Articles | Volume 17, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-843-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-843-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
14 Apr 2021
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 14 Apr 2021
| 14 Apr 2021
Snapshots of mean ocean temperature over the last 700 000 years using noble gases in the EPICA Dome C ice core
Marcel Haeberli
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Daniel Baggenstos
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Jochen Schmitt
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Markus Grimmer
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Adrien Michel
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Laboratoire des Sciences Cryosphérique, EPFL, ENAC IIE CRYOS GR A0 455 (Bâtiment GR), Station 2, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Thomas Kellerhals
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Hubertus Fischer
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Climate and Environmental Physics & Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Cited
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Machine learning approach reveals strong link between obliquity amplitude increase and the Mid-Brunhes transition T. Mitsui & N. Boers https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107344
- Global and regional sea-surface temperature changes over the Marine Isotopic Stage 9e and Termination IV N. Stevenard et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-1895-2025
- Early Pleistocene East Antarctic temperature in phase with local insolation Y. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01095-x
- Kinetic fractionation of noble gases in the stratosphere over Japan S. Sugawara et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1537-2026
- Global ocean heat content over the past 3 million years S. Shackleton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10116-3
- Benthic δ18O records Earth’s energy imbalance S. Shackleton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01250-y
- A 1.5-million-year record of orbital and millennial climate variability in the North Atlantic D. Hodell et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-19-607-2023
- Marine Isotope Stage 11c: An unusual interglacial P. Tzedakis et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107493
- Enhanced ocean heat storage efficiency during the last deglaciation C. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adp5156
- Warm pool ocean heat content regulates ocean–continent moisture transport Z. Jian et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05302-y
- Laser-induced sublimation extraction for centimeter-resolution multi-species greenhouse gas analysis on ice cores L. Mächler et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-355-2023
- Mean ocean temperature change and decomposition of the benthic δ18O record over the past 4.5 million years P. Clark et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-973-2025
- Ice core evidence for atmospheric oxygen decline since the Mid-Pleistocene transition Y. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abj9341
- Extraction of air from ice core samples using trapping and detrapping on silica gel A. Klüssendorf et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2026.117606
- The Effect of Past Saturation Changes on Noble Gas Reconstructions of Mean Ocean Temperature F. Pöppelmeier et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102055
- Atmospheric CO2 Concentration Based on Boron Isotopes Versus Simulations of the Global Carbon Cycle During the Plio‐Pleistocene P. Köhler https://doi.org/10.1029/2022PA004439
16 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Machine learning approach reveals strong link between obliquity amplitude increase and the Mid-Brunhes transition T. Mitsui & N. Boers https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107344
- Global and regional sea-surface temperature changes over the Marine Isotopic Stage 9e and Termination IV N. Stevenard et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-1895-2025
- Early Pleistocene East Antarctic temperature in phase with local insolation Y. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01095-x
- Kinetic fractionation of noble gases in the stratosphere over Japan S. Sugawara et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1537-2026
- Global ocean heat content over the past 3 million years S. Shackleton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10116-3
- Benthic δ18O records Earth’s energy imbalance S. Shackleton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01250-y
- A 1.5-million-year record of orbital and millennial climate variability in the North Atlantic D. Hodell et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-19-607-2023
- Marine Isotope Stage 11c: An unusual interglacial P. Tzedakis et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2022.107493
- Enhanced ocean heat storage efficiency during the last deglaciation C. Zhu et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adp5156
- Warm pool ocean heat content regulates ocean–continent moisture transport Z. Jian et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05302-y
- Laser-induced sublimation extraction for centimeter-resolution multi-species greenhouse gas analysis on ice cores L. Mächler et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-355-2023
- Mean ocean temperature change and decomposition of the benthic δ18O record over the past 4.5 million years P. Clark et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-973-2025
- Ice core evidence for atmospheric oxygen decline since the Mid-Pleistocene transition Y. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abj9341
- Extraction of air from ice core samples using trapping and detrapping on silica gel A. Klüssendorf et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2026.117606
- The Effect of Past Saturation Changes on Noble Gas Reconstructions of Mean Ocean Temperature F. Pöppelmeier et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102055
- Atmospheric CO2 Concentration Based on Boron Isotopes Versus Simulations of the Global Carbon Cycle During the Plio‐Pleistocene P. Köhler https://doi.org/10.1029/2022PA004439
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 09 Jun 2026
Short summary
Using the temperature-dependent solubility of noble gases in ocean water, we reconstruct global mean ocean temperature (MOT) over the last 700 kyr using noble gas ratios in air enclosed in polar ice cores. Our record shows that glacial MOT was about 3 °C cooler compared to the Holocene. Interglacials before 450 kyr ago were characterized by about 1.5 °C lower MOT than the Holocene. In addition, some interglacials show transient maxima in ocean temperature related to changes in ocean circulation.
Using the temperature-dependent solubility of noble gases in ocean water, we reconstruct global...
