Abstract
Proxy data constraining land and ocean surface paleo-temperatures indicate that the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum (MMCO), a global warming event at ∼15 Ma, had a global annual mean surface temperature of 18.4°C, about 3°C higher than present and equivalent to the warming predicted for the next century. We apply the latest National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Atmosphere Model CAM3.1 and Land Model CLM3.0 coupled to a slab ocean to examine sensitivity of MMCO climate to varying ocean heat fluxes derived from paleo sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, using detailed reconstructions of Middle Miocene boundary conditions including paleogeography, elevation, vegetation and surface temperatures. Our model suggests that to maintain MMCO warmth consistent with proxy data, the required atmospheric CO2 concentration is about 460–580 ppmv, narrowed from the most recent estimate of 300–600 ppmv.
Keywords
Miocene climatic optimum, paleoclimate, paleoclime modeling
Date of this Version
2-19-2009
Repository Citation
You, Y.; Huber, Matthew; Müller, R. D.; Poulsen, C. J.; and Ribbe, J., "Simulation of the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum" (2009). Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Faculty Publications. Paper 169.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/easpubs/169
Embargo
8-2-2016
Comments
Manuscript Received: 4 November 2008
Manuscript Accepted: 26 January 2009
Version of record online: 19 February 2009
You, Y., M. Huber, R. D. Müller, C. J. Poulsen, and J. Ribbe (2009), Simulation of the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum, Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L04702, doi:10.1029/2008GL036571.