Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint

Inger K. Seierstad; Peter M. Abbott; Matthias Bigler; Thomas Blunier; Anna J. Bourne; Edward Brook; Susanne L. Buchardt; Christo Buizert; Henrik B. Clausen; Eliza Cook; Dorthe Dahl-Jensen; Siwan M. Davies; Myriam Guillevic; Sigfús J. Johnsen; Desirée S. Pedersen; Trevor J. Popp; Sune O. Rasmussen; Jeffrey P. Severinghaus; Anders Svensson; Bo M. Vinther

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032

Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint

Inger K. Seierstad, Peter M. Abbott, Matthias Bigler, Thomas Blunier, Anna J. Bourne, Edward Brook, Susanne L. Buchardt, Christo Buizert, Henrik B. Clausen, Eliza Cook, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, Siwan M. Davies, Myriam Guillevic, Sigfús J. Johnsen, Desirée S. Pedersen, Trevor J. Popp, Sune O. Rasmussen, Jeffrey P. Severinghaus, Anders Svensson, Bo M. Vinther

Physics of Ice, Climate and Earth

Abstract

We present a synchronization of the NGRIP, GRIP and GISP2 ice cores onto a master chronology extending back to 104ka before present, providing a consistent chronological framework for these three Greenland records. The synchronization aligns distinct peaks in volcanic proxy records and other impurity records (chemo-stratigraphic matching) and assumes that these layers of elevated impurity content represent the same, instantaneous event in the past at all three sites. More than 900 marker horizons between the three cores have been identified and our matching is independently confirmed by 24 new and previously identified volcanic ash (tephra) tie-points. Using the reference horizons, we transfer the widely used Greenland ice-core chronology, GICC05modelext, to the two Summit cores, GRIP and GISP2. Furthermore, we provide gas chronologies for the Summit cores that are consistent with the GICC05modelext timescale by utilizing both existing and new gas data (CH4concentration and δ15N of N2). We infer that the accumulation contrast between the stadial and interstadial phases of the glacial period was ~10% greater at Summit compared to at NGRIP. The δ18O temperature-proxy records from NGRIP, GRIP, and GISP2 are generally very similar and display synchronous behaviour at climate transitions. The δ18O differences between Summit and NGRIP, however, changed slowly over the Last Glacial-Interglacial cycle and also underwent abrupt millennial-to-centennial-scale variations. We suggest that this observed latitudinal δ18O gradient in Greenland during the glacial period is the result of 1) relatively higher degree of precipitation with a Pacific signature at NGRIP, 2) increased summer bias in precipitation at Summit, and 3) enhanced Rayleigh distillation due to an increased source-to-site distance and a potentially larger source-to-site temperature gradient. We propose that these processes are governed by changes in the North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) volume and North Atlantic sea-ice extent and/or sea-surface temperatures (SST) on orbital timescales, and that changing sea-ice extent and SSTs are the driving mechanisms on shorter timescales. Finally, we observe that maxima in the Summit-NGRIP δ18O difference are roughly coincident with prominent Heinrich events. This suggests that the climatic reorganization that takes place during stadials with Heinrich events, possibly driven by a southward expansion of sea ice and low SSTs in the North Atlantic, are recorded in the ice-core records.

Original language	English
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	106
Pages (from-to)	29-46
Number of pages	18
ISSN	0277-3791
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032
Publication status	Published - 15 Dec 2014

Keywords

GICC05 chronology
Greenland ice cores
Heinrich event
Paleoclimate
Regional climate
Tephra isochrons
Water isotopes (δ18O)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Seierstad, I. K., Abbott, P. M., Bigler, M., Blunier, T., Bourne, A. J., Brook, E., Buchardt, S. L., Buizert, C., Clausen, H. B., Cook, E., Dahl-Jensen, D., Davies, S. M., Guillevic, M., Johnsen, S. J., Pedersen, D. S., Popp, T. J., Rasmussen, S. O., Severinghaus, J. P., Svensson, A., & Vinther, B. M. (2014). Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint. Quaternary Science Reviews, 106, 29-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032

Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint. / Seierstad, Inger K.; Abbott, Peter M.; Bigler, Matthias et al.
In: Quaternary Science Reviews, Vol. 106, 15.12.2014, p. 29-46.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Seierstad, IK, Abbott, PM, Bigler, M, Blunier, T, Bourne, AJ, Brook, E, Buchardt, SL, Buizert, C, Clausen, HB, Cook, E , Dahl-Jensen, D, Davies, SM, Guillevic, M, Johnsen, SJ, Pedersen, DS, Popp, TJ, Rasmussen, SO, Severinghaus, JP, Svensson, A & Vinther, BM 2014, 'Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint', Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 106, pp. 29-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032

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title = "Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint",

abstract = "We present a synchronization of the NGRIP, GRIP and GISP2 ice cores onto a master chronology extending back to 104ka before present, providing a consistent chronological framework for these three Greenland records. The synchronization aligns distinct peaks in volcanic proxy records and other impurity records (chemo-stratigraphic matching) and assumes that these layers of elevated impurity content represent the same, instantaneous event in the past at all three sites. More than 900 marker horizons between the three cores have been identified and our matching is independently confirmed by 24 new and previously identified volcanic ash (tephra) tie-points. Using the reference horizons, we transfer the widely used Greenland ice-core chronology, GICC05modelext, to the two Summit cores, GRIP and GISP2. Furthermore, we provide gas chronologies for the Summit cores that are consistent with the GICC05modelext timescale by utilizing both existing and new gas data (CH4concentration and δ15N of N2). We infer that the accumulation contrast between the stadial and interstadial phases of the glacial period was ~10% greater at Summit compared to at NGRIP. The δ18O temperature-proxy records from NGRIP, GRIP, and GISP2 are generally very similar and display synchronous behaviour at climate transitions. The δ18O differences between Summit and NGRIP, however, changed slowly over the Last Glacial-Interglacial cycle and also underwent abrupt millennial-to-centennial-scale variations. We suggest that this observed latitudinal δ18O gradient in Greenland during the glacial period is the result of 1) relatively higher degree of precipitation with a Pacific signature at NGRIP, 2) increased summer bias in precipitation at Summit, and 3) enhanced Rayleigh distillation due to an increased source-to-site distance and a potentially larger source-to-site temperature gradient. We propose that these processes are governed by changes in the North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) volume and North Atlantic sea-ice extent and/or sea-surface temperatures (SST) on orbital timescales, and that changing sea-ice extent and SSTs are the driving mechanisms on shorter timescales. Finally, we observe that maxima in the Summit-NGRIP δ18O difference are roughly coincident with prominent Heinrich events. This suggests that the climatic reorganization that takes place during stadials with Heinrich events, possibly driven by a southward expansion of sea ice and low SSTs in the North Atlantic, are recorded in the ice-core records.",

keywords = "GICC05 chronology, Greenland ice cores, Heinrich event, Paleoclimate, Regional climate, Tephra isochrons, Water isotopes (δ18O)",

author = "Seierstad, {Inger K.} and Abbott, {Peter M.} and Matthias Bigler and Thomas Blunier and Bourne, {Anna J.} and Edward Brook and Buchardt, {Susanne L.} and Christo Buizert and Clausen, {Henrik B.} and Eliza Cook and Dorthe Dahl-Jensen and Davies, {Siwan M.} and Myriam Guillevic and Johnsen, {Sigf{\'u}s J.} and Pedersen, {Desir{\'e}e S.} and Popp, {Trevor J.} and Rasmussen, {Sune O.} and Severinghaus, {Jeffrey P.} and Anders Svensson and Vinther, {Bo M.}",

year = "2014",

month = dec,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032",

language = "English",

volume = "106",

pages = "29--46",

journal = "Quaternary Science Reviews",

issn = "0277-3791",

publisher = "Pergamon Press",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint

AU - Seierstad, Inger K.

AU - Abbott, Peter M.

AU - Bigler, Matthias

AU - Blunier, Thomas

AU - Bourne, Anna J.

AU - Brook, Edward

AU - Buchardt, Susanne L.

AU - Buizert, Christo

AU - Clausen, Henrik B.

AU - Cook, Eliza

AU - Dahl-Jensen, Dorthe

AU - Davies, Siwan M.

AU - Guillevic, Myriam

AU - Johnsen, Sigfús J.

AU - Pedersen, Desirée S.

AU - Popp, Trevor J.

AU - Rasmussen, Sune O.

AU - Severinghaus, Jeffrey P.

AU - Svensson, Anders

AU - Vinther, Bo M.

PY - 2014/12/15

Y1 - 2014/12/15

N2 - We present a synchronization of the NGRIP, GRIP and GISP2 ice cores onto a master chronology extending back to 104ka before present, providing a consistent chronological framework for these three Greenland records. The synchronization aligns distinct peaks in volcanic proxy records and other impurity records (chemo-stratigraphic matching) and assumes that these layers of elevated impurity content represent the same, instantaneous event in the past at all three sites. More than 900 marker horizons between the three cores have been identified and our matching is independently confirmed by 24 new and previously identified volcanic ash (tephra) tie-points. Using the reference horizons, we transfer the widely used Greenland ice-core chronology, GICC05modelext, to the two Summit cores, GRIP and GISP2. Furthermore, we provide gas chronologies for the Summit cores that are consistent with the GICC05modelext timescale by utilizing both existing and new gas data (CH4concentration and δ15N of N2). We infer that the accumulation contrast between the stadial and interstadial phases of the glacial period was ~10% greater at Summit compared to at NGRIP. The δ18O temperature-proxy records from NGRIP, GRIP, and GISP2 are generally very similar and display synchronous behaviour at climate transitions. The δ18O differences between Summit and NGRIP, however, changed slowly over the Last Glacial-Interglacial cycle and also underwent abrupt millennial-to-centennial-scale variations. We suggest that this observed latitudinal δ18O gradient in Greenland during the glacial period is the result of 1) relatively higher degree of precipitation with a Pacific signature at NGRIP, 2) increased summer bias in precipitation at Summit, and 3) enhanced Rayleigh distillation due to an increased source-to-site distance and a potentially larger source-to-site temperature gradient. We propose that these processes are governed by changes in the North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) volume and North Atlantic sea-ice extent and/or sea-surface temperatures (SST) on orbital timescales, and that changing sea-ice extent and SSTs are the driving mechanisms on shorter timescales. Finally, we observe that maxima in the Summit-NGRIP δ18O difference are roughly coincident with prominent Heinrich events. This suggests that the climatic reorganization that takes place during stadials with Heinrich events, possibly driven by a southward expansion of sea ice and low SSTs in the North Atlantic, are recorded in the ice-core records.

AB - We present a synchronization of the NGRIP, GRIP and GISP2 ice cores onto a master chronology extending back to 104ka before present, providing a consistent chronological framework for these three Greenland records. The synchronization aligns distinct peaks in volcanic proxy records and other impurity records (chemo-stratigraphic matching) and assumes that these layers of elevated impurity content represent the same, instantaneous event in the past at all three sites. More than 900 marker horizons between the three cores have been identified and our matching is independently confirmed by 24 new and previously identified volcanic ash (tephra) tie-points. Using the reference horizons, we transfer the widely used Greenland ice-core chronology, GICC05modelext, to the two Summit cores, GRIP and GISP2. Furthermore, we provide gas chronologies for the Summit cores that are consistent with the GICC05modelext timescale by utilizing both existing and new gas data (CH4concentration and δ15N of N2). We infer that the accumulation contrast between the stadial and interstadial phases of the glacial period was ~10% greater at Summit compared to at NGRIP. The δ18O temperature-proxy records from NGRIP, GRIP, and GISP2 are generally very similar and display synchronous behaviour at climate transitions. The δ18O differences between Summit and NGRIP, however, changed slowly over the Last Glacial-Interglacial cycle and also underwent abrupt millennial-to-centennial-scale variations. We suggest that this observed latitudinal δ18O gradient in Greenland during the glacial period is the result of 1) relatively higher degree of precipitation with a Pacific signature at NGRIP, 2) increased summer bias in precipitation at Summit, and 3) enhanced Rayleigh distillation due to an increased source-to-site distance and a potentially larger source-to-site temperature gradient. We propose that these processes are governed by changes in the North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) volume and North Atlantic sea-ice extent and/or sea-surface temperatures (SST) on orbital timescales, and that changing sea-ice extent and SSTs are the driving mechanisms on shorter timescales. Finally, we observe that maxima in the Summit-NGRIP δ18O difference are roughly coincident with prominent Heinrich events. This suggests that the climatic reorganization that takes place during stadials with Heinrich events, possibly driven by a southward expansion of sea ice and low SSTs in the North Atlantic, are recorded in the ice-core records.

KW - GICC05 chronology

KW - Greenland ice cores

KW - Heinrich event

KW - Paleoclimate

KW - Regional climate

KW - Tephra isochrons

KW - Water isotopes (δ18O)

U2 - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032

DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.10.032

M3 - Journal article

C2 - {pubmed}

SN - 0277-3791

VL - 106

SP - 29

EP - 46

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

JF - Quaternary Science Reviews

ER -

Consistently dated records from the Greenland GRIP, GISP2 and NGRIP ice cores for the past 104ka reveal regional millennial-scale δ18O gradients with possible Heinrich event imprint

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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