Evaluating Dansgaard–Oeschger-like Oscillations in Climate Models: A Model-Data Comparison of MIS3 Variability

A model-data comparison is an effective method for evaluating both proxy-based climate reconstructions and simulated model outputs. The MIS3 period is marked by a wide range of proxy records that indicate millennial-scale climate variability globally. In this study, we use paleoclimate proxy data to assess the performance of four climate models: CCSM4, HadCM3, MPI-ESM, and COSMOS. We compare model results of Dansgaard–Oeschger (D-O)-like oscillations with recent North Atlantic sea surface temperature reconstructions from 10–50 ka. Additionally, we evaluate the models based on Antarctic warming during Greenland Stadials, the timing of Antarctic temperature changes relative to Greenland, the duration and amplitude of D-O events, and the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. All four models suggest that D-O event temperature anomalies are primarily driven by changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and North Atlantic sea ice extent.