Validating contrasting terrestrial climate-sensitive Pliocene deposits through high resolution modeling of paleo-environments in the Transantarctic Mountains

智力价值：ANDRILL恢复的新近纪沉积物记录表明，当来自麦克默多干燥山谷的陆地数据表明极度干旱、寒冷和沙漠条件时，有时会发生多次开放水域条件和海面温度上升事件。对ANDRILL数据的解释表明，西南极冰盖对上新世海面温度的变化高度敏感，这一结论得到了最近全球环流模型早中上新世结果的支持。PI建议对与WAIS崩塌相关的古冰川配置和温暖轨道进行建模，以评估南极洲东部潜在的气候变化。在这样的极地温暖时期，他们建议回答：沿南极东部冰盖的消融极限是什么？干燥山谷中残留的地貌是否容易因夏季最高温度的增加而改变？冬季最低温度是否有足够的增加来维持干燥山谷中的苔原环境？沉积记录和模型输出的结合有可能检验目前作为ANDRILL一部分开发的数值模式的性能；调和南高纬度海洋和陆地古气候记录之间的不一致；以及提高对南极气候和南极东部和西部冰盖对强迫的敏感性的了解。更广泛的影响：这项研究的结果有可能被研究界广泛使用。其他资助的努力将继续扩大到当地小学，并扩大到在家上学的学生。作为此奖励的一部分，将支持发布文档。

Intellectual Merit: Neogene sediment records recovered by ANDRILL suggest multiple events of open water conditions and elevated sea surface temperatures at times when terrestrial data from the McMurdo Dry Valleys indicate hyper arid, cold, desert conditions. Interpretation of the ANDRILL data suggests the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is highly sensitive to changes in Pliocene sea surface temperatures and this conclusion has been supported by recent Global Circulation Model results for the early to mid Pliocene. The PIs propose to model paleo-ice configurations and warm orbits associated with a WAIS collapse to assess potential climate change in East Antarctica. During such episodes of polar warmth they propose to answer: What is the limit of ablation along the East Antarctic Ice Sheet?; Are relict landforms in the Dry Valleys susceptible to modification from increase in maximum summertime temperatures?; and Is there sufficient increase in minimum wintertime temperatures to sustain a tundra environment in the Dry Valleys? Integration of depositional records and model outputs have the potential to test the performance of numerical models currently under development as part of ANDRILL; reconcile inconsistencies between marine and terrestrial paleoclimate records in high Southern Latitudes; and improve understanding of Antarctic climate and ice volume sensitivity to forcing for both the East Antarctic and West Antarctic Ice Sheets. Broader impacts: Results from this study have the potential to be used widely by the research community. Outreach to local elementary schools from other funded efforts will continue and be extended to homeschooled students. A Post Doc will be supported as part of this award.