Cooling of tropical Brazil (5{degrees}C) during the last glacial maximum

Journal Article · Fri Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.269.5222.379· OSTI ID:90794

Stute, M ^[1]; Forster, M ^[2]; Frischkom, H ^[3]

---

1. Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (United States)
2. Hydroisotop, Schweitenkirchen (Germany)
3. Universidade Federal Do Ceara (Brazil); and others

A 30,000-year paleotemperature record derived from noble gases dissolved in carbon-14-dated ground water indicates that the climate in lowland Brazil (Piaui Province, 7{degrees}S, 41.5{degrees}W; altitude, 400 meters) was 5.4{degrees} {+-} 0.6{degrees}C cooler during the last glacial maximum than today. This result suggests a rather uniform cooling of the Americas between 40{degrees}S and 40{degrees}N. A 5.4{degrees}C cooling of tropical South America is consistent with pollen records, snow line reconstructions, and strontium/calcium ratios and {delta}{sup 18}O coral records but is inconsistent with the sea-surface temperature reconstruction of CLIMAP (Climate: Long-Range investigation, Mapping and Prediction). On the basis of these results, it appears that the tropical Americas are characterized by a temperature sensitivity comparable to that found in higher latitudes. 36 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 90794
• Journal Information: Science, Vol. 269, Issue 5222; Other Information: PBD: 21 Jul 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BRAZIL
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
VARIATIONS
TROPICAL REGIONS
CLIMATIC CHANGE