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A comparison of the present and last interglacial periods in six Antarctic ice cores

TitleA comparison of the present and last interglacial periods in six Antarctic ice cores
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsMasson-Delmotte, V., Buiron D., Ekaykin A., Frezzotti M, Gallee H., Jouzel J., Krinner G., Landais A., Motoyama H., Oerter H., Pol K., Pollard D., Ritz C., Schlosser E., Sime L.C., Sodemann H., Stenni B., Uemura R., and Vimeux F.
JournalClimate of the Past
Volume7
Pagination397-423
ISSN18149324
Keywordsantarctica, comparative study, elevation, Ice core, ice flow, isotopic analysis, Last interglacial, marine atmosphere, moisture content, numerical model, paleoclimate, Principal component analysis, resolution, Sea ice, Site characterization, Southern Ocean, stable isotope
Abstract

We compare the present and last interglacial periods as recorded in Antarctic water stable isotope records now available at various temporal resolutions from six East Antarctic ice cores: Vostok, Taylor Dome, EPICA Dome C (EDC), EPICA Dronning Maud Land (EDML), Dome Fuji and the recent TALDICE ice core from Talos Dome. We first review the different modern site characteristics in terms of ice flow, meteorological conditions, precipitation intermittency and moisture origin, as depicted by meteorological data, atmospheric reanalyses and Lagrangian moisture source diagnostics. These different factors can indeed alter the relationships between temperature and water stable isotopes. Using five records with sufficient resolution on the EDC3 age scale, common features are quantified through principal component analyses. Consistent with instrumental records and atmospheric model results, the ice core data depict rather coherent and homogenous patterns in East Antarctica during the last two interglacials. Across the East Antarctic plateau, regional differences, with respect to the common East Antarctic signal, appear to have similar patterns during the current and last interglacials. We identify two abrupt shifts in isotopic records during the glacial inception at TALDICE and EDML, likely caused by regional sea ice expansion. These regional differences are discussed in terms of moisture origin and in terms of past changes in local elevation histories, which are compared to ice sheet model results. Our results suggest that elevation changes may contribute significantly to inter-site differences. These elevation changes may be underestimated by current ice sheet models. © 2011 Author(s).

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URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79955512420&doi=10.5194%2fcp-7-397-2011&partnerID=40&md5=86b51bbc84aa058c66dd97a52931bb83
DOI10.5194/cp-7-397-2011
Citation KeyMasson-Delmotte2011397