Analysis of the microfossil content of sediment cores from areas where thick Arctic sea ice persists today reveals that a subpolar species associated with Atlantic water expanded deep into the Arctic Ocean during the Last Interglacial. This finding implies that summers in the Arctic were likely sea-ice-free during this period.
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References
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This is a summary of: Vermassen, F. et al. A seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean during the Last Interglacial. Nat. Geosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01227-x (2023).
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Disappearance of Arctic sea ice during summers of the Last Interglacial. Nat. Geosci. 16, 669–670 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01228-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01228-w
