Articles | Volume 22, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1203-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-22-1203-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
17 Jun 2026
Research article |
| 17 Jun 2026
| 17 Jun 2026
Shaping the mid-Miocene warmth: a sensitivity study on paleogeography, CO2 and model physics
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Center for Climate Research, Stockholm, Sweden
Agatha de Boer
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Center for Climate Research, Stockholm, Sweden
Ellen Berntell
Bolin Center for Climate Research, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Trusha Jagdish Naik
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Bolin Center for Climate Research, Stockholm, Sweden
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Short summary
During the mid-Miocene (~16 to 14 million years ago), Earth was much warmer with CO2 levels similar to what is expected for our future. Here, we perform simulations with a new geography of the mid-Miocene, which include changes in ice coverage, land and sea distribution, solar energy and CO2 concentrations. Despite high CO2 concentrations, our mid-Miocene is too cold compared to geological reconstructions, but shows great potential to understand future climate change and its sensitivity to CO2.
During the mid-Miocene (~16 to 14 million years ago), Earth was much warmer with CO2 levels...
