A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude
Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40-60 m estimated from far-field records are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was...
Published in: | Nature |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Other Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Nature Research
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/92714 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 |
id |
ftimperialcol:oai:spiral.imperial.ac.uk:10044/1/92714 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftimperialcol:oai:spiral.imperial.ac.uk:10044/1/92714 2023-05-15T13:43:46+02:00 A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude Marschalek, J Zurli, L Talarico, F Van de Flierdt, T Vermeesch, P Carter, A Beny, F Bout-Roumazeilles, V Sangiorgi, F Hemming, S Perez, L Colleoni, F Prebble, J Van Peer, T Perotti, M Shevenell, A Browne, I Kulhanek, D Levy, R Harwood, D Sullivan, N Meyers, S Griffith, E Hillenbrand, C-D Gasson, E Siegert, M Keisling, B Licht, K Kuhn, G Dodd, J Boshuis, C De Santis, L McKay, R White, M Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) 2021-10-14 http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/92714 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 English eng Nature Research Nature 0028-0836 http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/92714 doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 NE/R018219/1 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2021. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 455 450 Science & Technology Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics MARIE-BYRD-LAND CENTRAL TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS SOUTHERN VICTORIA LAND WALLED DINOFLAGELLATE CYSTS LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCE MAGNETIZATION LOCK-IN U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY ROSS SEA CONTINENTAL-SHELF DETRITAL ZIRCONS IODP Expedition 374 General Science & Technology Journal Article 2021 ftimperialcol https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 2022-06-16T22:41:06Z Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40-60 m estimated from far-field records are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was retained even during the warmest intervals of the Middle Miocene. Data and model outputs can be reconciled if a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) existed and expanded across most of the outer continental shelf during the Early Miocene, accounting for maximum ice-sheet volumes. Here, we provide the earliest geological evidence proving large WAIS expansions occurred during the Early Miocene (~17.72-17.40 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic data show glacimarine sediments recovered at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1521 in the central Ross Sea derive from West Antarctica, requiring the presence of a WAIS covering most of the Ross Sea continental shelf. Seismic, lithological and palynological data reveal the intermittent proximity of grounded ice to Site U1521. The erosion rate calculated from this sediment package greatly exceeds the long-term mean, implying rapid erosion of West Antarctica. This interval therefore captures a key step in the genesis of a marine-based WAIS and a tipping point in Antarctic ice-sheet evolution. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Marie Byrd Land Ross Sea Victoria Land West Antarctica Imperial College London: Spiral Antarctic Byrd East Antarctica Marie Byrd Land ENVELOPE(-130.000,-130.000,-78.000,-78.000) Ross Sea Transantarctic Mountains Victoria Land West Antarctic Ice Sheet West Antarctica Nature 600 7889 450 455 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Imperial College London: Spiral |
op_collection_id |
ftimperialcol |
language |
English |
topic |
Science & Technology Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics MARIE-BYRD-LAND CENTRAL TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS SOUTHERN VICTORIA LAND WALLED DINOFLAGELLATE CYSTS LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCE MAGNETIZATION LOCK-IN U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY ROSS SEA CONTINENTAL-SHELF DETRITAL ZIRCONS IODP Expedition 374 General Science & Technology |
spellingShingle |
Science & Technology Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics MARIE-BYRD-LAND CENTRAL TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS SOUTHERN VICTORIA LAND WALLED DINOFLAGELLATE CYSTS LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCE MAGNETIZATION LOCK-IN U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY ROSS SEA CONTINENTAL-SHELF DETRITAL ZIRCONS IODP Expedition 374 General Science & Technology Marschalek, J Zurli, L Talarico, F Van de Flierdt, T Vermeesch, P Carter, A Beny, F Bout-Roumazeilles, V Sangiorgi, F Hemming, S Perez, L Colleoni, F Prebble, J Van Peer, T Perotti, M Shevenell, A Browne, I Kulhanek, D Levy, R Harwood, D Sullivan, N Meyers, S Griffith, E Hillenbrand, C-D Gasson, E Siegert, M Keisling, B Licht, K Kuhn, G Dodd, J Boshuis, C De Santis, L McKay, R A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude |
topic_facet |
Science & Technology Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics MARIE-BYRD-LAND CENTRAL TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS SOUTHERN VICTORIA LAND WALLED DINOFLAGELLATE CYSTS LARGE IGNEOUS PROVINCE MAGNETIZATION LOCK-IN U-PB GEOCHRONOLOGY ROSS SEA CONTINENTAL-SHELF DETRITAL ZIRCONS IODP Expedition 374 General Science & Technology |
description |
Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40-60 m estimated from far-field records are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was retained even during the warmest intervals of the Middle Miocene. Data and model outputs can be reconciled if a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) existed and expanded across most of the outer continental shelf during the Early Miocene, accounting for maximum ice-sheet volumes. Here, we provide the earliest geological evidence proving large WAIS expansions occurred during the Early Miocene (~17.72-17.40 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic data show glacimarine sediments recovered at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1521 in the central Ross Sea derive from West Antarctica, requiring the presence of a WAIS covering most of the Ross Sea continental shelf. Seismic, lithological and palynological data reveal the intermittent proximity of grounded ice to Site U1521. The erosion rate calculated from this sediment package greatly exceeds the long-term mean, implying rapid erosion of West Antarctica. This interval therefore captures a key step in the genesis of a marine-based WAIS and a tipping point in Antarctic ice-sheet evolution. |
author2 |
White, M Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Marschalek, J Zurli, L Talarico, F Van de Flierdt, T Vermeesch, P Carter, A Beny, F Bout-Roumazeilles, V Sangiorgi, F Hemming, S Perez, L Colleoni, F Prebble, J Van Peer, T Perotti, M Shevenell, A Browne, I Kulhanek, D Levy, R Harwood, D Sullivan, N Meyers, S Griffith, E Hillenbrand, C-D Gasson, E Siegert, M Keisling, B Licht, K Kuhn, G Dodd, J Boshuis, C De Santis, L McKay, R |
author_facet |
Marschalek, J Zurli, L Talarico, F Van de Flierdt, T Vermeesch, P Carter, A Beny, F Bout-Roumazeilles, V Sangiorgi, F Hemming, S Perez, L Colleoni, F Prebble, J Van Peer, T Perotti, M Shevenell, A Browne, I Kulhanek, D Levy, R Harwood, D Sullivan, N Meyers, S Griffith, E Hillenbrand, C-D Gasson, E Siegert, M Keisling, B Licht, K Kuhn, G Dodd, J Boshuis, C De Santis, L McKay, R |
author_sort |
Marschalek, J |
title |
A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude |
title_short |
A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude |
title_full |
A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude |
title_fullStr |
A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude |
title_full_unstemmed |
A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains Early Neogene sea-level amplitude |
title_sort |
large west antarctic ice sheet explains early neogene sea-level amplitude |
publisher |
Nature Research |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/92714 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-130.000,-130.000,-78.000,-78.000) |
geographic |
Antarctic Byrd East Antarctica Marie Byrd Land Ross Sea Transantarctic Mountains Victoria Land West Antarctic Ice Sheet West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Byrd East Antarctica Marie Byrd Land Ross Sea Transantarctic Mountains Victoria Land West Antarctic Ice Sheet West Antarctica |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Marie Byrd Land Ross Sea Victoria Land West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Marie Byrd Land Ross Sea Victoria Land West Antarctica |
op_source |
455 450 |
op_relation |
Nature 0028-0836 http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/92714 doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 NE/R018219/1 |
op_rights |
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2021. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0 |
container_title |
Nature |
container_volume |
600 |
container_issue |
7889 |
container_start_page |
450 |
op_container_end_page |
455 |
_version_ |
1766193010149687296 |