Description: We present a high-resolution (not, vert, similar 60-110 yr) multi-proxy record spanning Marine Isotope Stage 3 from IMAGES Core MD01-2378 (13°04.95'S and 121°47.27'E, 1783 m water depth), located in the Timor Sea, off NW Australia. Today, this area is influenced by the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which drives monsoonal winds during austral summer and by the main outflow of the Indonesian Throughflow, which represents a key component of the global thermohaline circulation system. Thus, this core is ideally situated to monitor the linkages between tropical and high latitude climate variability. Benthic d18O data (Planulina wuellerstorfi) clearly reflect Antarctic warm events (A1-A4) as recorded by the EPICA Byrd and Dronning Maud Land ice cores. This southern high latitude signal is transferred by deep and intermediate water masses flowing northward from the Southern Ocean into the Indian Ocean. Planktonic d18O shows closer affinity to northern high latitudes planktonic and ice core records, although only the longer-lasting Dansgaard-Oeschger warm events, 8, 12, 14, and 16-17 are clearly expressed in our record. This northern high latitude signal in the surface water is probably transmitted through atmospheric teleconnections and coupling of the Asian-Australian monsoon systems. Benthic foraminiferal census counts suggest a coupling of Antarctic cooling with carbon flux patterns in the Timor Sea. We relate increasing abundances of carbon-flux sensitive species at 38-45 ka to the northeastward migration of the West Australian Current frontal area. This water mass reorganization is also supported by concurrent decreases in Mg/Ca and planktonic d18O values (Globigerinoides ruber white).

Description: We present sea surface and upper thermocline temperature records (60-100 yr temporal resolution) spanning Marine Isotope Stage 3 (~24-62 kyr BP) from IMAGES Core MD01-2378 (121°47.27'E and 13°04.95'S; 1783 m water depth) located in the outflow area of the Indonesian Throughflow within the Timor Sea. Stable isotopes and Mg/Ca of the near surface dwelling planktonic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber (white) and the upper thermocline dwelling Pulleniatina obliquiloculata reveal rapid changes in the thermal structure of the upper ocean during Heinrich Events. Thermocline warming and increased delta18Oseawater (P. obliquiloculata record) during Heinrich Events 3, 4, and 5 reflect weakening of the relatively cool and fresh thermocline flow and reduced export of less saline water from the North Pacific and Indonesian Seas to the tropical Indian Ocean. Three main factors influenced Indonesian Throughflow variability during Marine Isotope Stage 3: (1) global slow-down in thermohaline circulation during Heinrich Events triggered by northern hemisphere cooling; (2) increased freshwater export from the Java Sea into the Indonesian Throughflow controlled by rising sea level from ~60 to 47 ka and (3) insolation related changes in Australasian monsoon with associated migration of hydrological fronts between Indian Ocean and Indonesian Throughflow derived water masses at ~46-40 ka.