Simulating atmospheric CO2 concentration for the Plio-Pleistocene using a new set of temperature and sea level reconstruction

In contrast to previous approaches, new reconstructions of changes in global mean surface temperature (Clark et al., 2024, doi: 10.1126/science.adi1908) and global mean sea level (Clark et al., 2025, doi: 10.1126/science.adv8389) include large variability in global mean sea level throughout the Pleistocene. Here we use them to force the global carbon cycle model BICYCLE-SE in different scenarios that capture the spread in existing CO2 reconstructions. This data set contains: - important otherwise not yet available data (4.5 Ma long time series of regional SST split by latitude (65°S-30°S | 30°S-30°N | 30°N-65°N) which have been used to force the model;- resulting major changes in the simulated carbon cycle (mean ocean salinity; Atlantic meridional overturning strength; Southern Ocean vertical mixing; global sea ice area);- simulated atmospheric CO2 in 3 scenarios that differ in volcanic CO2 outgassing and weathering strength.