By Jonkers et al. | January 30, 2026
Introduction
The PalMod data compilation is a multi-parameter marine palaeoclimate data synthesis that contains time series spanning 0 to 130,000 years ago. The compilation includes only time series for which a robust chronology based on benthic foraminifera \(\delta^{18}O\) and radiocarbon dating is available. Version 1.0.0 of the data product contains 896 time series from 143 individual sites, each associated with rich metadata, age–depth model ensembles, and information to refine and update the chronologies. Version 2.0.0 updates the synthesis and contains 2,286 time series of eight palaeoclimate parameters from 475 individual sites. Specifically, it contains 468 time series of benthic foraminifera \(\delta^{18}O\); 357 of benthic foraminifera \(\delta^{13}C\); 423 of near sea surface temperature; 482 and 273 of planktonic foraminifera \(\delta^{18}O\) and \(\delta^{13}C\); and 128, 111 and 44 of carbonate, organic carbon and biogenic silica content, respectively. Compared to version 1, all radiocarbon ages have been recalibrated and the age-depth models updated. In addition, near sea surface temperature estimates based on planktonic foraminifera Mg/Ca and on UK37’ have been recalculated using a single calibration thus ensuring global comparability and comprehensive assessment of their uncertainty.
Data
Data access and LiPDverse visualizations of version 1 are available here and of version 2 here..
Publication
The synthesis motivation and strategy described in an article in Earth System Science Data and is available here. An update to this article that describes version 2 of the synthesis is available as a preprint here.
How to cite this compilation
Version 1: Jonkers, L., Cartapanis, O., Langner, M., McKay, N., Mulitza, S., Strack, A., and Kucera, M.: Integrating palaeoclimate time series with rich metadata for uncertainty modelling: strategy and documentation of the PalMod 130k marine palaeoclimate data synthesis, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 1053–1081, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1053-2020, 2020.
Version 2: Jonkers, L., Hollstein, M., Siccha, M., and Kucera, M.: The PALMOD 130k marine palaeoclimate data synthesis version 2, Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-599, in review, 2025.
Criteria for inclusion
The complete criteria for inclusion are described in the manuscript, but in short: To be included in the PalMod compilation, a dataset must meet several criteria:
- Marine paleoclimate data comparable with model output The high-priority selection includes both physically and biogeochemically relevant parameters, of which some are based on measurements that can be compared with climate model output using (forward proxy) models (e.g. benthic δ18O) and others represent inferred parameters that can be compared with model output more directly but for which proxy models are available (e.g. temperature based on foraminifera Mg∕Ca).
Record resolution and duration we prioritized processing time series that we estimated to contain at least 50 data points within the 130,000-year timeframe
Chronology , Palmod standardized all chronologies by combining absolute ages (radiocarbon ages, tephra layers and palaeomagnetic events) with δ18O stratigraphy. As a result, the age models may differ from those reported in the original publication(s). This does not mean that the updated age models are better (constrained), but they are constructed in a way that allows for applicability and consistency across the synthesis. Only datasets that had sufficient 14C and benthic δ18O datasets to develop a robust chronology were included.
Publically archived data Only datasets that were publicly archived through Pangaea or the World Data Service for Paleoclimatology FTP site for marine data were considered for inclusion.
Long-term archival
The PalMod compilation is archived at Pangaea, and is available here.