Response of precipitation over Greenland and the adjacent ocean to North Pacific warm spells during Dansgaard-Oeschger stadials

• Published in: Terra Nova
• Main Authors: Kiefer, T., Schulz, M., Lohmann, G., Sarnthein, M., Elderfield, H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: Greenland; Pacific; East Greenland; Greenland Sea; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0012-02E7-2; http://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000B-7BC4-E

Palaeoceanographic reconstructions from the North Atlantic indicate massive ice breakouts from East Greenland near the onset of cold Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) stadials. In contrast to these coolings in the North Atlantic area, a new sea-surface temperature record reveals concomitant warm spells in the northern North Pacific. A sensitivity experiment with an atmospheric general circulation model is used to test the potential impact of sea-surface warmings by 3.5 degreesC in the North Pacific, on top of otherwise cold stadial climate conditions, on the precipitation regime over the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. The model predicts a maximum response over East Greenland and the Greenland Sea, where a 40% increase in net annual snow accumulation occurs. This remote effect of North Pacific warm spells on the East Greenland snow-accumulation rate may play an important role in generating D-O cycles by rebuilding the ice lost during ice breakouts. In addition, the increased precipitation over the Greenland Sea may help to sustain the D-O stadial climate state.