ECHAM5-wiso simulation data for Antarctica

• Main Authors: Werner, Martin, Jouzel, Jean, Masson-Delmotte, Valerie, Lohmann, Gerrit
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2018
• Subjects: Antarctica; File content; File format; File name; File size; Uniform resource locator/link to file; Antarctic; Antarc*; ice core; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.893855; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.893855

Stable water isotope records from Antarctica are key for our understanding of Quaternary climate variations. However, the exact quantitative interpretation of these important climate proxy records in terms of surface temperature, ice sheet height and other climatic changes is still a matter of debate. Here we report results obtained with an atmospheric general circulation model equipped with water isotopes, run at a high-spatial horizontal resolution of one-by-one degree. Comparing different glacial maximum ice sheet reconstructions, a best model data match is achieved for the PMIP3 reconstruction. Reduced West Antarctic elevation changes between 400 and 800 m lead to further improved agreement with ice core data. Our modern and glacial climate simulations support the validity of the isotopic paleothermometer approach based on the use of present-day observations and reveal that a glacial ocean state as displayed in the GLAMAP reconstruction is suitable for capturing the observed glacial isotope changes in Antarctic ice cores.