Description: Here we establish a spatio-temporal evolution of the sea-surface temperatures in the North Atlantic over Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events 5-8 (c.30-40ka) using the proxy surrogate reconstruction method. Proxy data suggest a large variability in North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures during the DO-events of the last glacial period. However, proxy data availability is limited and cannot provide a full spatial picture of the oceanic changes. Therefore, we combine fully coupled, general circulation model simulations with planktic foraminifera based sea-surface temperature reconstructions to obtain a broader spatial picture of the ocean state during DO-events 5-8. The resulting spatial sea-surface temperature patterns agree over a number of different general circulation models and simulations. We find that sea-surface temperature variability over the DO-events is characterized by colder conditions in the subpolar North Atlantic during stadials than during interstadials, and the variability is linked to changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning circulation, and in the sea-ice cover. Forced simulations are needed to capture the strength of the temperature variability and to reconstruct the variability in other climatic records not directly linked to the sea-surface temperature reconstructions. This is the first time the proxy surrogate reconstruction method has been applied to oceanic variability during MIS3. Our results remain robust, even when age uncertainties of proxy data, the number of available temperature reconstructions, and different climate models, are considered. However, we also highlight shortcomings of the methodology that should be addressed in future implementations.

Description: Here we establish a spatio-temporal evolution of the sea-surface temperature anomalies in the North Atlantic over Dansgaard Oeschger (DO) events 5-8 (30-40ka) using the proxy surrogate reconstruction method. We combine fully coupled, general circulation model simulations with planktic foraminifera based sea-surface temperature reconstructions to obtain a broader spatial picture of the ocean state during DO-events 5-8. Here, the model simulations consists of 10 simulations with HadCM3, 8 runs without freshwater forcing and 2 runs with freshwater forcing. These simulations were run by Paul J. Valdes, Joy S. Singarayer and William H.G. Roberts. A description of the simulations can be found in Singarayer and Valdes (2010). All model simulations were run using the University of Bristol's ACRC facilities, (www.acrc.bris.ac.uk). This is the first time the proxy surrogate reconstruction method has been applied to oceanic variability during MIS3. The sea-surface temperature reconstructions should be used with care.

Description: Here, we have calculated new sea-surface temperature estimates over Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events 5-8 (c. 30-40 ka) from 14 sites in the North Atlantic, based on previously published planktic foraminifera relative abundance datasets. These proxy records suggest a large variability in North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures during DO-events of the last glacial period. However, proxy data availability is limited and cannot provide a full spatial picture of the oceanic changes. Therefore, we combine fully coupled, general circulation model simulations with the planktic foraminifera based sea-surface temperature reconstructions to obtain a broader spatial picture of the ocean state during DO-events 5-8. The resulting spatial sea-surface temperature patterns agree over a number of different general circulation models and simulations. We find that sea-surface temperature variability over the DO-events is characterized by colder conditions in the subpolar North Atlantic during stadials than during interstadials, and the variability is linked to changes in the AMOC, and in the sea-ice cover. Forced simulations are needed to capture the strength of the temperature variability and to reconstruct the variability in other climate records not directly linked to the sea-surface temperature reconstructions.