East Antartic ice sheet and ocean interactions during past warmer than present climates
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Earth Science and Engineering
Abstract
The recently published Sixth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified the Antarctica's contribution to sea-level change as the single greatest uncertainty in global climate predictions for the coming decades and centuries, and the highest priority issue facing climate change science. Observations show that ice sheets grounded on land below current sea level (marine-based ice sheets) are vulnerable to ocean-induced basal melting, resulting in destabilization and sea level rise. However, the exact mechanisms that drive oceanic heat exchange across the continental shelves, and their influence on the stability of the marine-based ice sheets are poorly known. High-resolution records of past ice sheet and ocean circulation interaction can fill this gap. Of particular use is the study of past warmer-than-present climate intervals, when temperatures and CO2 concentrations were similar to the present-day or those projected for the end of this century. The ICEAN project will deliver a unique shelf to open ocean transect of geological records on water masses, ocean temperature, and ice sheet position for the Mid-Pliocene warm period (~3 million years ago). Back then, atmospheric CO2 concentrations where similar to the present-day (ca. 400ppm), and mean annual surface temperatures were ca. 1.8-3.6C warmer than preindustrial values. These conditions led to reduced ice sheet extent and increased sea levels. The data produced in the ICEAN project will for the first time allow to constrain processes and drivers for ice retreat during the Mid-Pliocene warm period in a critical location off East Antarctica. The results will be key to validate and test current ice sheet models, which are used to project future seal level rise.
Publications
Evangelinos D
(2024)
Late Miocene onset of the modern Antarctic Circumpolar Current
in Nature Geoscience
| Description | This study presents a paradigm shift, revealing that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the Earth's largest ocean current, began its strong flow only in the late Miocene (~10 million years ago), challenging the long-held view that the ACC's onset, 34 million years ago as a result of the opening of the Drake and Tasman Gateways, drove the formation of the Antarctic ice sheet. This groundbreaking discovery redefines the modern-like ACC's origin, its role in ice sheet formation and stability, and its implications for future climate change. The work was featured on the cover of Nature Geoscience, as well as in press releases and highlight news across prestigious institutions and universities across the UK, Spain, France, Norway and Greece (GEOTRACERS highlights, Imperial College London News, CNRS, CSIC, CCiTUB, University of Barcelona, University of Granada, University of Salamanca). Additionally, ongoing research within this award suggests intensified feedback mechanisms between the ACC and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Late Miocene and Late Pliocene, a period when atmospheric CO2 levels and global temperatures closely resembled near-future projections. Exciting new results from this project are currently being prepared for publication. |
| Exploitation Route | The work ranks in the top 5% of research outputs by Altmetric (score: 339), highlighting its significant impact and global media reach. Additionally, the work has stimulated the formulation of new research ideas and hypotheses (Koll et al., 2025, A cosmogenic 10Be anomaly during the late Miocene as independent time marker for marine archives-Nature Communications), as well as further funding applications to international bodies (e.g. SPARC-IODP3, #under evaluation). |
| Sectors | Environment |
| Description | Beyond academica (scientific community and scientific programmes), the project has contributed to public awareness. Findings have been shared through public lectures, media interviews and outreach activities helping to highlight the role of the Southern Ocean and Antarctic climate systems in global environmental change |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Title | Sortable silt and neodymium isotope data from DSDP Site 29-278, Southern Emerald Basin (Southwest Pacific) and ODP Site 119-744 Southern Kerguelen Plateau (South Indian) |
| Description | 1. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Age model analysis for DSDP Site 29-278. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937366 2. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Magnetostratigraphic tie-points from DSDP Site 29-278. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.949438 3. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Mean sortable silt data from DSDP Site 29-278. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937371 4. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Neodymium isotope data of fish debris and detrital sediment samples from DSDP Site 29-278. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937368 5. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Age model analysis of ODP Site 119-744. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937367 6. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Neodymium isotope data of fish debris samples from ODP Site 119-744. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937369 7. Evangelinos, D; Etourneau, J; van de Flierdt, T et al. (2021): Rare Earth Element concentrations of fish debris from ODP Site 119-744. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.937370 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | These new datasets, freely available, can be used for future paleoclimate and paleoceanographic research. |
| Description | Southern Ocean - Antarctic Paleoclimate interactions |
| Organisation | University of Barcelona |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dimitrios Evangelinos provided his expertise in sedimentology and geochemistry, along with training and mentoring for MSc and PhD students. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our collaborators at the University of Bordeaux and the University of Barcelona provided the necessary lab facilities for conducting sedimentological analyses, which were a crucial part of the project. These collaborations significantly contributed to the progress of the research. |
| Impact | Evangelinos, D., Etourneau, J., van de Flierdt, T., Crosta, X., Jeandel, C., Flores, J-A., Harwood, D.M., Valero, L., Ducassou, E., Sauermilch, I., Klocker, A., Cacho, I., Pena, L.D., Kreissig, K., Benoit, M., Belhadj, M., Paredes, E., Garcia-Solsona, E., López-Quirós, A., Salabarnada & Escutia, C., 2024 Late Miocene onset of the modern Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Nature Geosciences 17, 165-170 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01356-3. Evangelinos, D., Etourneau, J., van de Flierdt, T., Crosta, X., Jeandel, C., Flores, J-A., Harwood, D.M., Valero, L., Ducassou, E., Sauermilch, I., Klocker, A., Cacho, I., Pena, L.D., Kreissig, K., Benoit, M., Belhadj, M., Paredes, E., Garcia-Solsona, E., López-Quirós, A., Salabarnada & Escutia, C., 2024. Late Miocene birth of the modern-like Antarctic Circumpolar Current. XI SCAR Open Conference, Pucon, Chile. Evangelinos, D., Etourneau, J., van de Flierdt, T., Crosta, X., Jeandel, C., Flores, J-A., Harwood, D.M., Valero, L., Ducassou, E., Sauermilch, I., Klocker, A., Cacho, I., Pena, L.D., Kreissig, K., Benoit, M., Belhadj, M., Paredes, E., Garcia-Solsona, E., López-Quirós, A., Salabarnada, A., Escutia, C., 2024. The emergence of the modern Antarctic Circumpolar Current. X Simposio de Estudios Polares 2024: libro de resúmenes. Editorial Universidad de Salamanca. Evangelinos, D., van de Flierdt, T., Paredes, E., Pena, L.D. & Cacho, I., 2024. East Antarctic Ice Sheet response to ocean forcing during the Middle Miocene Climatic Transition: Insights from Prydz Bay. EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, (14/04/2024-19/04/2024). |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Southern Ocean - Antarctic Paleoclimate interactions |
| Organisation | University of Bordeaux |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Dimitrios Evangelinos provided his expertise in sedimentology and geochemistry, along with training and mentoring for MSc and PhD students. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our collaborators at the University of Bordeaux and the University of Barcelona provided the necessary lab facilities for conducting sedimentological analyses, which were a crucial part of the project. These collaborations significantly contributed to the progress of the research. |
| Impact | Evangelinos, D., Etourneau, J., van de Flierdt, T., Crosta, X., Jeandel, C., Flores, J-A., Harwood, D.M., Valero, L., Ducassou, E., Sauermilch, I., Klocker, A., Cacho, I., Pena, L.D., Kreissig, K., Benoit, M., Belhadj, M., Paredes, E., Garcia-Solsona, E., López-Quirós, A., Salabarnada & Escutia, C., 2024 Late Miocene onset of the modern Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Nature Geosciences 17, 165-170 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01356-3. Evangelinos, D., Etourneau, J., van de Flierdt, T., Crosta, X., Jeandel, C., Flores, J-A., Harwood, D.M., Valero, L., Ducassou, E., Sauermilch, I., Klocker, A., Cacho, I., Pena, L.D., Kreissig, K., Benoit, M., Belhadj, M., Paredes, E., Garcia-Solsona, E., López-Quirós, A., Salabarnada & Escutia, C., 2024. Late Miocene birth of the modern-like Antarctic Circumpolar Current. XI SCAR Open Conference, Pucon, Chile. Evangelinos, D., Etourneau, J., van de Flierdt, T., Crosta, X., Jeandel, C., Flores, J-A., Harwood, D.M., Valero, L., Ducassou, E., Sauermilch, I., Klocker, A., Cacho, I., Pena, L.D., Kreissig, K., Benoit, M., Belhadj, M., Paredes, E., Garcia-Solsona, E., López-Quirós, A., Salabarnada, A., Escutia, C., 2024. The emergence of the modern Antarctic Circumpolar Current. X Simposio de Estudios Polares 2024: libro de resúmenes. Editorial Universidad de Salamanca. Evangelinos, D., van de Flierdt, T., Paredes, E., Pena, L.D. & Cacho, I., 2024. East Antarctic Ice Sheet response to ocean forcing during the Middle Miocene Climatic Transition: Insights from Prydz Bay. EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, (14/04/2024-19/04/2024). |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Article for the Greek association of oceanographer and marine biosciences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | DE wrote an article (in Greek) for the Greek Association of Oceanographers and Marine Biosciences, explaining his recent publication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.spothve.org/articles/2024/1077/ |
| Description | Article in Imperial College London News |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | DE helped to write an article for Imperial College London News about his recent publication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/250953/scientists-reveal-surprising-origins-earths-largest/ |
| Description | Interview in Generalitat de Catalunya - Departament de Recerca i Universitats |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | DE gave an Interview to Generalitat de Catalunya - Departament de Recerca i Universitats (University of Barcelona, Spain) explaining the main outcomes of his research to the general public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://recercaiuniversitats.gencat.cat/ca/detalls/noticia/El-desgel-de-les-capes-de-gel-antartiques... |
| Description | Newspaper interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | DE gave an interview to the Spanish newspaper EL MUNDO- Diario de Castilla y León about his recent publication |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.diariodecastillayleon.es/innovadores/240220/38980/antartida-ensena-clima.html |
| Description | Radio podcast interview at Calafell MatÃ: Parlem del clima amb Júlia CrespÃn |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | DE gave a radio podcast interview on Calafell Matí: Parlem del clima with Júlia Crespín, where we discussed his recent publication and current research project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://enacast.com/calafellradio/programs/calafellmati/calafellradio_podcast_27277?s=5481&ref=wa |