Paper: Lunt et al 2016

Title: Palaeogeographic controls on climate and proxy interpretation

For a fuller description of the paper itself, go to the end of this web page.

Each simulation published in this paper corresponds to a unique 5 or 6 character code on the web pages.
The following table lists the name of the simulation as used in the paper, and the corresponding code name

The webpage gives you the ability to examine the published simulations, but you can also download the raw (netcdf) files to perform your own analysis. Detailed instructions on how to use the webpages and access the data can be found here: Using_BRIDGE_webpages.pdf

There are 19 simulations used in this paper: 6 in the Eocne, 3 in the Paleocene, and 12 in the Cretaceous. All are at 1120ppmv CO2.

You can have make you own analysis and plots by going here

Simulation Name as in PaperSimulation name on web pages
Priaboniantdluk
Bartoniantdluj
Lutetiantdlur
Ypresiantdlud
Thanetiantdluc
Selandiantdlub
Daniantdlua
Maastrichtiantdihb
Campaniantdpwc
Santoniantdpwd
Coniaciantdpwe
Turoniantdpwf
Cenomaniantdpwg
Albiantdpwh
Aptiantdpwi
Barremiantdpwj
Hauteriviantdpwk
Valanginiantdpwl
Berriasiantdihm


This is a fuller description of paper

We explore the influence of changing geography from the period 150 million years ago to 35 million years ago, using a set of 19 climate model simulations. We find that without any CO2 change, the global mean temperature is remarkably constant, but that regionally there are significant changes in temperature which we link back to changes in ocean circulation. Finally, we explore the implications of our findings for the interpretation of geological indicators of past temperatures.

NameLunt et al
Brief DescriptionWe explore the influence of changing geography from the period 150 million years ago to 35 million years ago, using a set of 19 climate model simulations. We find that without any CO2 change, the global mean temperature is remarkably constant, but that regionally there are significant changes in temperature which we link back to changes in ocean circulation. Finally, we explore the implications of our findings for the interpretation of geological indicators of past temperatures.
Full Author ListLunt, D. J., Farnsworth, A., Loptson, C., Foster, G. L., Markwick, P., O'Brien, C. L., Pancost, R. D., Robinson, S. A., and Wrobel, N
TitlePalaeogeographic controls on climate and proxy interpretation
Year2016
JournalClimate of the Past
Volume12
Issue3-4
Pages1181-1198
DOI10.5194/cp-12-1181-2016
Contact's NameDan Lunt
Contact's emailD.J.Lunt@bristol.ac.uk
AbstractDuring the period from approximately 150 to 35 million years ago, the CretaceousPaleoceneEocene (CPE), the Earth was in a greenhouse state with little or no ice at either pole. It was also a period of considerable global change, from the warmest periods of the mid-Cretaceous, to the threshold of icehouse conditions at the end of the Eocene. However, the relative contribution of palaeogeographic change, solar change, and carbon cycle change to these climatic variations is unknown. Here, making use of recent advances in computing power, and a set of unique palaeogeographic maps, we carry out an ensemble of 19 General Circulation Model simulations covering this period, one simulation per stratigraphic stage. By maintaining atmospheric CO2 concentration constant across the simulations, we are able to identify the contribution from palaeogeographic and solar forcing to global change across the CPE, and explore the underlying mechanisms. We find that global mean surface temperature is remarkably constant across the simulations, resulting from a cancellation of opposing trends from solar and palaeogeographic change. However, there are significant modelled variations on a regional scale. The stratigraphic stagestage transitions which exhibit greatest climatic change are associated with transitions in the mode of ocean circulation, themselves often associated with changes in ocean gateways, and amplified by feedbacks related to emissivity and planetary albedo. We also find some control on global mean temperature from continental area and global mean orography. Our results have important implications for the interpretation of single-site palaeo proxy records. In particular, our results allow the non-CO2 (i.e. palaeogeographic and solar constant) components of proxy records to be removed, leaving a more global component associated with carbon cycle change. This adjustment factor is used to adjust sea surface temperatures, as the deep ocean is not fully equilibrated in the model. The adjustment factor is illustrated for seven key sites in the CPE, and applied to proxy data from Falkland Plateau, and we provide data so that similar adjustments can be made to any site and for any time period within the CPE. Ultimately, this will enable isolation of the CO2-forced climate signal to be extracted from multiple proxy records from around the globe, allowing an evaluation of the regional signals and extent of polar amplification in response to CO2 changes during the CPE. Finally, regions where the adjustment factor is constant throughout the CPE could indicate places where future proxies could be targeted in order to reconstruct the purest CO2-induced temperature change, where the complicating contributions of other processes are minimised. Therefore, combined with other considerations, this work could provide useful information for supporting targets for drilling localities and outcrop studies.