Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries
Modern Pacific decadal variability (PDV) has global impacts; hence records of PDV from the pre-instrumental period are needed to better inform models that are used to project future climate variability. We focus here on reconstructing rainfall in the western tropical Pacific (Solomon Islands; ~ 9.5°...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2014-07-01
|
| Series: | Climate of the Past |
| Online Access: | http://www.clim-past.net/10/1319/2014/cp-10-1319-2014.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811275063442276352 |
|---|---|
| author | C. R. Maupin J. W. Partin C.-C. Shen T. M. Quinn K. Lin F. W. Taylor J. L. Banner K. Thirumalai D. J. Sinclair |
| author_facet | C. R. Maupin J. W. Partin C.-C. Shen T. M. Quinn K. Lin F. W. Taylor J. L. Banner K. Thirumalai D. J. Sinclair |
| author_sort | C. R. Maupin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Modern Pacific decadal variability (PDV) has global impacts; hence records
of PDV from the pre-instrumental period are needed to better inform models
that are used to project future climate variability. We focus here on
reconstructing rainfall in the western tropical Pacific (Solomon Islands;
~ 9.5° S, ~160° E), a
region directly influenced by PDV, using cave deposits (stalagmite). A
relationship is developed between δ<sup>18</sup>O variations in the
stalagmite and local rainfall amount to produce a 600 yr record of rainfall
variability from the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). We present
evidence for large (~1.5 m), abrupt, and periodic changes in
total annual rainfall amount on decadal to multidecadal timescales since
1423 ± 5 CE (Common Era) in the Solomon Islands. The timing of the
decadal changes in rainfall inferred from the 20th century portion of
the stalagmite δ<sup>18</sup>O record coincides with previously identified
decadal shifts in PDV-related Pacific ocean–atmosphere behavior
(Clement et al., 2011; Deser et al., 2004). The Solomons record of
PDV is not associated with variations in external forcings, but rather
results from internal climate variability. The 600 yr Solomon Islands
stalagmite δ<sup>18</sup>O record indicates that decadal oscillations in
rainfall are a persistent characteristic of SPCZ-related climate
variability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:31:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37fce915b55240a1a7ffba3341f25392 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1814-9324 1814-9332 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:31:23Z |
| publishDate | 2014-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Climate of the Past |
| spelling | doaj.art-37fce915b55240a1a7ffba3341f253922022-12-22T03:12:16ZengCopernicus PublicationsClimate of the Past1814-93241814-93322014-07-011041319133210.5194/cp-10-1319-2014Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuriesC. R. Maupin0J. W. Partin1C.-C. Shen2T. M. Quinn3K. Lin4F. W. Taylor5J. L. Banner6K. Thirumalai7D. J. Sinclair8Institute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78758, USAInstitute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78758, USAHigh-Precision Mass Spectrometry and Environment Change Laboratory (HISPEC), Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, TaiwanInstitute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78758, USAHigh-Precision Mass Spectrometry and Environment Change Laboratory (HISPEC), Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, TaiwanInstitute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78758, USADepartment of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78705, USAInstitute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78758, USAInstitute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, USAModern Pacific decadal variability (PDV) has global impacts; hence records of PDV from the pre-instrumental period are needed to better inform models that are used to project future climate variability. We focus here on reconstructing rainfall in the western tropical Pacific (Solomon Islands; ~ 9.5° S, ~160° E), a region directly influenced by PDV, using cave deposits (stalagmite). A relationship is developed between δ<sup>18</sup>O variations in the stalagmite and local rainfall amount to produce a 600 yr record of rainfall variability from the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). We present evidence for large (~1.5 m), abrupt, and periodic changes in total annual rainfall amount on decadal to multidecadal timescales since 1423 ± 5 CE (Common Era) in the Solomon Islands. The timing of the decadal changes in rainfall inferred from the 20th century portion of the stalagmite δ<sup>18</sup>O record coincides with previously identified decadal shifts in PDV-related Pacific ocean–atmosphere behavior (Clement et al., 2011; Deser et al., 2004). The Solomons record of PDV is not associated with variations in external forcings, but rather results from internal climate variability. The 600 yr Solomon Islands stalagmite δ<sup>18</sup>O record indicates that decadal oscillations in rainfall are a persistent characteristic of SPCZ-related climate variability.http://www.clim-past.net/10/1319/2014/cp-10-1319-2014.pdf |
| spellingShingle | C. R. Maupin J. W. Partin C.-C. Shen T. M. Quinn K. Lin F. W. Taylor J. L. Banner K. Thirumalai D. J. Sinclair Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries Climate of the Past |
| title | Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries |
| title_full | Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries |
| title_fullStr | Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries |
| title_full_unstemmed | Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries |
| title_short | Persistent decadal-scale rainfall variability in the tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone through the past six centuries |
| title_sort | persistent decadal scale rainfall variability in the tropical south pacific convergence zone through the past six centuries |
| url | http://www.clim-past.net/10/1319/2014/cp-10-1319-2014.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT crmaupin persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT jwpartin persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT ccshen persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT tmquinn persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT klin persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT fwtaylor persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT jlbanner persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT kthirumalai persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies AT djsinclair persistentdecadalscalerainfallvariabilityinthetropicalsouthpacificconvergencezonethroughthepastsixcenturies |