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Submitted on March 12, 2008
Accepted on June 12, 2008
High-Resolution Greenland Ice Core Data Show Abrupt Climate Change Happens in Few Years
J. P. Steffensen 1*,K. K. Andersen 1,M. Bigler 2,H. B. Clausen 1,D. Dahl-Jensen 1,H. Fischer 3,K. Goto-Azuma 4,M. Hansson 5,S. J. Johnsen 1,J. Jouzel 6,V. Masson-Delmotte 6,T. Popp 7,S. O. Rasmussen 1,R. Rothlisberger 8,U. Ruth 9,B. Stauffer 10,M.-L. Siggaard-Andersen 1,A. E. Sveinbjörnsdóttir 11,A. Svensson 1,J. W. C. White 7
1 Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark. 2 Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark. ; Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5,CH-3012, Switzerland. 3 Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5,CH-3012, Switzerland. ; Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar- and Marine Research (AWI), Postfach 120161, D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany. 4 National Institute of Polar Research, Kaga 1-9-10, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8515 Japan. 5 Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. 6 Institut Pierre Simon Laplace/ Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, UMR 1572 CEA-CNRS-UVSO, CEA Saclay, Bar 701 L’Orme des Merisiers 91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France. 7 INSTAAR,Campus Box 450, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0450, USA. 8 Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5,CH-3012, Switzerland. ; British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom. 9 Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar- and Marine Research (AWI), Postfach 120161, D-27515 Bremerhaven, Germany. 10 Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5,CH-3012, Switzerland. 11 Raunvísindastofnun Háskólans, Dunhagi 3, Iceland
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. P. Steffensen , E-mail: jps{at}gfy.ku.dk
The last two abrupt warmings at the onset of our present warminterglacial period, interrupted by the Younger Dryas coolingevent, are investigated in high temporal resolution from theGreenland NGRIP ice core. The deuterium excess, a proxy of Greenlandprecipitation moisture source, switches mode within 1 to 3 yearsover these transitions and initiates a more gradual change (50years) of the Greenland air temperature as recorded by waterstable isotopes. The onsets of both abrupt Greenland warmingsare slightly preceded by decreasing Greenland dust deposition,reflecting wetting of Asian deserts. A northern shift of theITCZ could be the trigger of these abrupt shifts of northernhemisphere atmospheric circulation resulting in 2 to 4K changesin Greenland moisture source temperature from one year to thenext.
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