Reposted by Mattias Green
We compiled a bunch of temperature proxy data and concluded that the Miocene Climatic "Optimum" wasn't significantly warmer than the rest of the (very warm) early Miocene. The MMCT was definitely a cooling. Implications for CO2 versus ocean circulation mechanisms. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
Ocean circulation changes rather than global warming drove temperature trends across the Miocene Climatic Optimum
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 (δ18O) records suggest pronounced warming, ...