Pliocene paleoclimate and East Antarctic ice-sheet history from surficial ash deposits

Journal Article · Fri Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.260.5108.667· OSTI ID:6339404

Marchant, D R; Lux, D R; West, Jr, D P; Denton, G H ^[1]; Swisher, III, C C ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Maine, Orono (United States)
2. Institute of Human Origins, Berkeley, CA (United States)

The preservation, age, and stratigraphic relation of an in situ ashfall layer with an underlying desert pavement in Arena Valley, southern Victoria Land, indicate that a cold-desert climate has persisted in Arena Valley during the past 4.3 million years. These data indicate that the present East Antarctic Ice Sheet has endured for this time and that average temperatures during the Pliocene in Arena Valley were no greater than 3[degrees]C above present values. One implication is that the collapse of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet due to greenhouse warming is unlikely, even if global atmospheric temperatures rise to levels last experienced during mid-pliocene times.

• OSTI ID: 6339404
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 260:5108; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
CENOZOIC ERA
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CRYOSPHERE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
ICE
ICE CAPS
MELTING
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLIOCENE EPOCH
POLAR REGIONS
TERTIARY PERIOD