AI Article Synopsis
- * This study links the transition to the unequal development of ice sheets in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, showing significant Antarctic Ice Sheet growth before major Northern Hemisphere ice expansion.
- * The findings suggest that the Southern Ocean's sea ice and AIS spread could lead to cooling in the Northern Hemisphere, potentially triggering the Mid-Pleistocene Transition and providing insights into current global warming effects on ice sheets.
Article Abstract
Despite extensive investigation, the nature and causes of the Mid-Pleistocene Transition remain enigmatic. In this work, we assess its linkage to asynchronous development of bipolar ice sheets by synthesizing Pleistocene mid- to high-latitude proxy records linked to hemispheric ice sheet evolution. Our results indicate substantial growth of the Antarctic Ice Sheets (AISs) at 2.0 to 1.25 million years ago, preceding the rapid expansion of Northern Hemisphere Ice Sheets after ~1.25 million years ago. Proxy-model comparisons suggest that AIS and associated Southern Ocean sea ice expansion can induce northern high-latitude cooling and enhanced moisture transport to the Northern Hemisphere, thus triggering the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. The dynamic processes involved are crucial for assessing modern global warming that is already inducing asynchronous bipolar melting of ice sheets.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abn4861 | DOI Listing |
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