Reconstruction of the Atlantic paleocirculation back to the Last Interglacial by a combined proxy approach from ODP Leg 172 Site 1063 sediments.

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Augusto Mangini
• Subject Area: Palaeontology
• Term: from 2010 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 180267307

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation holds a key role in the climatic system of our planet, due to the transport of global heat and carbon. It is crucial to reconstruct the past distribution of water masses in order to estimate or model the future evolution. 231Pa/230Th and εNd from deep sea sediments are promising proxies to derive the past paleoceanography, however, both are subject to specific limitations. In preceding projects the high accumulating sediment core ODP Leg 172 Site 1063 has been proved as an appropriate location for the application of both proxies. Therefore, by a combination of 231Pa/230Th and εNd the past strength of ocean circulation will be examined in high temporal resolution back to the last Interglacial (Eemian). It is assumed, that temperatures during the Eemian were partly higher than during the Holocene. Thus, in regard to a recent global warming, the reconstruction of the past Ocean circulation may serve to anticipate future developments.

• DFG Programme: Infrastructure Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 527: Bereich Infrastruktur - "International Ocean Discovery Program" (IODP)
• Participating Person: Dr. Jörg Lippold