Reconciling Southern Ocean fronts equatorward migration with minor Antarctic ice volume change during Miocene cooling

Suning Hou*, Lennert B. Stap, Ryan Paul, Mei Nelissen, Frida S. Hoem, Martin Ziegler, Appy Sluijs, Francesca Sangiorgi, Peter K. Bijl

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Gradual climate cooling and CO2 decline in the Miocene were recently shown not to be associated with major ice volume expansion, challenging a fundamental paradigm in the functioning of the Antarctic cryosphere. Here, we explore Miocene ice-ocean-climate interactions by presenting a multi-proxy reconstruction of subtropical front migration, bottom water temperature and global ice volume change, using dinoflagellate cyst biogeography, benthic foraminiferal clumped isotopes from offshore Tasmania. We report an equatorward frontal migration and strengthening, concurrent with surface and deep ocean cooling but absence of ice volume change in the mid–late-Miocene. To reconcile these counterintuitive findings, we argue based on new ice sheet modelling that the Antarctic ice sheet progressively lowered in height while expanding seawards, to maintain a stable volume. This can be achieved with rigorous intervention in model precipitation regimes on Antarctica and ice-induced ocean cooling and requires rethinking the interactions between ice, ocean and climate.

Original languageEnglish
Article number7230
JournalNature Communications
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Nov 2023

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