constrain the variability of deep-water formation for past warm climates, we performed geochemical analysis on planktic (Nd isotopes) and benthic foraminifera (δ18O and δ13C) along with sedimentological analysis. This approach allows us to reconstruct paleocurrent flow strength, as well as the origin and contribution of different water masses to one of the deep-water components of the AMOC in the Rockall Trough. We found that deep-water properties varied considerably during each of our chosen periods. For example during the Holocene εNd variability is smaller (1.8 per mil) when compared to variability during MIS 19 (3.3 per mil), an interglacial that experienced very similar orbital boundary conditions. Our results confirm that deep-water variability in the eastern North Atlantic basin was more variable in previous interglacial periods when compared to our current Holocene and provide new insight into the relative contribution of Nordic Seas Deep Water and Labrador Sea Water in the Rockall trough.

Whether or not Arctic regions remain(ed) a carbon sink or source to the atmosphere during rapidly warming climates (in the past) is a fundamental question with regards to future global warming and ocean acidification. The boron isotopic composition of planktonic foraminiferal shell calcite (δ11BCc) can potentially provide valuable information of past seawater pH if information on a second carbonate system parameter, temperature, and salinity is available. However, most applications of palaeoceanographic proxies to the cold polar oceans are limited due to a paucity of calibration data, limited information on the calcification habitat, and secondary effects of the carbonate system on the temperature recorded by Mg/Ca values measured in the dominant Arctic species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma sinistral (NPS). Here we present a new Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) δ11B dataset measured on live NPS collected via plankton tows from the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay. We compare our results with δ11Bborate derived from pH measurements, δ13C DIC seawater values, temperature and salinity collected at the time and depth the foraminifera calcified. To quantify the control of low carbonate ion concentration on Mg/Ca derived temperatures we measured B/Ca alongside Mg/Ca in the calibration dataset. We are thus able to present a new geochemical correction scheme that can isolate non-thermal controls on the Mg/Ca-temperature relationship for NPS, allowing us for the first time the reconstruction of carbonate system parameters in the Arctic Ocean.

Abrupt climate events are generally believed to be characteristic of glacial (intermediate-to-large cryosphere) climate states, requiring either sizeable ice-sheets or large freshwater pulses to act as triggers for abrupt climate changes to occur. Amplification occurs when these triggers bear upon the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). However, the focus on glacial climate states in abrupt climate change research has led to an underrepresentation of research into interglacial periods. It thus remains unclear whether high-magnitude climate variability requires large cryosphere-driven feedbacks or whether it can also occur under low ice conditions. Here we present a high resolution analysis of surface and deep water components of the AMOC spanning the transition from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 19c to 19a to test if orbital boundary conditions similar to our current Holocene can accommodate abrupt climate events. Sediment core DSDP 610B (53°13.297N, 18°53.213W), located approximately 700-km west of Ireland, was specifically chosen due to its high sedimentation rate during interglacial periods, excellent core recovery over the Quaternary and its unique geographical location. Above the core site, the dominant oceanographic feature is the North Atlantic Current and at 2417-m water depth, 610B is influenced by Wyville Thomson Overflow Water flowing southwards. A multiproxy approach including paired grain size analysis, planktic foraminifer assemblage counts, and ice-rafted debris counts within the same samples allows us to resolve the timing between both surface and bottom components of the AMOC and their response to abrupt climate events during MIS-19 in the eastern subpolar gyre. This study is societally relevant as future freshwater inputs from a melting Greenland ice sheet may impact ocean circulation, potentially causing shifts in climate for many European countries.

Magnesium/Calcium paleothermometry is an established tool for reconstructing past surface and deep-sea temperatures. However, our understanding of non-thermal environmental controls on the uptake of Mg into the calcitic lattice of foraminiferal tests remains limited. Here we present a combined analysis of multiple trace element/calcium ratios and stable isotope (δ18O and δ13C) geochemistry on the subpolar planktonic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina incompta to assess the validity of Mg/Ca as a proxy for surface ocean temperature. We identify small size-specific offsets in Mg/Ca and δ18Oc values for N. incompta that are consistent with depth habitat migration patterns throughout the life cycle of this species. Additionally, an assessment of non-thermal controls on Mg/Ca values reveals that (1) the presence of volcanic ash, (2) the addition of high-Mg abiotic overgrowths, and (3) ambient seawater carbonate chemistry can have a significant impact on the Mg/Ca-to-temperature relationship. For carbonate ion concentrations of values > 200 μmol*kg−1, we find that temperature exerts the dominant control on Mg/Ca values, while at values

The global distribution of microplastic debris on the sea floor poses an increasing risk to marine organisms and ecosystems. Here, we present a distribution analysis of microplastics collected from eight marine multicores recovered from the Iceland continental shelf and surrounding areas at water depth between 241 and 1628 m. We report a total of 306 microplastics from the size range > 250 μm −5 mm, of which all were fibers. Microplastic numbers range between 0.119 and 0.768 per gram of dry sediments. In the analysis we assess the potential role of oceanic surface and bottom water currents, organic content, and sediment type on the distribution, deposition, and burial of microplastics in marine sediments. Our results provide the first record of microplastic pollution of marine sediments from the Iceland continental shelf and identify Atlantic Cod feeding and breeding grounds as potential hot spot for the accumulation of marine debris.

The ocean constitutes the largest heat reservoir in the Earth's energy budget and thus exerts a major influence on its climate. Instrumental observations show an increase in ocean heat content (OHC) associated with the increase in greenhouse emissions. Here we review proxy records of intermediate water temperatures from sediment cores and corals in the equatorial Pacific and northeastern Atlantic Oceans, spanning 10,000 years beyond the instrumental record. These records suggests that intermediate waters were 1.5–2 °C warmer during the Holocene Thermal Maximum than in the last century. Intermediate water masses cooled by 0.9 °C from the Medieval Climate Anomaly to the Little Ice Age. These changes are significantly larger than the temperature anomalies documented in the instrumental record. The implied large perturbations in OHC and Earth's energy budget are at odds with very small radiative forcing anomalies throughout the Holocene and Common Era. We suggest that even very small radiative perturbations can change the latitudinal temperature gradient and strongly affect prevailing atmospheric wind systems and hence air-sea heat exchange. These dynamic processes provide an efficient mechanism to amplify small changes in insolation into relatively large changes in OHC. Over long time periods the ocean's interior acts like a capacitor and builds up large (positive and negative) heat anomalies that can mitigate or amplify small radiative perturbations as seen in the Holocene trend and Common Era anomalies, respectively. Evidently the ocean's interior is more sensitive to small external forcings than the global surface ocean because of the high sensitivity of heat exchange in the high-latitudes to climate variations.

Microplastics are widely dispersed throughout the marine environment. An understanding of the distribution and accumulation of this form of pollution is crucial for gauging environmental risk. Presented here is the first record of plastic contamination, in the 5 mm–250 μm size range, of Irish continental shelf sediments. Sixty-two microplastics were recovered from 10 of 11 stations using box cores. 97% of recovered microplastics were found to reside shallower than 2.5 cm sediment depth, with the area of highest microplastic concentration being the water-sediment interface and top 0.5 cm of sediments (66%). Microplastics were not found deeper than 3.5 ± 0.5 cm. These findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination is ubiquitous within superficial sediments and bottom water along the western Irish continental shelf. Results highlight that cores need to be at least 4–5 cm deep to quantify the standing stock of microplastics within marine sediments. All recovered microplastics were classified as secondary microplastics as they appear to be remnants of larger items; fibres being the principal form of microplastic pollution (85%), followed by broken fragments (15%). The range of polymer types, colours and physical forms recovered suggests a variety of sources. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms influencing microplastic transport, deposition, resuspension and subsequent interactions with biota.

Article history: Climate records of the mid-to-late Holocene transition, between 3-4 thousand years before present (ka), often exhibit a rapid change in response to the gradual change in orbital insolation. Here we investigate North Atlantic Central Water circulation as a possible mechanism regulating the latitudinal temperature gradient (LTG), which, in turn, amplifies climate sensitivity to small changes in solar irradiance. Through this mechanism, sharp climate events and transitions are the result of a positive feedback process that propagates and amplifies climate events in the North Atlantic region. We explore these linkages using an intermediate water temperature record reconstructed from Mg/Ca measurements of benthic foraminifera (Hyalinea balthica )f rom as ediment core off NW Africa (889 md epth) between 0t o 5.5 ka. Our results show that Eastern North Atlantic Central Waters (ENACW) cooled by ∼1 ◦ ±0.7 ◦ Ca nd densities decreased by σθ = 0.4 ± 0. 2b etween 3.3 and 2.6 ka. This shift in ENACW hydrography illustrates at ransition towards enhanced mid-latitude atmospheric circulation after 2.7 ka in particular during cold events of the late-Holocene. The presented records demonstrate the important role of ENACW circulation in propagating the climate signatures of the LTG by reducing the meridional heat transfer from high to low latitudes during the transition from the Holocene Thermal Maximum to the late-Holocene. In addition, the dynamic response of ENACW circulation to the gradual climate forcing of LTGs provides a prime example of an amplifying climate feedback mechanism. Published by Elsevier B.V.

There is increasing evidence that accelerated warming at high-latitudes is associated with increased climate variability at mid-latitudes, including the frequency and intensity of storms. However, due to short instrumental records our understanding of how ocean-atmosphere dynamics operate during warmer than present climates remains limited. Here we present a palaeoceanographic investigation of the transition between the middle Holocene intervals of the Northgrippian (8.2–4.2 ka) and the late Holocene interval of the Meghalayan (4.2–0 ka) to test the hypothesis of an eastward shift of the Icelandic Low under warmer than present climate scenarios. Reconstructions of bottom water temperatures (BWT) and stable oxygen isotopes (Mg/Ca, δ18O) using the benthic foraminifera Hyalinea balthica reveal warmer than present BWT of up to 2.6 ± 0.7 °C on the Irish Continental Shelf until circa 4.2 ka. The results suggest that Atlantic waters of subtropical origins were more prevalent in the eastern subpolar gyre (SPG) and on the Irish Continental Shelf. We link this oceanographic signature to an eastward shift of the Icelandic Low. We then place our local temperature record into an extra-regional context, using a combination of modern observations and existing palaeo datasets, which enables us to assess the impact of changing atmospheric modes on ocean-atmosphere climate linkages within the North Atlantic Region. The enhanced influence of warm subtropical Atlantic waters recirculating along the boundaries of the SPG under this scenario, would potentially have enhanced melt rates of marine-terminating glaciers on the east Greenland Shelf during the Northgrippian.

article i nfo Understanding natural climate variability in the North Atlantic region is essential not only to assess the sensitivity of atmosphere-ocean climate signal exchange and propagation, but also to help distinguish between natural and anthropogenic climate change. The North Atlantic Oscillation is one of the controlling modes in recent variability of atmosphere-ocean linkages and ice/freshwater fluxes between the Polar and North Atlantic Ocean. Through these processes the NAO influences water mass formation and the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning circulation and thereby variability in ocean heat transport. However, the impact of the NAO as well as other forcing mechanisms on multidecadal timescales such as total solar irradiance on Eastern North Atlantic Central Water production, central water circulation, and climate signal propagation from high to low latitudes in the eastern subpolar and subtropical basins remains uncertain. Here we use a 1200 yr long benthic foraminiferal Mg/Ca based temperature and oxygen isotope record from a ~900 m deep sediment core off northwest Africa to show that atmosphere-ocean interactions in the eastern subpolar gyre are transferred at central water depth into the eastern boundary of the subtropical gyre. Further we link the variability of the NAO (over the past 165 yrs) and solar irradiance (Late Holocene) and their control on subpolar mode water formation to the multidecadal variability observed at mid-depth in the eastern subtropical gyre. Our results show that eastern North Atlantic central waters cooled by up to ~0.8± 0.7 °C and densities decreased by σθ=0.3±0.2 during positive NAO years and during minima in solar irradiance during the Late Holocene. The presented records demonstrate the sensitivity of central water formation to enhanced atmospheric forcing and ice/freshwater fluxes into the eastern subpolar gyre and the importance of central water circulation for cross-gyre climate signal propagation during the Late Holocene. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NSF Awards OCE 02‐20922 and 09‐02977 toYR, OCE 09‐28607 to MK, OCE02‐20776 to DWO, and DFGpriority program INTERDYNAMIK to AM. Indonesian Agency for Assessment and Application of Tech-nology (BPPT), the Center of Research and Development forOceanography (LIPI) for their help in organizing and fundingthis cruise