Freshwater Forcing of Abrupt Climate Change During the Last Glaciation

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1062517
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T09:39:52Z
• Authors: Peter U. Clark; Shawn J. Marshall; Garry K. C. Clarke; Steven W. Hostetler; Joseph M. Licciardi; James T. Teller
• Keywords: Deglaciation; Forcing (mathematics); Abrupt climate change; Continental Margin

Large millennial-scale fluctuations of the southern margin North American Laurentide Ice Sheet occurred during last deglaciation, when was located between about 43 degrees and 49 N. Fluctuations ice triggered episodic increases in flux freshwater to Atlantic by rerouting continental runoff from Mississippi River drainage Hudson or St. Lawrence Rivers. We found that periods increased flow at same time as reductions formation Deep Water, thus providing a mechanism for observed climate variability may be generally characteristic times intermediate global volume.