Contrasting multiproxy reconstructions of surface ocean hydrography in the Agulhas Corridor and implications for the Agulhas Leakage during the last 345,000 years

Planktonic δ18O and Mg/Ca-derived sea surface temperature (SST) records from the Agulhas Corridor off South Africa display a progressive increase of SST during glacial periods of the last three climatic cycles. The SST increases of up to 4°C coincide with increased abundance of subtropical planktoni...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Martínez Méndez, Gema, Zahn, Rainer, Hall, Ian R., Peeters, Frank J. C., Pena, Leopoldo D.|||0000-0001-6414-6293, Cacho, Isabel|||0000-0002-6512-0770, Negre de Bofarull, César
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2010
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:25428
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/25428
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1029/2009PA001879
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Paleocirculation
Indian-Atlantic transport
Agulhas Corridor
Paleoclimatology
Paleoceanography
Marine geochemistry
Descripción
Sumario:Planktonic δ18O and Mg/Ca-derived sea surface temperature (SST) records from the Agulhas Corridor off South Africa display a progressive increase of SST during glacial periods of the last three climatic cycles. The SST increases of up to 4°C coincide with increased abundance of subtropical planktonic foraminiferal marker species which indicates a progressive warming due to an increased influence of subtropical waters at the core sites. Mg/Ca-derived SST maximizes during glacial maxima and glacial Terminations to values about 2.5°C above full-interglacial SST. The paired planktonic δ18O and Mg/Ca-derived SST records yield glacial seawater δ18O anomalies of up to 0.8‰, indicating measurably higher surface salinities during these periods. The SST pattern along our record is markedly different from a U37K'-derived SST record at a nearby core location in the Agulhas Corridor that displays SST maxima only during glacial Terminations. Possible explanations are lateral alkenone advection by the vigorous regional ocean currents or the development of SST contrasts during glacials in association with seasonal changes of Agulhas water transports and lateral shifts of the Agulhas retroflection. The different SST reconstructions derived from U37K' and Mg/Ca pose a significant challenge to the interpretation of the proxy records and demonstrate that the reconstruction of the Agulhas Current and interocean salt leakage is not as straightforward as previously suggested.