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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NCScience Advances

Ocean circulation changes rather than global warming drove temperature trends across the Miocene Climatic Optimum

  • Evi Wubben1
  • Xiaoqing Liu2
  • Tjerk J. T. Veenstra1
  • R. Paul Acosta3
  • Joyce den Hollander1
  • Chris Overduin1
  • Matthew Huber2
  • Francesca Sangiorgi1
  • Francien Peterse1
  • Appy Sluijs1
  1. 1Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, Netherlands.
  2. 2Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
  3. 3Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
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Abstract

Early-to-Middle Miocene [23 to 13.8 million years ago (Ma)] climates were ∼6° to 9°C warmer than today. Around 16.9 Ma, benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope (δ 18 O) records suggest pronounced warming, known as the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO) onset. However, explaining this putative global warming with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) forcing faces challenges in terms of timing and forcing magnitude. Our new biomarker-based ocean temperature records, combined with published data, reveal no substantial mean global upper ocean warming across the MCO. Instead, temperature changes differ considerably between sites, with some regions showing cooling. Climate model sensitivity tests indicate that these patterns are best explained by ocean circulation changes, likely due to gateway changes and Antarctic ice sheet variations. This suggests that the MCO signature is better attributed to ocean circulation changes rather than a CO 2 -driven global warming event. The δ 18 O signal therefore represents warmer deepwater sourcing and/or reduced Antarctic glacial volume, resolving the longstanding challenge of explaining MCO warming without a pronounced CO 2 rise.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wubben2026ocean,
  title = {{Ocean circulation changes rather than global warming drove temperature trends across the Miocene Climatic Optimum}},
  author = {Evi Wubben and Xiaoqing Liu and Tjerk J. T. Veenstra and R. Paul Acosta and Joyce den Hollander and Chris Overduin and Matthew Huber and Francesca Sangiorgi and Francien Peterse and Appy Sluijs},
  journal = {Science Advances},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1126/sciadv.adz2555},
  url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adz2555},
  note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Ocean circulation changes rather than global warming drove temperature trends across the Miocene Climatic Optimum
AU  - Evi Wubben
AU  - Xiaoqing Liu
AU  - Tjerk J. T. Veenstra
AU  - R. Paul Acosta
AU  - Joyce den Hollander
AU  - Chris Overduin
AU  - Matthew Huber
AU  - Francesca Sangiorgi
AU  - Francien Peterse
AU  - Appy Sluijs
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/09
JO  - Science Advances
DO  - 10.1126/sciadv.adz2555
UR  - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adz2555
AB  - Early-to-Middle Miocene [23 to 13.8 million years ago (Ma)] climates were ∼6° to 9°C warmer than today. Around 16.9 Ma, benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope (δ 18 O) records suggest pronounced warming, known as the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO) onset. However, explaining this putative global warming with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) forcing faces challenges in terms of timing and forcing magnitude. Our new biomarker-based ocean temperature records, combined with published data, reveal no substantial mean global upper ocean warming across the MCO. Instead, temperature changes differ considerably between sites, with some regions showing cooling. Climate model sensitivity tests indicate that these patterns are best explained by ocean circulation changes, likely due to gateway changes and Antarctic ice sheet variations. This suggests that the MCO signature is better attributed to ocean circulation changes rather than a CO 2 -driven global warming event. The δ 18 O signal therefore represents warmer deepwater sourcing and/or reduced Antarctic glacial volume, resolving the longstanding challenge of explaining MCO warming without a pronounced CO 2 rise.
SN  - 2375-2548
ER  -