Repeated advance and retreat of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on the continental shelf during the early Pliocene warm period

Reinardy, Benedict; Escutia, Carlota; Iwai, Masao; Jiménez‐Espejo, Francisco J.; Cook, C.; Flierdt, Tina van de; Brinkhuis, Henk

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.01.009

Cited by 27 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 96 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Cook et al [] indicated that active erosion of continental bedrock occurs over the Wilkes subglacial basin in the late Pliocene (~3.3–3.6 Ma) based on detrital marine sediments from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Site U1361. Additionally, the diatom assemblage from site U1358 on the continental shelf off the Adélie Coast indicates occasional open marine conditions during the early Pliocene [ Reinardy et al , ]. The aforementioned evidence is generally indicative of a partially deglaciated EAIS in the Pliocene.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating uncertainty in the simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet during the mid‐Piacenzian

2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The mid‐Piacenzian (~3 Ma) represents the most recent warm period in Earth's history on a geological time scale; it is characterized by a significant rise of global sea level. The simulation of the size and location of the ice sheets and the investigation of the uncertainty in the simulations are potentially helpful for constraining reconstructed sea level changes. In this study, we focus on the behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) in the mid‐Piacenzian. We investigate the influence of topography correction, model parameters, climate forcings, and model resolution on the modeled AIS and explore the isolated role of atmospheric and oceanic forcings. Forced by the simulated climate changes with the Norwegian Earth System Model, the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (15 km × 15 km) produces a nearly collapsed West AIS (WAIS) in the mid‐Piacenzian, with no significant retreat of the East AIS (EAIS). The role of increased air temperature plays a key role in the mass loss of the mid‐Piacenzian AIS, while its role is comparable to the role of ocean warming on the melting of the WAIS. In terms of the range of sea level changes, the largest source of uncertainty in the modeled AIS is derived from ice sheet model parameters and climate forcings. Although the employed model parameters, topography correction factors, and model resolution affect the simulated AIS in the mid‐Piacenzian, large‐scale deglaciation of the EAIS in our sensitivity experiments may only be possible with additional warming.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating uncertainty in the simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet during the mid‐Piacenzian

2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In contrast with earlier modelling efforts 3 31 32 , recent observations and modelling of ongoing 9 and projected 33 ice retreat along the Aurora and Wilkes basins highlight the potential susceptibility of East Antarctic outlet glaciers to rapidly retreat well beyond their current configurations. Pliocene modelling 7 8 33 34 35 and marine drill-core records from the Wilkes Land margin 36 37 38 provide a physical basis and geological record suggesting significant grounding line retreat into East Antarctic subglacial basins during Pliocene warm intervals. Similarly, glaciomarine deposits of the Pagodroma Group exposed along the Amery Oasis/Lambert Graben of East Antarctica document Pliocene marine incursions into East Antarctica 39 40 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Windblown Pliocene diatoms and East Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Marine diatoms in tillites along the Transantarctic Mountains (TAMs) have been used to suggest a diminished East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) during Pliocene warm periods. Updated ice-sheet modelling shows significant Pliocene EAIS retreat, creating marine embayments into the Wilkes and Aurora basins that were conducive to high diatom productivity and rapid accumulation of diatomaceous sediments. Here we show that subsequent isostatic uplift exposed accumulated unconsolidated marine deposits to wind erosion. We report new atmospheric modelling utilizing Pliocene climate and derived Antarctic landscapes indicating that prevailing mid-altitude winds transported diatoms towards the TAMs, dominantly from extensive emerged coastal deposits of the Aurora Basin. This result unifies leading ideas from competing sides of a contentious debate about the origin of the diatoms in the TAMs and their link to EAIS history, supporting the view that parts of the EAIS are vulnerable to relatively modest warming, with possible implications for future sea-level rise.

show abstract

“…In addition, the geochemical provenance of detrital material recovered from this deepwater site provides evidence for repeated retreat of the marine-based EAIS inland into the Wilkes Subglacial Basin during the early warm Pliocene (5-3 Ma; Cook et al, 2013), supporting the notion of high Pliocene sea level. Importantly, some episodes of landward retreat of the ice sheet are also recorded in some coeval sediments recovered from the Wilkes-Adélie Land continental shelf, indicating repeated times with no sea ice and open marine conditions (Orejola et al, 2014;Reinardy et al, 2015).…”

Section: Ice Sheet Dynamics Under Warmer-than-present Climates Of Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping an Eye on Antarctic Ice Sheet Stability

Escutia¹,

DeConto²,

Dunbar³

et al. 2019

Oceanog

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Repeated advance and retreat of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on the continental shelf during the early Pliocene warm period

Cited by 27 publications

References 96 publications

Investigating uncertainty in the simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet during the mid‐Piacenzian

Investigating uncertainty in the simulation of the Antarctic ice sheet during the mid‐Piacenzian

Windblown Pliocene diatoms and East Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat

Keeping an Eye on Antarctic Ice Sheet Stability

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About