Phys.org August 12, 2024
Understanding tropical South America’s climate history can provide valuable insight into the water cycle, ecosystems, and future climate change, yet past temperature changes are not well-known. An international team of researchers (USA – Brown University, Florida Institute of Technology, the Netherlands) reconstructed temperature and rainfall since ~16,800 y ago in the tropical Andes Mountains. In addition to warming driven by rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations, they observed rapid temperature changes linked to changes in the deep ocean circulation. Their findings suggested that Amazonia’s ecosystems may be challenged by rapid temperature changes superposed on warming from sharply increasing atmospheric CO2. Their temperature record indicated a ~4 °C warming during the glacial termination, stable temperatures in the early to mid-Holocene, and slight, gradual warming since ~6,000 y ago.
According to the researchers data document a temperature change pattern during the deglaciation in the tropical Andes and changes in ocean heat transport by the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Brown-led researchers highlight 16,000 years of climate history in the tropical Andes… Credit: Mark Bush