Eastern Equatorial Atlantic paleoceanographic conditions of the Oligocene and early Miocene

The Oligocene (33.9 – 23.03 Ma ago) and early Miocene (23.03 – 19 Ma) experienced large climate and ice sheet fluctuations in a most likely unipolar icehouse, with glaciation limited to the Southern Hemisphere. This time interval provides a useful test case for studying polar amplification patterns under atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations similar to those projected for the future. Large-amplitude climate variability has been recorded close to Antarctica during this time interval, but climatic and environmental conditions and variability in the tropical band are poorly knownpaleoceanographic conditions and sea (sub)surface temperatures (SSTs) will deliver an insight into the climate variability and sensitivity of the lower latitudes under unipolar conditions.

Reconstructed surface oceanographic conditions and variations in the depositional environment are based on bulk carbonate stable isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C), weight% carbonate, magnetic susceptibility and dinoflagellate cyst assemblages at Ocean Drilling Program Site 959, offshore Ghana.. In addition, long term SSTs reconstructions for the Oligocene and early Miocene equatorial Atlantic are derived from lipid biomarker-based paleothermometry (TEX₈₆). Lastly, long term (~31 Ma – 19Ma) atmospheric CO₂ concentrations based on stable carbon isotopic fractionation of marine organic carbon and alkenones were generated.

The organic carbon isotopic fractionation showshat pCO₂ ranged from 280 – 570ppm between ~19 – 33 Ma and shows no signs of large variability, which is consistent with previous findings. The TEX₈₆ indicates that the average SSTs during the Oligocene was ~27℃ which is ~1 – 4℃ colder than in the west Equatorial Atlantic (e.g., ODP Site 929, Ceara Rise), using the same transfer function. Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages indicate upwelling alternated with strong stratification events on ~50 to 100 kyr timescale. Monsoonal upwelling could explain the lower SSTs at Site 959 which is consistent with modern east-west gradients. Subsequent comparison of our equatorial SST record with general circulation modelling studies and SST records from high latitudes should reveal the polar amplification of warming and climate sensitivity on long and short (orbital) timescales during the Oligocene.