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Retreat and Regrowth of the Greenland Ice Sheet During the Last Interglacial as Simulated by the CESM2‐CISM2 Coupled Climate–Ice Sheet Model

Journal Article · · Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2021PA004272· OSTI ID:1836164
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USA, Now at Thayer School of Engineering Dartmouth College Hanover NH USA
  2. Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USA
  3. Department of Geosciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USA
  4. U.S. Geological Survey Corvallis OR USA
  5. Department of Geography University of Oregon Eugene OR USA

Abstract

During the Last Interglacial, approximately 129 to 116 ka (thousand years ago), the Arctic summer climate was warmer than the present, and the Greenland Ice Sheet retreated to a smaller extent than its current state. Previous model‐derived and geological reconstruction estimates of the sea‐level contribution of the Greenland Ice Sheet during the Last Interglacial vary widely. Here, we conduct a transient climate simulation from 127 to 119 ka using the Community Earth System Model (CESM2), which includes a dynamic ice sheet component (the Community Ice Sheet Model, CISM2) that is interactively coupled to the atmosphere, land, ocean, and sea ice components. Vegetation distribution is updated every 500 years based on biomes simulated using a monthly climatology to force the BIOME4 equilibrium vegetation model. Results show a substantial retreat of the Greenland Ice Sheet, reaching a minimum extent at 121.9 ka, equivalent to a 3.0 m rise in sea level relative to the present day, followed by gradual regrowth. In contrast, a companion simulation employing static vegetation based on pre‐industrial conditions shows a much smaller ice‐sheet retreat, highlighting the importance of the changes in high‐latitude vegetation distribution for amplifying the ice‐sheet response.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1836164
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1836166
OSTI ID: 1978565
Journal Information:
Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, Journal Name: Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 36; ISSN 2572-4517
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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