Reconciling Southern Ocean fronts equatorward migration with minor Antarctic ice volume change during Miocene cooling

Gradual climate cooling and CO2 decline in the Miocene were recently shown not to be associated with major ice volume expansion, challenging a fundamental paradigm in the functioning of the Antarctic cryosphere. Here, we explore Miocene ice-ocean-climate interactions by presenting a multi-proxy reconstruction of subtropical front migration, bottom water temperature and global ice volume change, using dinoflagellate cyst biogeography, benthic foraminiferal clumped isotopes from offshore Tasmania. We report an equatorward frontal migration and strengthening, concurrent with surface and deep ocean cooling but absence of ice volume change in the mid-late-Miocene. To reconcile these counterintuitive findings, we argue based on new ice sheet modelling that the Antarctic ice sheet progressively lowered in height while expanding seawards, to maintain a stable volume. This can be achieved with rigorous intervention in model precipitation regimes on Antarctica and ice-induced ocean cooling and requires rethinking the interactions between ice, ocean and climate. Hou et al. propose, based on dinocysts, clumped isotopes and ice sheet modelling, that during Miocene cooling, the Antarctic ice sheet progressively lowered in height while expanding seawards, to maintain a relatively stable volume.

Automated summary

Based on dinocysts, clumped isotopes, and ice sheet modeling, this study reveals that during the Miocene cooling, the Antarctic ice sheet progressively lowered in height while expanding seawards to maintain a relatively stable volume.