Temperature history of the Caribbean mixed layer as derived from sclerosponges
Abstract
We present a high resolution record of the Caribbean mixed layer temperature at different depths derived from oxygen isotopic ratios obtained from the sclerosponge Ceratoporella nicholsoni. Sclerosponges precipitate their calcium carbonate skeleton in equilibrium with their surrounding environment and are capable of living at great depths (down to 200 m). The sponges for this project were collected off Puerto Rico and St. Croix in northeastern region of the Caribbean Sea. The record obtained closest to the surface (36 m) indicates a sudden rise in sea surface temperature that started in 1866 and ended in 1877 with a total rise of 0.5 °C. At this time the rise decelerated until it finally stopped in 1935. From there onwards the record shows a declining trend that lasts until present day. We found that up to 51 % of the temperature variability in this record can be attributed to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (Trenberth and Shea, 2006). Further work is taking place on sponges located at various depths to determine the rate of expansion of the mixed layer.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFMPP23A1822E
- Keywords:
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- 4870 OCEANOGRAPHY: BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL / Stable isotopes;
- 4954 PALEOCEANOGRAPHY / Sea surface temperature;
- 9325 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION / Atlantic Ocean