Here, we have calculated new sea-surface temperature estimates over Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events 5-8 (c. 30-40 ka) from 14 sites in the North Atlantic, based on previously published planktic foraminifera relative abundance datasets. These proxy records suggest a large variability in North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures during DO-events of the last glacial period. However, proxy data availability is limited and cannot provide a full spatial picture of the oceanic changes. Therefore, we combine fully coupled, general circulation model simulations with the planktic foraminifera based sea-surface temperature reconstructions to obtain a broader spatial picture of the ocean state during DO-events 5-8. The resulting spatial sea-surface temperature patterns agree over a number of different general circulation models and simulations. We find that sea-surface temperature variability over the DO-events is characterized by colder conditions in the subpolar North Atlantic during stadials than during interstadials, and the variability is linked to changes in the AMOC, and in the sea-ice cover. Forced simulations are needed to capture the strength of the temperature variability and to reconstruct the variability in other climate records not directly linked to the sea-surface temperature reconstructions.

The SST calculations build on previously published foraminifera data (see 'Related to'). Where no sample interval is given, this information was not available. Mbsf and mcd depths are the same for all cores except the ODP and DSDP cores, where composite depth scales exist. The other sites are continuous cores and hence there is no need for composite depths.