Climate of the Past Discussions
www.clim-past-discuss.net
1814-9340
1814-9359
3
6
2007
10.5194/cpd-3-1283-2007
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/3/1283/2007/
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/3/1283/2007/cpd-3-1283-2007.html
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/3/1283/2007/cpd-3-1283-2007.pdf
1283
1309
2007-12-03
Climate fluctuations during the Holocene in NW Iberia: high and low latitude linkages
L. D. Pena
lpena@ub.edu
G. Francés
P. Diz
M. A. Nombela
I. Alejo
GRC Geociències Marines, Department de Estratigrafía, Paleontología i Geociències Marines, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franqués, s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Departamento de Xeociencias Mariñas e Ordenación do Territorio, Facultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas-Marcosende, s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
High resolution benthic foraminiferal oxygen and carbon stable isotopes
(δ<sup>18</sup>O, δ<sup>13</sup>C) from core EUGC-3B are used here to
infer rapid climatic changes for the last 8500 yr in the Ría de Muros
(NW Iberian Margin). Benthic foraminiferal δ<sup>18</sup>O and δ<sup>13</sup>C potentially register migrations in the position of the
hydrographic front formed between two different intermediate water masses:
Eastern North Atlantic Central Water of subpolar origin (ENACW<sub><i>sp</i></sub>), and
subtropical origin (ENACW<sub><i>sp</i></sub>). The isotopic records have been compared
with two well established North Atlantic marine Holocene paleoceanographic
records from low (Sea Surface Temperatures anomalies off Cape Blanc, NW
Africa) and high latitudes (Hematite Stained Grains percentage, subpolar
North Atlantic). This comparison clearly demonstrates that there is a strong
link between high- and low-latitude climatic perturbations at
centennial-millennial time scales during the Holocene. Spectral analyses
also points at a pole-to-equator propagation of the so-called 1500 yr
cycles. Our results demonstrate that during the Holocene, the NW Iberian
Margin has undergone a series of cold episodes which are likely triggered at
high latitudes in the North Atlantic and are rapidly propagated towards
lower latitudes. Conceivably, the propagation of these rapid climatic
changes involves a shift of atmospheric and oceanic circulatory systems and
so a migration of the hydrographical fronts and water masses all along the
North Atlantic area.
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