Low and mid-latitude links to polar climate

Modern atmosphere-ocean changes in the low/mid and polar latitudes are closely coupled. Deep and mid-depth water masses that form along subpolar and polar oceanic frontal systems are subducted and distributed globally, carrying their respective heat, salinity and nutrient signatures to nearly all regions of the world ocean. Their physical and chemical composition determines to a large extent the lower latitude oceans. This includes physical and ecosystem dynamics, surface productivity and carbon sequestration efficiency – today as well as in the geological past. The merging of proxy records from the high and lower latitudes affords extensive national and international cooperation, particularly with our partner institutes MARUM (Bremen) und GEOMAR (Kiel).

In this context, we investigate:

• Reconstruction of changes in oceanic and atmospheric circulation in the Pacific realm with focus on high to low latitude oceanic heat transport and marine nutrient supply.
• Tracing the variability of high latitude climate modes (NAO) in well preserved mid-latitude sediment archives.