Simulation of the mid-to-low latitudes seaways changes and the impact on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and climate during the Miocene

WEI Jilin; LIU Hailong; ZHENG Weipeng; LIN Pengfei; ZHAO Yan

doi:10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2024060701

2024 Vol. 44, No. 4

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Article navigation > Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology > 2024 > 44(4): 32-40

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WEI Jilin, LIU Hailong, ZHENG Weipeng, LIN Pengfei, ZHAO Yan. Simulation of the mid-to-low latitudes seaways changes and the impact on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and climate during the Miocene[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2024, 44(4): 32-40. doi: 10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2024060701

Citation:

WEI Jilin, LIU Hailong, ZHENG Weipeng, LIN Pengfei, ZHAO Yan. Simulation of the mid-to-low latitudes seaways changes and the impact on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and climate during the Miocene[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology, 2024, 44(4): 32-40. doi: 10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2024060701

Simulation of the mid-to-low latitudes seaways changes and the impact on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and climate during the Miocene

1.
State Key Laboratory of Numerical Modeling for Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
2.
College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3.
Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, China
4.
Earth System Numerical Simulation Science Center, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
5.
Key Laboratory of Continental Collision and Plateau Uplift, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

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Corresponding author: ZHENG Weipeng, zhengwp@mail.iap.ac.cn

Received Date: 07 June 2024

Revised Date: 26 July 2024

Publish Date: 28 August 2024

Abstract

Abstract

Since the Middle Miocene, the opening and closing of the Tethys and Panama seaways may have directly affected the intensity and spatial morphology of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current (AMOC). However, systematic studies on the connection between the two key mid- and low-latitude seaways and the AMOC are few. Based on the boundary conditions of the Middle Miocene, we conducted a Middle Miocene climate simulation experiment using a coupled climate model and a sensitivity experiment of the successive closure of the Tethys and Panama seaways. Results show that the openings of Tethys and Panama seaways provided "shortcuts" for tropical Indian and Pacific Ocean waters to enter the North Atlantic, respectively, and transported high-salinity and low-salinity seawater to the North Atlantic, respectively, which played opposite roles in the change of AMOC intensity. The opening of the Tethys Seaway enhanced the AMOC, which offset the weakening of the AMOC caused by the opening of the Panama Seaway. The closure of these two mid- and low-latitude seaways could cause a north-south asymmetric response of global sea surface temperature, and the dividing line was roughly located at the latitude of the Panama Seaway. This study showed that the modern spatial structure of AMOC could be formed only when the Tethys Seaway and the Panama Seaway were closed. Therefore, the closure time of these two mid- and low-latitude seaways is of great significance for studying the evolution of AMOC.
- Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) /
- Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) /
- freshwater transport /
- Panama Seaway /
- Tethys Seaway

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