Accurate reconstruction of past Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), including its depth and strength, is essential for understanding past climate changes and the carbon cycle. However, major discrepancies remain among reconstructions of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) AMOC geometry and strength from different proxy records. The conventional view that the LGM AMOC is shallower than at the preindustrial period (PI) has recently been challenged by studies suggesting similar AMOC geometry between the LGM and PI based on multiple proxies. Sedimentary 231Pa/230Th records in the North Atlantic are influenced by both AMOC strength and depth, complicating their interpretation as a simple AMOC strength proxy, but provide a unique quantitative constraint on past AMOC structure. Here, using isotope-enabled ocean models, we show that AMOC geometry and strength can be robustly reconstructed from the vertical profile of Atlantic 231Pa/230Th. Specifically, the depth of the mid-depth 231Pa/230Th minimum reflects AMOC depth, whereas the minimum 231Pa/230Th value indicates AMOC strength. Complied North Atlantic 231Pa/230Th records suggest that the LGM AMOC was substantially shallower than during PI, while maintaining a comparable strength. These results improve the interpretation of sedimentary 231Pa/230Th records and strengthen proxy-based reconstructions of past AMOC variability, providing new constraints on ocean circulation evolution during glacial climates.
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