Atlantic sea surface temperatures estimated from planktonic foraminifera off the Iberian Margin over the last 40Â Ka BP

The HS were recorded all along the west Iberian Margin. However, an overall trend of increasing of mean SSTs from north to south of ~ 8 °C during the HS1, of ~ 10 °C during the HS2b and HS3, of ~ 11 °C during the HS2a, and of ~ 4 °C during the HS4 was recorded. These gradients also were present during the YD of ~ 9 °C and the LGM of ~ 4 °C and may be related to the strong influence of the Paleo-Azores Current in southern areas.