Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Rapid climate variability in the North Pacific Ocean during the past 95,000 years

Nature volume 377, pages 323–326 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

RECENT studies of Greenland ice cores1–3 and North Atlantic deep-sea sediments4,5 have yielded evidence for rapid changes in climate during the last glaciation and the preceding inter glacial period. Similar variability has been observed in lake deposits in France6 and in sediments from the California margin7, but there are no records of rapid climate variability from the high-latitude North Pacific region. Here we present two high-resolution records of the input of ice-rafted detritus to the sub-arctic Pacific Ocean, derived from two sediment cores using a γ-ray attenuation technique that provides a measure of the ratio of biogenic opal to terrigenous material. The temporal variability of ice rafting is similar to that of the oxygen isotope record of the GRIP Greenland ice core1, implying that the rapid climate variability of the circum-Atlantic region over the past 95,000 years could be a circumpolar phenomenon.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dansgaard, W. et al. Nature 364, 218–220 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. GRIP Members Nature 364, 203–207 (1993).

  3. Grootes, P. M., Stuiver, M., White, J. W. C., Johnsen, S. & Jouzel, J. Nature 366, 552–554 (1993).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bond, G. et al. Nature 365, 143–147 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bond, G. C. & Lotti, R. Science 267, 1005–1010 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Thouveny, N. et al. Nature 371, 503–506 (1994).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Thunell, R. C. & Mortyn, P. G. Nature 376, 504–506 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Conolly, J. R. & Ewing, M. Geological Investigations of the North Pacific (ed. Hays, J. D., ed.) 219–231 (Mem. Geol. Soc. Am. 126, Boulder, CO, 1970).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Kent, D. V., Opdyke, N. D. & Ewing, M. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 82, 2741–2754 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. von Huene, R., Larson, E. & Crouch, J. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 18, 835–842 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  11. von Huene, R., Crouch, J. & Larson, E. in Investigations of the Late Quaternary Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology (eds Cline, R. M. & Hays, J. D.) 411–422 (Mem. Geol. Soc. Am. 145, Boulder, CO. 1976).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  12. Krissek, L. A., Morley, J. J. & Lofland, D. K. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 86, 647–655 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rea, D. K. & Schrader, H. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol 49, 313–325 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Rea, D. K. et al. Proc. OD, Init. Rep. 145, 85–208 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Evans, H. B. in Trans. SPW1A Logging Symp., 6th Ann., Dallas, Texas, Vol 2, B1–B25 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Boyce, R. E. Init. Rep. DSDP Leg 33, 931–958 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Hamilton, E. L. in Deep-Sea Sediments: Physical and Mechanical Properties (ed. Interbitzen, A.L.) 1–43 (Plenum, New York, 1974).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  18. Mayer, L. A. Nature 352, 148–150 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Herbert, T. D. & Mayer, L. A. J. sedim. Petrol. 61, 1089–1108 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Mayer, L. A., Jansen, E., Backman, J. & Takayama, T. Proc. ODP Sci. Res. 130, 623–639 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hagelberg, T. K., deMenocal, P., Shackleton, N. J. & Curry, W. B. Eos 75, 309 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Leg 145 Scientific Party Eos 74, 406–411 (1993).

  23. Grosswald, M. G. Polar Geogr. Geol. 12, 239–267 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Keigwin, L. D. Proc. ODP Sci. Res. 145 (in the press).

  25. Morley, J. J., Tiase, V. L. & Ashby, M. M. Proc. ODP Sci. Res. 145 (in the press).

  26. Imbrie, J. et al. in Milankovitch and Climate P1 (eds A. L. Berger et al.) 239–305 (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Bond, G. et al. Nature 360, 245–249 (1992).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Broecker, W., Bond, G., Klas, M., Clark, E. & McManus, J. J. Clim. Dyn. 6, 265–273 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Hopkins, D. M. Inter-Nord 12, 121–150 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hughes, B. A. & Hughes, T. J. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 110, 275–294 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Haug, G. H., A., Sarnthein, R., Stax, R. & Tiedemann, R. Proc. ODP Sci. Res. 145 (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EQ, Cambridge, UK

    A. T. Kotilainen

  2. Godwin Laboratory, Institute of Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3RS, UK

    N. J. Shackleton

Authors
  1. A. T. Kotilainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. J. Shackleton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kotilainen, A., Shackleton, N. Rapid climate variability in the North Pacific Ocean during the past 95,000 years. Nature 377, 323–326 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/377323a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/377323a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing