Researchers report revised estimates of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) during the Eocene epoch, 56-34 million years ago, which suggest that the tropical oceans registered at 30-36 °C, significantly warmer than today, whereas the SST difference between polar regions and the tropics was around 32% smaller than at present; the results provide insight into possible future climate change, given that Eocene atmospheric CO 2 levels were higher than at present.
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Article #17-14744: "Eocene greenhouse climate revealed by coupled clumped isotope-Mg/Ca thermometry," by David Evans et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: David Evans, University of St. Andrews, UNITED KINGDOM; tel: 44-1334-464018; e-mail: de32@st-andrews.ac.uk
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences