Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/B/S/2003/00815
Stadial - Interstadial changes in deep-water circulation and sources in the Northeast Atlantic and their association with rapid sea level rise.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor H Elderfield, University of Cambridge, Earth Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Cambridge, Earth Sciences
- Science Area:
- Marine
- Earth
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Marine
- ENRIs:
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Ocean Circulation
- Ocean - Atmosphere Interact.
- Quaternary Science
- Glacial & Cryospheric Systems
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- It is known that past changes in Antarctic climate have been intimately linked to variations in atmospheric CO2 concentration. In addition, rapid changes in Greenland and Antarctic climate occurred asynchronously and in parallel with similar changes in surface- and deep-water hydrography in the Northeast Atlantic that may be inherently linked to rapid changes in sea level. The mechanisms responsible for these geological observations remain poorly understood and are of direct relevance to our modem society, as any attempt to predict the response of climate to human industry inevitably relies on a sound understanding of how climate has functioned in the past. To address these issues, geochemical proxy analyses will be performed at Cambridge University on the fossil shells of surface-water and bottom dwelling foraminifera preserved in deep-sea sediments recovered from the Northeast Atlantic, thereby providing detailed records of millennial climate and ocean circulation changes that occurred in parallel with similar changes recorded in the polar ice-cores. Records of surface- and deep-water temperature and salinity change, and of deep-water source variations in the Northeast Atlantic will be reconstructed and placed within the context of global temperature and atmospheric variations during the last glaciation. Ocean circulation is a major component of the climate system, which has clearly played an important role in effecting and responding to past climate change. However the non-linearities of this vast heat and carbon dioxide reservoir remain inadequately understood and incompletely incorporated into predictive models of climate change. This project is directed at changing this situation by addressing the question of how ocean circulation played a role in well documented abrupt changes that were experienced across the globe in parallel with rapid sea-level and atmospheric change.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/B/S/2003/00815
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Small Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Small Grants
This grant award has a total value of £30,154
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| £615 | £17,424 | £4,100 | £8,015 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.