Abstract
Sea-surface temperature (SST) estimates of ~30 °C from planktic foraminifera and archaeal membrane lipids in bathyal sediments in the Canterbury Basin, New Zealand, support paleontological evidence for a warm subtropical to tropical climate in the early Eocene high-latitude (55°S) southwest Pacific. Such warm SSTs call into question previous estimates based on oxygen isotopes and present a major challenge to climate modelers. Even under hypergreenhouse conditions (2240 ppm CO2), modeled summer SSTs for the New Zealand region do not exceed 20 °C.
Translated title of the contribution | Tropical sea temperatures in the high-latitude South Pacific during the Eocene |
---|---|
Original language | English |
Pages (from-to) | 99 - 102 |
Journal | Geology |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |