NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Waelbroeck et al 1998 SST Estimates, Equatorial and N. Atlantic

A new method of past sea surface temperature (SST) reconstruction based on the modern analog technique (Prell, 1985) and on the indirect approach (Bartlein et al., 1986) has been developed: the revised analog method (RAM). Applied to planktonic foraminifera, this technique leads to significant improvements in modern SST reconstruction with respect to former methods: our estimates are characterized by much lower residuals and a better coverage of the observed SST range. Moreover, the error of RAM estimates of past SSTs is lower than that associated with former reconstructions, particularly at middle and high latitudes. In low latitudes, cold season SSTs reconstructed by RAM during glacials are 1°–3°C lower than previously estimated. Our results tend thus to reconcile paleoestimates of glacial temperatures based on planktonic microfossils and on continental data in the tropics.

本研究开发了一种基于现代类比法（modern analog technique，Prell, 1985）与间接法（Bartlein等，1986）的古海水表层温度（sea surface temperature, SST）重建新方法——修正类比法（RAM）。将该方法应用于浮游有孔虫（planktonic foraminifera）分析后，相较于传统重建方法，其在现代SST重建中实现了显著优化：本研究的估算结果残差更低，且对观测SST范围的覆盖度更优。此外，修正类比法的古SST估算误差低于传统重建方法，在中高纬度地区尤为显著。在低纬度区域，修正类比法重建的冰期冷季SST较此前的估算结果低1℃~3℃。综上，本研究结果有助于调和基于浮游微化石与热带陆相数据得到的冰期温度古估算结果。