Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth
Reconstructing the evolution of sea level during past warmer epochs such as the Pliocene, provides unique insight into the response of sea level and ice sheets to prolonged warming1. While estimates of global mean sea level (GMSL) during this time exist, they vary by several tens of metres2–4, hinde...
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ftusouthflorida:oai:digitalcommons.usf.edu:geo_facpub-3016 2023-07-30T04:04:12+02:00 Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth Dumitru, Oana A. Austermann, Jacqueline Polyak, Victor J. Fornós, Joan J. Asmerom, Yemane Ginés, Joaquín Ginés, Angel Onac, Bogdan P. 2019-01-01T08:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/2028 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 unknown Digital Commons @ University of South Florida https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/2028 doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications Earth Sciences article 2019 ftusouthflorida https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 2023-07-13T21:57:26Z Reconstructing the evolution of sea level during past warmer epochs such as the Pliocene, provides unique insight into the response of sea level and ice sheets to prolonged warming1. While estimates of global mean sea level (GMSL) during this time exist, they vary by several tens of metres2–4, hindering the assessment of past and future ice sheet stability. Here we show that during the mid-Piacenzian Warm Period, which was on average 2–3 °C warmer than pre-industrial5, the GMSL was 16.2 m (most likely, 5.6–19.2 m, 68% uncertainty range) higher than today. During the even warmer Pliocene Climatic Optimum (~4 °C warmer than pre-industrial)6, our results show that GMSL was 23.5 m above present (most probably, 9.0–26.7 m, 68% uncertainty range). We present six GMSL data points, ranging from 4.39 to 3.27 million years ago, that are based on phreatic overgrowths on speleothems from the western Mediterranean (Mallorca, Spain). This record is unique owing to its clear relationship to sea level, its reliable U–Pb ages and its long timespan, which allows us to quantify uncertainties on potential uplift. Our data indicate that ice sheets are very sensitive to warming and provide important calibration targets for future ice sheet models7. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice Sheet University of South Florida St. Petersburg: Digital USFSP Nature 574 7777 233 236 |
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University of South Florida St. Petersburg: Digital USFSP |
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ftusouthflorida |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Earth Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Earth Sciences Dumitru, Oana A. Austermann, Jacqueline Polyak, Victor J. Fornós, Joan J. Asmerom, Yemane Ginés, Joaquín Ginés, Angel Onac, Bogdan P. Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth |
topic_facet |
Earth Sciences |
description |
Reconstructing the evolution of sea level during past warmer epochs such as the Pliocene, provides unique insight into the response of sea level and ice sheets to prolonged warming1. While estimates of global mean sea level (GMSL) during this time exist, they vary by several tens of metres2–4, hindering the assessment of past and future ice sheet stability. Here we show that during the mid-Piacenzian Warm Period, which was on average 2–3 °C warmer than pre-industrial5, the GMSL was 16.2 m (most likely, 5.6–19.2 m, 68% uncertainty range) higher than today. During the even warmer Pliocene Climatic Optimum (~4 °C warmer than pre-industrial)6, our results show that GMSL was 23.5 m above present (most probably, 9.0–26.7 m, 68% uncertainty range). We present six GMSL data points, ranging from 4.39 to 3.27 million years ago, that are based on phreatic overgrowths on speleothems from the western Mediterranean (Mallorca, Spain). This record is unique owing to its clear relationship to sea level, its reliable U–Pb ages and its long timespan, which allows us to quantify uncertainties on potential uplift. Our data indicate that ice sheets are very sensitive to warming and provide important calibration targets for future ice sheet models7. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dumitru, Oana A. Austermann, Jacqueline Polyak, Victor J. Fornós, Joan J. Asmerom, Yemane Ginés, Joaquín Ginés, Angel Onac, Bogdan P. |
author_facet |
Dumitru, Oana A. Austermann, Jacqueline Polyak, Victor J. Fornós, Joan J. Asmerom, Yemane Ginés, Joaquín Ginés, Angel Onac, Bogdan P. |
author_sort |
Dumitru, Oana A. |
title |
Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth |
title_short |
Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth |
title_full |
Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth |
title_fullStr |
Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth |
title_full_unstemmed |
Constraints on Global Mean Sea Level During Pliocene Warmth |
title_sort |
constraints on global mean sea level during pliocene warmth |
publisher |
Digital Commons @ University of South Florida |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/2028 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 |
genre |
Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Ice Sheet |
op_source |
School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/2028 doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1543-2 |
container_title |
Nature |
container_volume |
574 |
container_issue |
7777 |
container_start_page |
233 |
op_container_end_page |
236 |
_version_ |
1772815446877143040 |