Articles | Volume 22, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-247-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-247-2026
Research article
 | 
05 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 05 Feb 2026

Past Ocean surface density from planktonic foraminifera calcite δ18O

Thibaut Caley, Niclas Rieger, Martin Werner, Claire Waelbroeck, Héloise Barathieu, Tamara Happé, and Didier M. Roche

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Cited articles

Adkins, J. F., Mclntyre, K., and Schrag, D.: The salinity, temperature and δ18O of the glacial deep ocean, Science 298, 1769–1773, 2002. 
Ayache, M., Dutay, J.-C., Mouchet, A., Tachikawa, K., Risi, C., and Ramstein, G.: Modelling the water isotope distribution in the Mediterranean Sea using a high-resolution oceanic model (NEMO-MED12-watiso v1.0): evaluation of model results against in situ observations, Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 6627–6655, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-6627-2024, 2024. 
Barathieu, H., Caley, T., Kageyama, M., Swingedouw, D., and Braconnot, P.: Using ocean surface paleo-density to evaluate PMIP3 and PMIP4 Last Glacial Maximum climate simulations, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-254, 2026. 
Bemis, B. E., Spero, H. J., Bijma, J., and Lea, D. W.: Reevaluation of the oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera: experimental results and revised paleotemperature equations, Paleoceanography, 13, 150–160, 1998. 
Bijma, J., Spero, H. J., and Lea, D. W.: Reassessing foraminiferal stable isotope geochemistry: Impact of the oceanic carbonate system (experimental results), in: Use of Proxies in Paleoceanography, edited by: Fischer, G. and Wefer, G., Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 489–512, ISBN 978-3-540-66340-9, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58646-0, 1999. 
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Short summary
Density of seawater is a critical property that controls ocean dynamics. We developed the use of the δ18Oc of planktonic foraminifera as a surface paleodensity proxy for the ocean using Bayesian regression models calibrated to mean annual surface density. We reconstructed annual surface density during the last glacial maximum and late Holocene time periods. These results will be used to evaluate numerical climate models in their ability to simulate past ocean surface density.
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