Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose
We present an 800-year δ<sup>18</sup>O chronology from the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The chronology dates back to AD 1193 and was sampled in AD 1996 from living <i>Juniperus tibetica</i> trees. This first long-term tree-ring-based δ<sup>18</sup>O c...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Climate of the Past |
| Online Access: | http://www.clim-past.net/11/327/2015/cp-11-327-2015.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818009239105306624 |
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| author | J. Wernicke J. Grießinger P. Hochreuther A. Bräuning |
| author_facet | J. Wernicke J. Grießinger P. Hochreuther A. Bräuning |
| author_sort | J. Wernicke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present an 800-year δ<sup>18</sup>O chronology from the eastern part of the
Tibetan Plateau (TP). The chronology dates back to AD 1193 and was sampled
in AD 1996 from living <i>Juniperus tibetica</i> trees. This first
long-term tree-ring-based δ<sup>18</sup>O chronology for eastern Tibet
provides a reliable archive for hydroclimatic reconstructions. Highly
significant correlations were obtained with hydroclimatic variables (relative
humidity, vapour pressure, and precipitation) during the summer season. We
applied a linear transfer model to reconstruct summer season relative
humidity variations over the past 800 years. More moist conditions prevailed
during the termination of the Medieval Warm Period while a systematic shift
during the Little Ice Age is not detectable. A distinct trend towards more
dry conditions since the 1870s is apparent. The moisture decline weakened
around the 1950s but still shows a negative trend. The mid-19th century
humidity decrease is in good accordance with several multiproxy hydroclimate
reconstructions for south Tibet. However, the pronounced summer relative
humidity decline is stronger on the central and eastern TP. Furthermore, the
relative humidity at our study site is significantly linked to the relative
humidity at large parts of the TP. Therefore, we deduce that the reconstructed
relative humidity is mostly controlled by local and mesoscale climatic
drivers, although significant connections to the higher troposphere of
west-central Asia were observed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:39:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aa73dbf4ec684069be351a8a5e012c63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1814-9324 1814-9332 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:39:34Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Climate of the Past |
| spelling | doaj.art-aa73dbf4ec684069be351a8a5e012c632022-12-22T02:09:30ZengCopernicus PublicationsClimate of the Past1814-93241814-93322015-02-0111232733710.5194/cp-11-327-2015Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring celluloseJ. Wernicke0J. Grießinger1P. Hochreuther2A. Bräuning3Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, GermanyInstitute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, GermanyInstitute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, GermanyInstitute of Geography, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, GermanyWe present an 800-year δ<sup>18</sup>O chronology from the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The chronology dates back to AD 1193 and was sampled in AD 1996 from living <i>Juniperus tibetica</i> trees. This first long-term tree-ring-based δ<sup>18</sup>O chronology for eastern Tibet provides a reliable archive for hydroclimatic reconstructions. Highly significant correlations were obtained with hydroclimatic variables (relative humidity, vapour pressure, and precipitation) during the summer season. We applied a linear transfer model to reconstruct summer season relative humidity variations over the past 800 years. More moist conditions prevailed during the termination of the Medieval Warm Period while a systematic shift during the Little Ice Age is not detectable. A distinct trend towards more dry conditions since the 1870s is apparent. The moisture decline weakened around the 1950s but still shows a negative trend. The mid-19th century humidity decrease is in good accordance with several multiproxy hydroclimate reconstructions for south Tibet. However, the pronounced summer relative humidity decline is stronger on the central and eastern TP. Furthermore, the relative humidity at our study site is significantly linked to the relative humidity at large parts of the TP. Therefore, we deduce that the reconstructed relative humidity is mostly controlled by local and mesoscale climatic drivers, although significant connections to the higher troposphere of west-central Asia were observed.http://www.clim-past.net/11/327/2015/cp-11-327-2015.pdf |
| spellingShingle | J. Wernicke J. Grießinger P. Hochreuther A. Bräuning Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose Climate of the Past |
| title | Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose |
| title_full | Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose |
| title_fullStr | Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose |
| title_short | Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose |
| title_sort | variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern tibetan plateau inferred from δ sup 18 sup o of tree ring cellulose |
| url | http://www.clim-past.net/11/327/2015/cp-11-327-2015.pdf |
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