A 600 k.y. record of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO): Evidence for persisting teleconnections during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate of Central Europe

Research Article| July 01, 2010 A 600 k.y. record of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO): Evidence for persisting teleconnections during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate of Central Europe Olaf K. Lenz; Olaf K. Lenz * 1Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Angewandte Sedimentgeologie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 9, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany *E-mail:lenz@geo.tu-darmstadt.de; volker.wilde@senckenberg.de; wriegel@gwdg.de; harms.messel@t-online.de. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Volker Wilde; Volker Wilde * 2Sektion Paläobotanik, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany *E-mail:lenz@geo.tu-darmstadt.de; volker.wilde@senckenberg.de; wriegel@gwdg.de; harms.messel@t-online.de. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Walter Riegel; Walter Riegel * 2Sektion Paläobotanik, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany3Geobiologie, Geowissenschaftliches Zentrum Göttingen, Goldschmidtstrasse 3, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany *E-mail:lenz@geo.tu-darmstadt.de; volker.wilde@senckenberg.de; wriegel@gwdg.de; harms.messel@t-online.de. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Franz-Jürgen Harms Franz-Jürgen Harms * 2Sektion Paläobotanik, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany *E-mail:lenz@geo.tu-darmstadt.de; volker.wilde@senckenberg.de; wriegel@gwdg.de; harms.messel@t-online.de. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2010) 38 (7): 627–630. https://doi.org/10.1130/G30889.1 Article history received: 24 Nov 2009 rev-recd: 05 Feb 2010 accepted: 08 Feb 2010 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Olaf K. Lenz, Volker Wilde, Walter Riegel, Franz-Jürgen Harms; A 600 k.y. record of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO): Evidence for persisting teleconnections during the Middle Eocene greenhouse climate of Central Europe. Geology 2010;; 38 (7): 627–630. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G30889.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a globally important factor in today's climate dynamics. Annually laminated oil shales from the maar lake of Messel (Germany) provide high-resolution sedimentological and paleoenvironmental data of a time interval of ∼600 k.y. during the Eocene greenhouse phase. Individual laminae consist of a light spring and summer algal layer (Tetraedron minimum layer) and a dark winter layer composed of terrigenous background sediment. Four sections were selected from the core of the Messel 2001 well in order to count varves and to measure total varve thickness and the thickess of light and dark laminae. Spectral analyses were done in order to detect possible cyclic fluctuations in varve thickness. Fluctuations are significant in the quasi-biennial (2.1–2.5 yr) and low-frequency band (2.8–3.5 yr, 4.9–5.6 yr), thus showing that algal growth as well as the background sedimentation were controlled by ENSO effects at least over a time interval of 600 k.y. This confirms the existence of a previously postulated robust Eocene ENSO. Significant peaks within a quasi-decadal (10–11 yr), interdecadal (17–26 yr), and multidecadal band (∼52 yr, ∼82 yr) show either the enduring influence of more or less cyclic instabilities or the influence of solar cycles. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.