The Drake Passage opening from an experimental fluid dynamics point of view

Abstract Pronounced global cooling around the Eocene–Oligocene transition (EOT) was a pivotal event in Earth’s climate history, controversially associated with opening of Drake Passage. Using physical laboratory model we revisit fluid dynamics this marked reorganization ocean circulation. Here show, seemingly contradicting paleoclimate records, that our experiments pathway yields higher values mean water surface temperature than “closed” configuration. This mismatch points to importance role ice albedo feedback plays investigated EOT-like transition, component is not captured model. Our conclusion supported by numerical simulations performed (GCM) intermediate complexity, where both and “open” configurations were explored, without active sea dynamics. The GCM results indicate temperatures would change opposite direction following an two settings, are therefore consistent experiment (slight warming after opening) paleoclimatic data (pronounced opening). It follows hypothetical case initially ice-free Antarctica continent could have become even warmer opening, scenario indicated paleotemperature reconstructions.