Browsing by Subject "sea-surface temperature"

Local climatic interactions between ice, ocean and atmosphere in Northwest Atlantic are significant due to their impacts on global climate. Sea-surface conditions and their links to major climatic patterns during the late-Holocene offshore southeastern Newfoundland, Placentia Bay, were studied using diatoms as paleobioindicators. The record indicates moderate conditions with Arctic influence being little stronger than Atlantic influence during the time period between 5.8 and 4.75 ka BP. The time period between 4.75 and 2 ka BP is dominated by Atlantic influence, except for a cold pulse around 3.5 ka BP. There is a considerable increase in Arctic influence during the time period between 2 and 0.4 ka BP. The strength of the inner Labrador Current seems to be the most important factor affecting the conditions in Placentia Bay. It follows both the NAO index and the strength of AMOC being strongest when the NAO index is positive and AMOC is strong. Cold periods in the record match with positive NAO. Meltwater and sea ice content in the inner Labrador Current seems to be dependent on the conditions in Baffin Bay. The AO index and the orbitally driven HTM, Neoglacial cooling and Roman warm period events affected the dynamics in Baffin Bay during the late-Holocene. Also, the AMOC caused either additional cooling or melting in the region depending on its strength. The major shift at 2 ka BP matched with a recorded shift in the deep convection rate in the Labrador Sea.