Interglacials of the last 800,000 years

Abstract Interglacials, including the present (Holocene) period, are warm, low land ice extent (high sea level), end‐members of glacial cycles. Based on a sea level definition, we identify eleven interglacials in the last 800,000 years, a result that is robust to alternative definitions. Data compilations suggest that despite spatial heterogeneity, Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 5e (last interglacial) and 11c (~400 ka ago) were globally strong (warm), while MIS 13a (~500 ka ago) was cool at many locations. A step change in strength of interglacials at 450 ka is apparent only in atmospheric CO 2 and in Antarctic and deep ocean temperature. The onset of an interglacial (glacial termination) seems to require a…

• UO
  University of South Carolina
• PG
  Past Global Changes
• DO
  Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge
• RS
  Royal Society
• UC
  University College London
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
• FD
  Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
• CN
  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
• MU
  Memorial University of Newfoundland
• UD
  Universitat de Barcelona
• UB
  Universität Bremen
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council
• CS
  Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
• DO
  Division of Ocean Sciences
• BA
  British Antarctic Survey