In-phase millennial-scale glacier changes in the tropics and North Atlantic regions during the Holocene

• Published in: Nature Communications
• Main Authors: JOMELLI, V., SWINGEDOUW, Didier, VUILLE, M., FAVIER, V., GOEHRING, B., SHAKUN, J., BRAUCHER, R., SCHIMMELPFENNIG, I., MENVIEL, L., RABATEL, A., MARTIN, L. C. P., BLARD, P.-H., CONDOM, T., LUPKER, M., CHRISTL, M., HE, Z., VERFAILLIE, D., GORIN, A., AUMAITRE, G., BOURLES, D. L., KEDDADOUCHE, K.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Cryospheric science; Palaeoclimate; Sciences de l'environnement; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://oskar-bordeaux.fr/handle/20.500.12278/170368; https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12278/170368; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28939-9

Based on new and published cosmic-ray exposure chronologies, we show that glacier extent in the tropical Andes and the north Atlantic regions (TANAR) varied in-phase on millennial timescales during the Holocene, distinct from other regions. Glaciers experienced an early Holocene maximum extent, followed by a strong mid-Holocene retreat and a re-advance in the late Holocene. We further explore the potential forcing of TANAR glacier variations using transient climate simulations. Since the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) evolution is poorly represented in these transient simulations, we develop a semi-empirical model to estimate the “AMOC-corrected” temperature and precipitation footprint at regional scales. We show that variations in the AMOC strength during the Holocene are consistent with the observed glacier changes. Our findings highlight the need to better constrain past AMOC behavior, as it may be an important driver of TANAR glacier variations during the Holocene, superimposed on other forcing mechanisms. Innovative strategies for observing and modelling natural systems PAlaeo-Constraints on Monsoon Evolution and Dynamics