A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude

J.W. Marschalek; L. Zurli; F. Talarico; T. van de Flierdt; P. Vermeesch; A. Carter; F. Beny; V. Bout-Roumazeilles; F. Sangiorgi; S.R. Hemming; L.F. Pérez; F. Colleoni; J.G. Prebble; Tim E. van Peer; M. Perotti; A.E. Shevenell; I. Browne; D.K. Kulhanek; R. Levy; D. Harwood; N.B. Sullivan; S.R. Meyers; E.M. Griffith; C.-D. Hillenbrand; E. Gasson; M.J. Siegert; B. Keisling; K.J. Licht; G. Kuhn; J.P. Dodd; C. Boshuis; L. De Santis; R.M. McKay; Jeanine Ash; Giuseppe Cortese; Oliver M. Esper; Jenny A. Gales; Saki Ishino; Sookwan Kim; Sunghan Kim; Jan Sverre Laberg; R. Mark Leckie; Juliane Müller; Molly O. Patterson; Brian W. Romans; Oscar E. Romero; Osamu Seki; Shiv M. Singh; Isabela M. Cordeiro de Sousa; Saiko T. Sugisaki; Whenshen Xiao; Zhifang Xiong

doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0

A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude

J.W. Marschalek, L. Zurli, F. Talarico, T. van de Flierdt, P. Vermeesch, A. Carter, F. Beny, V. Bout-Roumazeilles, F. Sangiorgi, S.R. Hemming, L.F. Pérez, F. Colleoni, J.G. Prebble, Tim E. van Peer, M. Perotti, A.E. Shevenell, I. Browne, D.K. Kulhanek, R. Levy, D. HarwoodN.B. Sullivan, S.R. Meyers, E.M. Griffith, C.-D. Hillenbrand, E. Gasson, M.J. Siegert, B. Keisling, K.J. Licht, G. Kuhn, J.P. Dodd, C. Boshuis, L. De Santis, R.M. McKay, Jeanine Ash, Giuseppe Cortese, Oliver M. Esper, Jenny A. Gales, Saki Ishino, Sookwan Kim, Sunghan Kim, Jan Sverre Laberg, R. Mark Leckie, Juliane Müller, Molly O. Patterson, Brian W. Romans, Oscar E. Romero, Osamu Seki, Shiv M. Singh, Isabela M. Cordeiro de Sousa, Saiko T. Sugisaki, Whenshen Xiao, Zhifang Xiong

Near Surface Land and Marine Geology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40–60 m estimated from far-field records1–3 are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth2. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was retained even during the warmest intervals of the Middle Miocene4,5. Data and model outputs can be reconciled if a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) existed and expanded across most of the outer continental shelf during the Early Miocene, accounting for maximum ice-sheet volumes. Here we provide the earliest geological evidence proving large WAIS expansions occurred during the Early Miocene (~17.72–17.40 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic data show glacimarine sediments recovered at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1521 in the central Ross Sea derive from West Antarctica, requiring the presence of a WAIS covering most of the Ross Sea continental shelf. Seismic, lithological and palynological data reveal the intermittent proximity of grounded ice to Site U1521. The erosion rate calculated from this sediment package greatly exceeds the long-term mean, implying rapid erosion of West Antarctica. This interval therefore captures a key step in the genesis of a marine-based WAIS and a tipping point in Antarctic ice-sheet evolution.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	450-455
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature
Volume	600
Issue number	7889
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0
Publication status	Published - 16 Dec 2021

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Programme Area 5: Nature and Climate

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0

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Marschalek, J. W., Zurli, L., Talarico, F., van de Flierdt, T., Vermeesch, P., Carter, A., Beny, F., Bout-Roumazeilles, V., Sangiorgi, F., Hemming, S. R., Pérez, L. F., Colleoni, F., Prebble, J. G., van Peer, T. E., Perotti, M., Shevenell, A. E., Browne, I., Kulhanek, D. K., Levy, R., ... Xiong, Z. (2021). A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude. Nature, 600(7889), 450-455. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0

@article{fa689b99352a4784aba361d53a612360,

title = "A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude",

abstract = "Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40–60 m estimated from far-field records1–3 are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth2. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was retained even during the warmest intervals of the Middle Miocene4,5. Data and model outputs can be reconciled if a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) existed and expanded across most of the outer continental shelf during the Early Miocene, accounting for maximum ice-sheet volumes. Here we provide the earliest geological evidence proving large WAIS expansions occurred during the Early Miocene (~17.72–17.40 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic data show glacimarine sediments recovered at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1521 in the central Ross Sea derive from West Antarctica, requiring the presence of a WAIS covering most of the Ross Sea continental shelf. Seismic, lithological and palynological data reveal the intermittent proximity of grounded ice to Site U1521. The erosion rate calculated from this sediment package greatly exceeds the long-term mean, implying rapid erosion of West Antarctica. This interval therefore captures a key step in the genesis of a marine-based WAIS and a tipping point in Antarctic ice-sheet evolution.",

author = "J.W. Marschalek and L. Zurli and F. Talarico and {van de Flierdt}, T. and P. Vermeesch and A. Carter and F. Beny and V. Bout-Roumazeilles and F. Sangiorgi and S.R. Hemming and L.F. P{\'e}rez and F. Colleoni and J.G. Prebble and {van Peer}, {Tim E.} and M. Perotti and A.E. Shevenell and I. Browne and D.K. Kulhanek and R. Levy and D. Harwood and N.B. Sullivan and S.R. Meyers and E.M. Griffith and C.-D. Hillenbrand and E. Gasson and M.J. Siegert and B. Keisling and K.J. Licht and G. Kuhn and J.P. Dodd and C. Boshuis and {De Santis}, L. and R.M. McKay and Jeanine Ash and Giuseppe Cortese and Esper, {Oliver M.} and Gales, {Jenny A.} and Saki Ishino and Sookwan Kim and Sunghan Kim and Laberg, {Jan Sverre} and Leckie, {R. Mark} and Juliane M{\"u}ller and Patterson, {Molly O.} and Romans, {Brian W.} and Romero, {Oscar E.} and Osamu Seki and Singh, {Shiv M.} and {Cordeiro de Sousa}, {Isabela M.} and Sugisaki, {Saiko T.} and Whenshen Xiao and Zhifang Xiong",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",

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language = "English",

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Marschalek, JW, Zurli, L, Talarico, F, van de Flierdt, T, Vermeesch, P, Carter, A, Beny, F, Bout-Roumazeilles, V, Sangiorgi, F, Hemming, SR, Pérez, LF, Colleoni, F, Prebble, JG, van Peer, TE, Perotti, M, Shevenell, AE, Browne, I, Kulhanek, DK, Levy, R, Harwood, D, Sullivan, NB, Meyers, SR, Griffith, EM, Hillenbrand, C-D, Gasson, E, Siegert, MJ, Keisling, B, Licht, KJ, Kuhn, G, Dodd, JP, Boshuis, C, De Santis, L, McKay, RM, Ash, J, Cortese, G, Esper, OM, Gales, JA, Ishino, S, Kim, S, Kim, S, Laberg, JS, Leckie, RM, Müller, J, Patterson, MO, Romans, BW, Romero, OE, Seki, O, Singh, SM, Cordeiro de Sousa, IM, Sugisaki, ST, Xiao, W & Xiong, Z 2021, 'A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude', Nature, vol. 600, no. 7889, pp. 450-455. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0

TY - JOUR

T1 - A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude

AU - Marschalek, J.W.

AU - Zurli, L.

AU - Talarico, F.

AU - van de Flierdt, T.

AU - Vermeesch, P.

AU - Carter, A.

AU - Beny, F.

AU - Bout-Roumazeilles, V.

AU - Sangiorgi, F.

AU - Hemming, S.R.

AU - Pérez, L.F.

AU - Colleoni, F.

AU - Prebble, J.G.

AU - van Peer, Tim E.

AU - Perotti, M.

AU - Shevenell, A.E.

AU - Browne, I.

AU - Kulhanek, D.K.

AU - Levy, R.

AU - Harwood, D.

AU - Sullivan, N.B.

AU - Meyers, S.R.

AU - Griffith, E.M.

AU - Hillenbrand, C.-D.

AU - Gasson, E.

AU - Siegert, M.J.

AU - Keisling, B.

AU - Licht, K.J.

AU - Kuhn, G.

AU - Dodd, J.P.

AU - Boshuis, C.

AU - De Santis, L.

AU - McKay, R.M.

AU - Ash, Jeanine

AU - Cortese, Giuseppe

AU - Esper, Oliver M.

AU - Gales, Jenny A.

AU - Ishino, Saki

AU - Kim, Sookwan

AU - Kim, Sunghan

AU - Laberg, Jan Sverre

AU - Leckie, R. Mark

AU - Müller, Juliane

AU - Patterson, Molly O.

AU - Romans, Brian W.

AU - Romero, Oscar E.

AU - Seki, Osamu

AU - Singh, Shiv M.

AU - Cordeiro de Sousa, Isabela M.

AU - Sugisaki, Saiko T.

AU - Xiao, Whenshen

AU - Xiong, Zhifang

PY - 2021/12/16

Y1 - 2021/12/16

N2 - Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40–60 m estimated from far-field records1–3 are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth2. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was retained even during the warmest intervals of the Middle Miocene4,5. Data and model outputs can be reconciled if a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) existed and expanded across most of the outer continental shelf during the Early Miocene, accounting for maximum ice-sheet volumes. Here we provide the earliest geological evidence proving large WAIS expansions occurred during the Early Miocene (~17.72–17.40 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic data show glacimarine sediments recovered at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1521 in the central Ross Sea derive from West Antarctica, requiring the presence of a WAIS covering most of the Ross Sea continental shelf. Seismic, lithological and palynological data reveal the intermittent proximity of grounded ice to Site U1521. The erosion rate calculated from this sediment package greatly exceeds the long-term mean, implying rapid erosion of West Antarctica. This interval therefore captures a key step in the genesis of a marine-based WAIS and a tipping point in Antarctic ice-sheet evolution.

AB - Early to Middle Miocene sea-level oscillations of approximately 40–60 m estimated from far-field records1–3 are interpreted to reflect the loss of virtually all East Antarctic ice during peak warmth2. This contrasts with ice-sheet model experiments suggesting most terrestrial ice in East Antarctica was retained even during the warmest intervals of the Middle Miocene4,5. Data and model outputs can be reconciled if a large West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) existed and expanded across most of the outer continental shelf during the Early Miocene, accounting for maximum ice-sheet volumes. Here we provide the earliest geological evidence proving large WAIS expansions occurred during the Early Miocene (~17.72–17.40 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic data show glacimarine sediments recovered at International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1521 in the central Ross Sea derive from West Antarctica, requiring the presence of a WAIS covering most of the Ross Sea continental shelf. Seismic, lithological and palynological data reveal the intermittent proximity of grounded ice to Site U1521. The erosion rate calculated from this sediment package greatly exceeds the long-term mean, implying rapid erosion of West Antarctica. This interval therefore captures a key step in the genesis of a marine-based WAIS and a tipping point in Antarctic ice-sheet evolution.

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U2 - 10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0

DO - 10.1038/s41586-021-04148-0

M3 - Article

SN - 1476-4687

VL - 600

SP - 450

EP - 455

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7889

ER -

A large West Antarctic Ice Sheet explains early Neogene sea-level amplitude

Abstract

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UN SDGs

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