CP - recent papers

Mixed layer depth in the PMIP4 midHolocene simulations: comparison to proxy data in North Atlantic deep convection regions

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:58:58 +0200

Mixed layer depth in the PMIP4 midHolocene simulations: comparison to proxy data in North Atlantic deep convection regions
Xiner Wu, Anne de Vernal, and Paul G. Myers
Clim. Past, 22, 1609–1629, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1609-2026, 2026
The ocean mixed layer needs to be correctly represented in climate models to provide reliable future projections. We evaluate the mixed layer depth in 15 climate models against reconstructions for the mid-Holocene North Atlantic. The lack of meltwater input to models causes the simulated mixed layer to be deeper than reconstructed in the Labrador Sea but does not affect the Nordic Seas. Deep ocean mixing in the Labrador Sea may be particularly sensitive to ice-sheet melting under global warming.

Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction in the Western Mediterranean during the Late Early Pleistocene

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction in the Western Mediterranean during the Late Early Pleistocene
Maé Catrain, Séverine Fauquette, Odile Peyron, Nathalie Combourieu-Nebout, Vincent Lebreton, Morgane Fischer-Fries, Mary Robles, Viviane Bout-Roumazeilles, Patricia Richard, Marion Delattre, Lionel Dubost, Sébastien Joannin, Amandine Viala, Yul Altolaguirre, Jean-Pierre Suc, Jeanne Lepelletier, and Marie-Hélène Moncel
Clim. Past, 22, 1631–1653, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1631-2026, 2026
This multiproxy study investigates changes in climate cyclicity at Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition. Clay mineralogy analysis highlights a sudden change in oceanic and atmospheric circulation in the Alboran Basin around 1140 ka. Pollen, foraminifera and faunal data suggest that the climate and vegetation of this region are more likely to be influenced by variations in precipitation, hinting at major differences between the Iberian Peninsula and southern Italy.

Anatolia (Türkiye) during the late Eocene and the Eocene–Oligocene Transition: successive warming and cooling, aridification, and implications for the westward dispersal of Asian terrestrial mammals

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Anatolia (Türkiye) during the late Eocene and the Eocene–Oligocene Transition: successive warming and cooling, aridification, and implications for the westward dispersal of Asian terrestrial mammals
Paul Botté, Alexis Licht, Anne-Lise Jourdan, Leny Montheil, François Demory, Mustafa Kaya, Faruk Ocakoğlu, Mehmet Serkan Akkiraz, Deniz İbilioğlu, Pauline Coster, Grégoire Métais, Benjamin Raynaud, and K. Christopher Beard
Clim. Past, 22, 1585–1608, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1585-2026, 2026
The Eocene–Oligocene Transition (EOT; ~34 Ma) marks a major global cooling that transformed terrestrial ecosystems and influenced mammalian dispersals. A continental record from Anatolia reveals a Late Eocene warming followed by abrupt cooling at the EOT, documented by geochemistry and sedimentology. This interval is also characterized by increasing aridity, which likely contributed to the decline of endemic taxa and facilitated the westward expansion of Asian mammals into western Europe.

Increased abyssal ocean density stratification across the Middle Pleistocene Transition

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Increased abyssal ocean density stratification across the Middle Pleistocene Transition
Nicola C. Thomas, Heather L. Ford, Mervyn Greaves, and David A. Hodell
Clim. Past, 22, 1559–1584, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1559-2026, 2026
We reconstruct interbasinal temperature and salinity gradients using stacked Mg/Ca and benthic δ¹⁸O records for the past 1.5 Myr. Across the Middle Pleistocene Transition, the deep Atlantic cooled and the Pacific became more saline, increasing deep ocean density stratification. The glacial ocean became a more effective carbon trap, which lowered atmospheric pCO2, and led to the growth of larger ice sheets. Results support a physical role for abyssal ocean stratification in explaining the MPT.

Holocene hydroclimatic variability and multi-frequency analyses at Lake Sidi Ali (Morocco)

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Holocene hydroclimatic variability and multi-frequency analyses at Lake Sidi Ali (Morocco)
Johannes Schmidt, Markus Reichert, Cathleen Kertscher, Birgit Schneider, Elisabeth Dietze, Laura Bergmann, Abdelfattah Benkaddour, Abdeslam Mikdad, Sylvain Pichat, William Fletcher, Steffen Mischke, and Christoph Zielhofer
Clim. Past, 22, 1537–1557, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1537-2026, 2026
This study uses lake sediments from Lake Sidi Ali in Morocco to understand how climate and the surrounding landscape changed over the past 11,000 years. The results show repeating climate patterns that influenced lake water levels and erosion in the catchment at different timescales. These findings help explain how regional climate and local landscape processes interacted at the North African desert margin.

Advancing Last Glacial Maximum paleoclimate reconstructions in Europe using pollen data: a multi-method (mega)biomization approach

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Advancing Last Glacial Maximum paleoclimate reconstructions in Europe using pollen data: a multi-method (mega)biomization approach
Gabriel Fénisse, Manuel Chevalier, Odile Peyron, David Vincent Bekaert, and Pierre-Henri Blard
Clim. Past, 22, 1507–1536, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1507-2026, 2026
Fossil pollen offers insights into past climates, yet results differ depending on reconstruction methods. By comparing multiple approaches across Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum, we highlight how method choice influences outcomes. Our work introduces a new methodological framework that reduces biases and improves the reliability of climate reconstructions.

Amplified cooling of Snowball Earth from a salt-albedo feedback

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Amplified cooling of Snowball Earth from a salt-albedo feedback
Aksel Samuelsberg, Per Kristen Jakobsen, and Martin Rypdal
Clim. Past, 22, 1499–1506, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1499-2026, 2026
In this work we implement a feedback mechanism with proposed relevance for Snowball Earth in a simple climate model, a salt-albedo feedback. Our results show that this mechanism could have amplified cooling during the initial phase of Snowball Earth, suggesting it may have played an overlooked role in the climate evolution of Snowball Earth.

Permian-Triassic redox shift and its ferruginous aftermath in epicontinental seas

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Permian-Triassic redox shift and its ferruginous aftermath in epicontinental seas
Fen Yang, Sen Li, Stephen E. Grasby, David P. G. Bond, Ming Pan, and Yadong Sun
Clim. Past, 22, 1481–1497, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1481-2026, 2026
The end-Permian mass extinction was the most severe loss of life in Earth history, yet the role of ocean oxygen restriction remains debated. We examined rock records from South China and western Canada to track redox conditions before and after the crisis. Oxygen levels were already low prior to the extinction, and widespread seafloor anoxia developed at its peak. Afterwards, ferruginous conditions dominated, reducing nutrient availability, limiting productivity, and slowing life’s recovery.

The influence of glacial Northern Hemisphere ice sheets on atmospheric circulation

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

The influence of glacial Northern Hemisphere ice sheets on atmospheric circulation
Himadri Saini, David K. Hutchinson, Josephine R. Brown, Russell N. Drysdale, Yanxuan Du, and Laurie Menviel
Clim. Past, 22, 1457–1479, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1457-2026, 2026
During the last ice age, Northern Hemisphere ice sheets reshaped global climate. They shifted North Atlantic winds southward, increasing summer rainfall across Eurasia. They also altered tropical and Southern Hemisphere weather patterns, affecting rainfall far beyond the ice-covered regions. Our results show that the height and shape of the ice sheets had a much greater influence on global wind and rainfall patterns than changes in Earth’s orbit, greenhouse gases, or surface reflectivity.

Multidecadal behavior of the North Atlantic Oscillation during the last millennium

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Multidecadal behavior of the North Atlantic Oscillation during the last millennium
Andrew A. Flaim, Bronwen L. Konecky, and Sloan Coats
Clim. Past, 22, 1423–1439, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1423-2026, 2026
The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is an important driver of year-to-year weather variability in Europe and North America, but its behavior on longer timescales is disputed. We present a new reconstruction of the NAO over the last millennium using water isotope proxy data from ice cores, speleothems, trees, and other archives. We find pronounced but irregular multidecadal to centennial variability. Better accounting for such variability in climate models is crucial to better project future climate.

Atmospheric pressure and anemological conditions in south-western Greenland in the second half of the 18th century

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Atmospheric pressure and anemological conditions in south-western Greenland in the second half of the 18th century
Konrad Chmist, Garima Singh, Andrzej Araźny, Rajmund Przybylak, and Przemysław Wyszyński
Clim. Past, 22, 1441–1455, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1441-2026, 2026
The currently observed climate changes are most intense in the Arctic region. This study utilized some of the oldest existing meteorological measurement series in this region. Atmospheric pressure and anemological conditions were analysed and then compared with contemporary measurements. This showed that the weakest low and strongest high systems occur in the same months. Prevailing wind directions have also remained unchanged, while the northerly wind carries less frigid air than in the past.

Holocene temperatures in southwestern Greenland controlled by topography, ice sheet proximity, and oceanic conditions

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Holocene temperatures in southwestern Greenland controlled by topography, ice sheet proximity, and oceanic conditions
Sudip Acharya, Allison A. Cluett, Amy L. Grogan, Jason P. Briner, Isla S. Castañeda, and Elizabeth K. Thomas
Clim. Past, 22, 1401–1421, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1401-2026, 2026
We generated five new and compiled previously published Holocene temperature timeseries from southwestern Greenland. We found temperature maxima between 7500 and 5000 years ago, with temperatures approx. 2–5 °C higher than 1994–2024. Afterward, temperatures gradually cooled towards the present, following maximum summer insolation. Local variations in the magnitude and timing of the thermal maximum are related to topography and proximity to the ice sheet and the ocean.

Air temperature changes in Wrocław (southwestern Poland) in 1773–1781 based on recently discovered early-instrumental meteorological measurements

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Air temperature changes in Wrocław (southwestern Poland) in 1773–1781 based on recently discovered early-instrumental meteorological measurements
Rajmund Przybylak, Aleksandra Pospieszyńska, and Piotr Oliński
Clim. Past, 22, 1383–1400, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1383-2026, 2026
The article discusses (i) a recently discovered series of meteorological measurements (air temperature, precipitation, pressure, humidity, wind direction, and force) taken in Wrocław, South-Western Poland, from 1773–81, and (ii) an analysis of air temperature. This unique, quality-controlled series, verified against data from Silesia (Żagań and Jelenia Góra) and Warsaw, extends Wrocław's regular temperature records back to 1773, previously starting in 1791.

Riukojietna, a small low-altitude ice cap that may have persisted through the Holocene: evidence from combining cosmogenic multi-nuclide dating and lacustrine sediment records

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Riukojietna, a small low-altitude ice cap that may have persisted through the Holocene: evidence from combining cosmogenic multi-nuclide dating and lacustrine sediment records
Arjen P. Stroeven, Gunhild C. Rosqvist, Alexandria J. Koester, Jane L. Andersen, Carl-Anton Wahlström, and Nathaniel A. Lifton
Clim. Past, 22, 1363–1381, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1363-2026, 2026
Did Scandinavian glaciers survive the warmer conditions of the early Holocene? Ice thickness measurements, proglacial lake sediment, and cosmogenic nuclides in bedrock alongside Riukojietna, a small low-elevation ice cap in northern Sweden, all combine to constrain a glacier advance and retreat history since 9.8 thousand years ago. Riukojietna was small but persisted through the early Holocene, illustrating that other but higher-elevation valley glaciers in the region may also have done so.

Pleistocene benthic foraminifera bioevents in the Central Arctic Ocean: stratigraphic and paleoceanographic implications

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Pleistocene benthic foraminifera bioevents in the Central Arctic Ocean: stratigraphic and paleoceanographic implications
Jutta E. Wollenburg and Jens Matthiessen
Clim. Past, 22, 1305–1362, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1305-2026, 2026
Arctic Pleistocene benthic foraminifers show distinct temporal and spatial distribution patterns in the Arctic Ocean. We refine previously applied calcareous benthic foraminiferal bioevents and correlated them with lithology changes and independent stratigraphic markers. Benthic foraminifera colonized the Arctic Ocean via advection of Atlantic water and ecological requirements must have been met locally for the species to settle. Yet, bioevents also reflect significant diagenetic loss.

Ice core nitrogen isotopes archive dramatic changes in West Antarctic Ice Sheet thinning

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Ice core nitrogen isotopes archive dramatic changes in West Antarctic Ice Sheet thinning
Amy C. F. King, Thomas K. Bauska, Amaëlle Landais, Carlos Martín, and Eric W. Wolff
Clim. Past, 22, 1291–1304, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1291-2026, 2026
We show how measurements of nitrogen isotopes in Antarctic ice core records can be used to show dramatic thinning of an ice sheet during ice mass changes in the Holocene. Combining such measurements with proxies for ice sheet elevation could be a powerful tool for constraining the history of ice dynamics at sites which are sensitive to rapid changes, and could contribute to constraining ice sheet models.

Correcting a systematic bias in an ocean drilling project site 882 alkenone sea surface temperature record

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Correcting a systematic bias in an ocean drilling project site 882 alkenone sea surface temperature record
Joseph B. Novak, Rocío P. Caballero-Gill, Timothy D. Herbert, Harry J. Dowsett, and Alfredo Martínez-García
Clim. Past, 22, 1277–1290, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1277-2026, 2026
Accurate information about the surface ocean temperatures are important for understanding Earth's climate history. Here, we correct a sea surface temperature record from the critical subarctic North Pacific region for systematic biases introduced into the algal-biomarker-based geologic temperature estimates by the analytical method used by the original study.

Climate variability in Poland (Central Europe) in the 16th century based on multiproxy data

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

Climate variability in Poland (Central Europe) in the 16th century based on multiproxy data
Rajmund Przybylak, Piotr Oliński, Marcin Koprowski, Waldemar Chorążyczewski, Elżbieta Szychowska-Krąpiec, Marek Krąpiec, and Aleksandra Pospieszyńska
Clim. Past, 22, 1255–1275, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1255-2026, 2026
The paper provides an updated analysis of Poland's climate, focusing on the 16th century using a multiproxy approach (documentary evidence and dendrochronological data). Newly gathered historical sources and dendrochronological data helped reconstruct five updated mean air temperature series: decadal winter and summer means from documentary evidence, and annual means for winter and late winter–early spring derived from dendrochronological data.

South Atlantic lipid biomarkers support synchronous Plio-Pleistocene global cooling: revising the ODP Site 1090 sea surface temperature record

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:58:59 +0200

South Atlantic lipid biomarkers support synchronous Plio-Pleistocene global cooling: revising the ODP Site 1090 sea surface temperature record
Brianna Hoegler, Timothy D. Herbert, and Jamie Pahigian
Clim. Past, 22, 1241–1254, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1241-2026, 2026
Studying the Pliocene (5.33–2.58 Ma) is key to understanding Earth’s climate under current atmospheric CO2 levels and the development of permanent Northern Hemisphere ice. We used ocean sediments and improved laboratory methods to reconstruct sea surface temperatures from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1090 (south Atlantic) from ~4.3–2.6 Ma. Our data suggests cooling patterns similar to those found worldwide, suggesting a global forcing, like decreased CO2, triggered the shift to the ice ages.

The Marine Isotopic Stage 7: a relic of the “41 ka world”? Perspectives from a global-scale sea-surface temperature synthesis

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 07:58:59 +0200

The Marine Isotopic Stage 7: a relic of the “41 ka world”? Perspectives from a global-scale sea-surface temperature synthesis
Etienne Legrain, Nathan Stevenard, Emilie Capron, Frédéric Parrenin, and Natalia Vazquez Riveiros
Clim. Past, 22, 1223–1240, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-22-1223-2026, 2026
To better understand climate drivers during a warm period ~200,000 years ago, we reconstructed global surface temperature using 132 marine records placed on a common timeline. We found strong hemispheric differences and showed that the warmest phase occurred despite lower CO2 levels. In addition, we suggest that extreme orbital forcing temporarily shifted the climate into the older 41,000-year rhythm, resulting in a hybrid warm period shaped by both 100,000-year and 41,000-year climate dynamics.