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Abstract Oxygen isotope speleothems have been widely used to infer past climate changes over tropical South America (TSA). However, the spatial patterns of the millennial precipitation and precipitationδ18O (δ18Op) response have remained controversial, and their response mechanisms are unclear. In particular, it is not clear whether the regional precipitation represents the intensity of the millennial South American summer monsoon (SASM). Here, we study the TSA hydroclimate variability during the last deglaciation (20–11 ka ago) by combining transient simulations of an isotope-enabled Community Earth System Model (iCESM) and the speleothem records over the lowland TSA. Our model reasonably simulates the deglacial evolution of hydroclimate variables and water isotopes over the TSA, albeit underestimating the amplitude of variability. North Atlantic meltwater discharge is the leading factor driving the TSA’s millennial hydroclimate variability. The spatial pattern of both precipitation andδ18Opshow a northwest–southeast dipole associated with the meridional migration of the intertropical convergence zone, instead of a continental-wide coherent change as inferred in many previous works on speleothem records. The dipole response is supported by multisource paleoclimate proxies. In response to increased meltwater forcing, the SASM weakened (characterized by a decreased low-level easterly wind) and consequently reduced rainfall in the western Amazon and increased rainfall in eastern Brazil. A similar dipole response is also generated by insolation, ice sheets, and greenhouse gases, suggesting an inherent stability of the spatial characteristics of the SASM regardless of the external forcing and time scales. Finally, we discuss the potential reasons for the model–proxy discrepancy and pose the necessity to build more paleoclimate proxy data in central-western Amazon. Significance StatementWe want to reconcile the controversy on whether there is a coherent or heterogeneous response in millennial hydroclimate over tropical South America and to clearly understand the forcing mechanisms behind it. Our isotope-enabled transient simulations fill the gap in speleothem reconstructions to capture a complete picture of millennial precipitation/δ18Opand monsoon intensity change. We highlight a heterogeneous dipole response in precipitation andδ18Opon millennial and orbital time scales. Increased meltwater discharge shifts ITCZ southward and favors a wet condition in coastal Brazil. Meanwhile, the low-level easterly and the summer monsoon intensity reduced, causing a dry condition in the central-western Amazon. However, the millennial variability of hydroclimate response is underestimated in our model, together with the lack of direct paleoclimate proxies in the central-west Amazon, complicating the interpretation of changes in specific paleoclimate events and posing a challenge to constraining the spatial range of the dipole. Therefore, we emphasize the necessity to increase the source of proxies, enhance proxy interpretations, and improve climate model performance in the future.
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Dipole Response of Millennial Variability in Tropical South American Precipitation and δ18Op during the Last Deglaciation. Part II: δ18Op Response
Abstract Understanding the hydroclimate representations of precipitationδ18O (δ18Op) in tropical South America (TSA) is crucial for climate reconstruction from available speleothem caves. Our preceding study (Part I) highlights a heterogeneous response in millennial hydroclimate over the TSA during the last deglaciation (20–11 ka before present), characterized by a northwest–southeast (NW–SE) dipole in both rainfall andδ18Op, with opposite signs between central-western Amazon and eastern Brazil. Mechanisms of suchδ18Opdipole response are further investigated in this study with the aid of moisture tagging simulations. In response to increased meltwater discharge, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) migrates southward, causing a moisture source location shift and depleting the isotopic value of the vapor transported into eastern Brazil, which almost entirely contributes to theδ18Opdepletion in eastern Brazil (SE pole). In contrast, the moisture source location change and local condensation change (due to the lowering convergence level and increased rain reevaporation in unsaturated subcloud layers) contribute nearly equally to theδ18Openrichment in the central-western Amazon (NW pole). Therefore, although a clear inverse relationship betweenδ18Opand rainfall in both dipole regions seems to support the “amount effect,” we argue that the local rainfall amount only partially interprets the millennialδ18Opchange in the central-western Amazon, whileδ18Opdoes not document local rainfall change in eastern Brazil. Thus, the paleoclimate community should be cautious when usingδ18Opas a proxy for past local precipitation in the TSA region. Finally, we discuss the discrepancy between the model and speleothem proxies on capturing the millennialδ18Opdipole response and pose a challenge in reconciling the discrepancy. Significance StatementWe want to comprehensively understand the hydroclimate footprints ofδ18Opand the mechanisms of the millennial variability ofδ18Opover tropical South America with the help of water tagging experiments performed by the isotope-enabled Community Earth System Model (iCESM). We argue that the millennialδ18Opchange in eastern Brazil mainly documents the moisture source location change associated with ITCZ migration and the change of the isotopic value of the incoming water vapor, instead of the local rainfall amount. In contrast, the central-western Amazon partially documents the moisture source location shift and local precipitation change. Our study cautions that one should not simply resort to the isotopic “amount effect” to reconstruct past precipitation in tropical regions without studying the mechanisms behind it.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2002506
- PAR ID:
- 10423812
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Meteorological Society
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Climate
- Volume:
- 36
- Issue:
- 14
- ISSN:
- 0894-8755
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 4709-4721
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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