ACE Eocene/Oligocene Subcommittee

Eocene-Oligocene ACE subcommittee

Rationale:

The Eocene-Oligocene interval was a critical time in Antarctica’s geological history because it involved a fundamental climate change that saw the end of the Mesozoic greenhouse (ice-free) climate and the birth of our present icehouse world. The Eocene climate record in Antarctica is represented by sediments and fossils, including rich assemblages of fossil plants, that signal warm temperate climates to latitudes as high as ~65-70°S 50 million years ago. By the latest Eocene climates had cooled and ice formed at sea level in Antarctica, as shown by glacial sediments. The ice sheets expanded as the Oligocene climate cooled further. The programme of activity will include the following:

Compilation of data on existing Eocene and Oligocene geological proxies for climate from Antarctica. Time intervals of interest include: (1) Early Eocene peak greenhouse warmth; (2) Latest Eocene-Oligocene onset of glaciation; (3) Oligocene climate cooling.
Interpretation of palaeoclimate for this interval from proxy data
Analysis of global linkages, particularly from the marine isotope record.
Publication on Eocene-Oligocene climates of Antarctica and global links
Comparison with climate-vegetation model outputs

Provisional Committee:

Jane Francis (chair, UK); Sergio Marenssi (Argentina); Vanessa Thorn (NZ); Mike Hambrey (UK); Jim Zachos (USA); Henk Brinkhuis (the Netherlands), Barbara Mohr (Germany).