Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model
As the most recent warm period in Earth's history with a sea-level stand higher than present, the Last Interglacial (LIG, ∼ 130 to 115 kyr BP) is often considered a prime example to study the impact of a warmer climate on the two polar ice sheets remaining today. Here we simulate the Last Int...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2016-12-01
|
| Series: | Climate of the Past |
| Online Access: | http://www.clim-past.net/12/2195/2016/cp-12-2195-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811338618320453632 |
|---|---|
| author | H. Goelzer P. Huybrechts M.-F. Loutre T. Fichefet |
| author_facet | H. Goelzer P. Huybrechts M.-F. Loutre T. Fichefet |
| author_sort | H. Goelzer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As the most recent warm period in Earth's history with a sea-level stand
higher than present, the Last Interglacial (LIG, ∼ 130 to 115 kyr BP) is often considered a prime example to study the impact of a warmer
climate on the two polar ice sheets remaining today. Here we simulate the
Last Interglacial climate, ice sheet, and sea-level evolution with the Earth
system model of intermediate complexity LOVECLIM v.1.3, which includes
dynamic and fully coupled components representing the atmosphere, the ocean
and sea ice, the terrestrial biosphere, and the Greenland and Antarctic ice
sheets. In this setup, sea-level evolution and climate–ice sheet
interactions are modelled in a consistent framework.<br><br>Surface mass balance change governed by changes in surface meltwater runoff
is the dominant forcing for the Greenland ice sheet, which shows a peak
sea-level contribution of 1.4 m at 123 kyr BP in the reference experiment.
Our results indicate that ice sheet–climate feedbacks play an important role
to amplify climate and sea-level changes in the Northern Hemisphere. The
sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to surface temperature changes
considerably increases when interactive albedo changes are considered.
Southern Hemisphere polar and sub-polar ocean warming is limited throughout
the Last Interglacial, and surface and sub-shelf melting exerts only a minor
control on the Antarctic sea-level contribution with a peak of 4.4 m at 125 kyr BP. Retreat of the Antarctic ice sheet at the onset of the LIG is mainly
forced by rising sea level and to a lesser extent by reduced ice shelf
viscosity as the surface temperature increases. Global sea level shows a
peak of 5.3 m at 124.5 kyr BP, which includes a minor contribution of 0.35 m
from oceanic thermal expansion. Neither the individual contributions nor the
total modelled sea-level stand show fast multi-millennial timescale
variations as indicated by some reconstructions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:13:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e3c6c70ce68f480ca0c55ca2493afff8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1814-9324 1814-9332 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:13:47Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Climate of the Past |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3c6c70ce68f480ca0c55ca2493afff82022-12-22T02:35:48ZengCopernicus PublicationsClimate of the Past1814-93241814-93322016-12-0112122195221310.5194/cp-12-2195-2016Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate modelH. Goelzer0P. Huybrechts1M.-F. Loutre2T. Fichefet3Earth System Sciences & Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumEarth System Sciences & Departement Geografie, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, BelgiumUniversité catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research (TECLIM), Louvain-la-Neuve, BelgiumUniversité catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaître Centre for Earth and Climate Research (TECLIM), Louvain-la-Neuve, BelgiumAs the most recent warm period in Earth's history with a sea-level stand higher than present, the Last Interglacial (LIG, ∼ 130 to 115 kyr BP) is often considered a prime example to study the impact of a warmer climate on the two polar ice sheets remaining today. Here we simulate the Last Interglacial climate, ice sheet, and sea-level evolution with the Earth system model of intermediate complexity LOVECLIM v.1.3, which includes dynamic and fully coupled components representing the atmosphere, the ocean and sea ice, the terrestrial biosphere, and the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. In this setup, sea-level evolution and climate–ice sheet interactions are modelled in a consistent framework.<br><br>Surface mass balance change governed by changes in surface meltwater runoff is the dominant forcing for the Greenland ice sheet, which shows a peak sea-level contribution of 1.4 m at 123 kyr BP in the reference experiment. Our results indicate that ice sheet–climate feedbacks play an important role to amplify climate and sea-level changes in the Northern Hemisphere. The sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to surface temperature changes considerably increases when interactive albedo changes are considered. Southern Hemisphere polar and sub-polar ocean warming is limited throughout the Last Interglacial, and surface and sub-shelf melting exerts only a minor control on the Antarctic sea-level contribution with a peak of 4.4 m at 125 kyr BP. Retreat of the Antarctic ice sheet at the onset of the LIG is mainly forced by rising sea level and to a lesser extent by reduced ice shelf viscosity as the surface temperature increases. Global sea level shows a peak of 5.3 m at 124.5 kyr BP, which includes a minor contribution of 0.35 m from oceanic thermal expansion. Neither the individual contributions nor the total modelled sea-level stand show fast multi-millennial timescale variations as indicated by some reconstructions.http://www.clim-past.net/12/2195/2016/cp-12-2195-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | H. Goelzer P. Huybrechts M.-F. Loutre T. Fichefet Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model Climate of the Past |
| title | Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model |
| title_full | Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model |
| title_fullStr | Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model |
| title_short | Last Interglacial climate and sea-level evolution from a coupled ice sheet–climate model |
| title_sort | last interglacial climate and sea level evolution from a coupled ice sheet climate model |
| url | http://www.clim-past.net/12/2195/2016/cp-12-2195-2016.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hgoelzer lastinterglacialclimateandsealevelevolutionfromacoupledicesheetclimatemodel AT phuybrechts lastinterglacialclimateandsealevelevolutionfromacoupledicesheetclimatemodel AT mfloutre lastinterglacialclimateandsealevelevolutionfromacoupledicesheetclimatemodel AT tfichefet lastinterglacialclimateandsealevelevolutionfromacoupledicesheetclimatemodel |