February 14, 2008 Journal article Open Access

Antarctic records of precession‐paced insolation‐driven warming during early Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage 31

Scherer, R. P.; Bohaty, S. M.; Dunbar, R. B.; Esper, O.; Flores, J.‐A.; Gersonde, R.; Harwood, D. M.; Roberts, A. P.; Taviani, M.

Precisely dated Antarctic continental margin and Southern Ocean geological records show that the early Pleistocene interglacial Marine Isotope Stage 31 (MIS‐31) was characterized by warmer than present surface waters with reduced sea‐ice and enhanced high latitude marine carbonate production. Micropaleontologic, isotopic, and paleomagnetic evidence from drill cores at 77°S (Cape Roberts Project‐1) and 53°S (ODP Site 1094) indicate circumantarctic changes in sea surface temperature and water mass stratification that are in phase with high southern latitude insolation changes during MIS‐31. These changes imply a significant, though as yet unquantifiable reduction in Antarctic ice volume. This study supports the hypothesis that the interhemispheric antiphased relationship of the precession cycle attenuates a potentially significant Antarctic ice volume signal in the deep sea oxygen isotope record. The implications are that Antarctic marine ice sheets may be more susceptible to warming and high insolation driven retreat than has been widely recognized.