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Zhengyao Lu

Researcher

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Multi-centennial Holocene climate variability in proxy records and transient model simulations

Author

  • Thomas Gravgaard Askjær
  • Qiong Zhang
  • Frederik Schenk
  • Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist
  • Zhengyao Lu
  • Chris M. Brierley
  • Peter O. Hopcroft
  • Johann Jungclaus
  • Xiaoxu Shi
  • Gerrit Lohmann
  • Weiyi Sun
  • Jian Liu
  • Pascale Braconnot
  • Bette L. Otto-Bliesner
  • Zhipeng Wu
  • Qiuzhen Yin
  • Yibo Kang
  • Haijun Yang
Show all

Summary, in English

Variability on centennial to multi-centennial timescales is mentioned as a feature in reconstructions of the Holocene climate. As more long transient model simulations with complex climate models become available and efforts have been made to compile large proxy databases, there is now a unique opportunity to study multi-centennial variability with greater detail and a large amount of data than earlier. This paper presents a spectral analysis of transient Holocene simulations from 9 models and 120 proxy records to find the common signals related to oscillation periods and geographic dependencies and discuss the implications for the potential driving mechanisms. Multi-centennial variability is significant in most proxy records, with the dominant oscillation periods around 120–130 years and an average of 240 years. Spectra of model-based global mean temperature (GMT) agree well with proxy evidence with significant multi-centennial variability in all simulations with the dominant oscillation periods around 120–150 years. It indicates a comparatively good agreement between model and proxy data. A lack of latitudinal dependencies in terms of oscillation period is found in both the model and proxy data. However, all model simulations have the highest spectral density distributed over the Northern hemisphere high latitudes, which could indicate a particular variability sensitivity or potential driving mechanisms in this region. Five models also have differentiated forcings simulations with various combinations of forcing agents. Significant multi-centennial variability with oscillation periods between 100 and 200 years is found in all forcing scenarios, including those with only orbital forcing. The different forcings induce some variability in the system. Yet, none appear to be the predominant driver based on the spectral analysis. Solar irradiance has long been hypothesized to be a primary driver of multi-centennial variability. However, all the simulations without this forcing have shown significant multi-centennial variability. The results then indicate that internal mechanisms operate on multi-centennial timescales, and the North Atlantic-Arctic is a region of interest for this aspect.

Department/s

  • Dept of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate

Publishing year

2022

Language

English

Publication/Series

Quaternary Science Reviews

Volume

296

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Climate Research

Keywords

  • Holocene transient simulations
  • Model-proxy comparison
  • Multi-centennial climate variability
  • Paleoclimate proxy records
  • Spectral analysis

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0277-3791