Utilizing a climate model of intermediate complexity, we test the hypothesis that the Pliocene closure of the Central American Seaway was a necessary precondition for orbitally triggered Northern Hemisphere glaciation. We conduct a series of sensitivity experiments in order to analyze the isolated and combined effects of Panama closure and orbital forcing on Northern Hemisphere perennial snow cover. While orbital forcing efficiently controls the extension of perennial snow cover, the model results suggest that the closure of the Central American Seaway did not intensify orbitally forced glaciation in high northern latitudes. Citation: Klocker, A., M. Prange, and M. Schulz (2005), Testing the influence of the Central American Seaway on orbitally forced Northern Hemisphere glaciation, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L03703, doi:10.1029/2004GL021564

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	central american seaway orbitally forced northern hemisphere glaciation
Research Division:	Earth Sciences
Research Group:	Oceanography
Research Field:	Physical Oceanography
Objective Division:	Environment
Objective Group:	Climate and Climate Change
Objective Field:	Climate and Climate Change not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Klocker, A (Dr Andreas Klocker)
ID Code:	91591
Year Published:	2005
Web of Science® Times Cited:	41
Deposited By:	IMAS Research and Education Centre
Deposited On:	2014-05-22
Last Modified:	2014-06-03
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