Module Summary

Birgitte F. Nyland, Øyvind Lie, Trond Dokken Solfrid Hjøllo, Bogi Hansen

and Svein Østerhus

NoClim II project meeting, Vestlia 3. - 5- September 2006

• NoClim II (Norwegian Ocean Climate Project (Phase 2)) to significantly improve our understanding of processes which govern oceanic heat

transport towards the Nordic Seas, and which provide the basis for atmospheric heat transport from the Atlantic sector towards northern Europe.

– Module B : Analysis of abrupt changes in the past• to obtain paleo proxy data and relate them to quantitative physical

oceanographyDeliverables:• Calibrate proxy data collected from surface samples with present day

hydrography

• Identify each event in all the cores that will be subject for detailed investigation and chemical/sedimentological/biological analysis

• Estimate the vertical temperature and salinity profiles through the main inflow and outflow areas between Iceland, the Faroes and Shetland during three major climate transitions

• Quantitative reconstructions of the transport of surface and deep water through the channels connecting the Nordic Seas and the North Atlantic during climate transitions.

• Vamoc (Variations of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation during rapid climate changes: calibration, modelling and palaeoceanographic observations)

the project will test the hypothesis that rapid climate transitions are always associated with changes in overturning rate in the Nordic Seas. This will be a major contribution to understanding what might happen with increased greenhouse gas levels and global warming

Linked to following project:

B. Hansen et al., Progress in Oceanography 59 (2003) 443-474

0,8 Sv

~3,5 Sv

~3,5 Sv

Hydrographic setting

Overview of core positions:

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

350062.5 63 63.5 64 64.5

Wat

er d

epth

(m

)

Latitude

SouthNorth

N08HM03-133-09

N10HM03-133-07

N07HM03-133-10

N11HM03-133-06

N02HM03-133-14

N09HM03-133-08

N11HM03-133-05

N03HM03-133-13

N05HM03-133-11

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

62,5 63 63,5 64 64,5

Mg/Ca (mmol/mol)

CTD temp

Latitude

0 ,511 ,522 ,533 ,5-2024681 06 26 2 ,56 36 3 ,56 46 4 ,5

0 ,511 ,522 ,533 ,5-2024681 06 26 2 ,56 36 3 ,56 46 4 ,5

0 ,511 ,522 ,533 ,5-2024681 06 26 2 ,56 36 3 ,56 46 4 ,5

0 ,511 ,522 ,533 ,5-2024681 06 26 2 ,56 36 3 ,56 46 4 ,5

HM03-133-05N13

HM03-133-06N12

HM03-133-07N10

HM03-133-08N09

HM03-133-10N07

HM03-133-11N05

HM03-133-13N03

HM03-133-14N02

Proxy data versus CTD temperatures along the Faroe north transect

SPECIES

M. barleanum

C. lobatulus

C. neoteretis

O. umbonatus

C. wuellerstorfi

------- CTD Temperature

From Hansen et al., 2003

0

20

40

60

80

100

N13 N12 N07 N08 N09 N10 N05 N04 N03 N02 N01

% N.pach.sin of tot plankt% N.pach.dex. of tot plankt% G.quinqueloba of tot plankt% G.bulloides of tot plankt

Fauna counts on surface dwelling species

SouthNorth

Warmer water indicator

Front indicators

0

5

10

15

-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

051015202530

% G.quinqueloba of tot plankt

Depth (cm)PRESENT

% of G. quinqueloba reflects variability in position of the front system.These two cores show similar variability down core.

% G. quinqueloba of total planktic forams

HM03-133-10N07

HM03-133-09N08

HM-10HM-09

HM-08

N S

1925

-0,4

-0,3

-0,2

-0,1

0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

year

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Response of the Atmosphere