Pliocene North Atlantic water mass distribution and Meridional Overturning Circulation, 3.3 - 3.0 Ma

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The project proposed here focuses on changes in the North Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) and aims to provide a detailed reconstruction of intermediate and deep water mass distribution and circulation in the North Atlantic over the most recent global warm period in the Pliocene (~3.3–3.0 Ma ago; the mid-Piacenzian). During this 300 000 year interval, global temperature was ~3°C warmer than today, which has been predicted to be reached before the end of this century due to anthropogenic climate change. The mid-Piacenzian is considered to be one of the closest and the most recent analog for future global climate. It is thus uniquely suited for a case study with the goal to better understand the oceanographic and climatic processes controlling and responding to the global warming. On the basis of 5 core transects in the North Atlantic, we propose (1) to constrain the water-mass composition and flow patterns, and (2) to assess changes of North Atlantic deep and intermediate water circulation over the Upper Pliocene warm period. This systematic approach will help to more accurately evaluate the past variability of the North Atlantic MOC and its effects on climate under environmental conditions similar to our near future.