Fig. 5: Schematic illustrating key atmospheric and oceanic processes influencing million-year trends in ACC strength.
From: Five million years of Antarctic Circumpolar Current strength variability
The schematics depict an idealized north–south transect from Antarctica across the Pacific (at about 125° W; north of 20° S out of scale). We illustrate the main atmosphere–ocean mechanisms influencing long-term changes in the ACC relative to the Early Pliocene. The Early Pliocene (a), the Late Pliocene before the iNHG (b) and the Early Pleistocene (1.5 Ma) situation following the Southern Ocean reconfiguration connected to the iNHG (c). U1540/U1541 = location of IODP sites; AIS, Antarctic ice sheet; NB, north boundary; ΔT = temperature gradients as in Fig. 4c; SWW, Southern Westerly Winds.
