Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2017-39
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2017-39
16 Mar 2017
 | 16 Mar 2017
Status: this discussion paper is a preprint. It has been under review for the journal Climate of the Past (CP). The manuscript was not accepted for further review after discussion.

Historical Climate off the Atlantic Iberian Peninsula

Fátima Abrantes, Teresa Rodrigues, Marta Rufino, Emília Salgueiro, Dulce Oliveira, Sandra Gomes, Paulo Oliveira, Ana Costa, Mário Mil-Homens, Teresa Drago, and Filipa Naughton

Abstract. The Iberian Peninsula, at North Atlantic mid-latitude and the western extreme of the European continent, is a key point for climate reconstructions. This work provides multi-proxy records measured in 8 inner-shelf sediment cores from 5 sites located between South Portugal (Algarve) and Northwest Spain (Galiza) (36 to 41º N) and target a regional reconstruction of climate variability during the Historic period (last 2 ky).

The SST records reveal a long-term scale cooling (±1 ºC/2 ky) that ends at the beginning of the 20th century at all latitudes. This cooling is a follow up of the cooling process that started in the early Holocene driven by a decrease in summer insolation in the Northern Hemisphere.

Within this long term SST variability multi-decadal/centennial scale variability is detected along Iberia. The different latitudinal SST reconstructions jointly with a determined regional SST stack were compared to on-land precipitation from higher plant n-alkanes and pollen data, to assess the relationship between hydroclimate (drought and/or precipitation) and SST. Regional variability is overall in consonance with NE Spain, and other European and north Hemisphere reconstructions. Warm conditions prevailed throughout 1300 yr, encompassing the Roman Period (RP), the Dark Ages (DA) and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). The initial cooling at 1300 CE leads to 4 centuries of ±1 ºC colder mean SSTs contemporaneous with the Little Ice Age (LIA). The transition towards the Industrial Era starts by 1800 CE with a rise to pre-LIA SSTs. Climate specificities have been detected in western Iberian margin records and reveal the existence of two distinct phases within the MWP and a two-step SST increase towards the Industrial Era. The intense precipitation/flooding and warm winters but cooler intermediate seasons observed for the early MWP imply the interplay of internal oceanic variability with the three known atmospheric circulation modes, AMO, EA and SCAND in a positive phase. The late MWP, typified by drier and cooler winters and warmer intermediate seasons calls for a change in sign of the SCAND. A stronger mark of oceanic influences on western Iberian Peninsula (IP) starts with the transition to the Industrial Era.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Fátima Abrantes, Teresa Rodrigues, Marta Rufino, Emília Salgueiro, Dulce Oliveira, Sandra Gomes, Paulo Oliveira, Ana Costa, Mário Mil-Homens, Teresa Drago, and Filipa Naughton
 
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Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
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Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
Fátima Abrantes, Teresa Rodrigues, Marta Rufino, Emília Salgueiro, Dulce Oliveira, Sandra Gomes, Paulo Oliveira, Ana Costa, Mário Mil-Homens, Teresa Drago, and Filipa Naughton
Fátima Abrantes, Teresa Rodrigues, Marta Rufino, Emília Salgueiro, Dulce Oliveira, Sandra Gomes, Paulo Oliveira, Ana Costa, Mário Mil-Homens, Teresa Drago, and Filipa Naughton

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Short summary
This work presents proxy reconstructions of the last 2000 yr climatic conditions along the eastern Margin of the Iberian Peninsula, a vulnerable region regarding current global warming. Sea Surface Temperature shows a long-term cooling ending with the 19th century, and centennial scale variability that exposes 1300 yr of warm conditions, up to the end of the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), followed by a 1 ºC colder Little Ice Age. The Industrial Era starts by 1800 CE with a rise to MWP values.