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African Monsoonal Precipitation Modulated by Interhemispheric Temperature Gradients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Stefan Mulitza
Affiliation:
Universität Bremen, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Bremen, Germany, E-mail: smul@palmod.uni-bremen.de
Carsten Rühlemann
Affiliation:
Universität Bremen, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Bremen, Germany, E-mail: smul@palmod.uni-bremen.de

Abstract

The deglacial pattern of a high-resolution alkenone-derived temperature record from the southeastern tropical Atlantic was compared with one from the northeastern subtropical Atlantic. During Termination 1b, surface waters in the eastern tropical Atlantic (6°S) reached modern temperatures, whereas those in the subtropical northeastern Atlantic (21°N) were still considerably colder than today. This asymmetrical warming may reflect meltwater-induced reductions in the northward heat transport and helps to explain rapid changes in monsoonal precipitation over Africa during the early Holocene.

Type
Short Paper
Copyright
University of Washington

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