Application of Rayleigh-Based, Multi-Element Coral Thermometry to Constrain Atlantic Sea Surface Temperatures During the Coldest Period of the Little Ice Age

应用基于瑞利的多元素珊瑚测温法来限制小冰期最冷时期大西洋海面温度

• 批准号: 1338320
• 负责人: Glenn Gaetani
• 金额: $ 30.21万
• 依托单位: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1338320&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Application; Rayleigh; Based; Multi; Element

The proposed work will test and apply a new technique for reconstructing sea surface temperature (SST) at seasonal resolution using coral skeletons. The technique, called Rayleigh-based multi-element (RBME) thermometry, uses multiple element ratios to isolate the SST signal from other factors affecting coral skeleton composition. To quantify the method?s accuracy and reproducibility, RBME thermometry will be used to reconstruct SSTs from four species of modern extra-tropical and tropical Atlantic corals in ~50-year sections for which instrumental temperature records are available. The technique will then be applied to fossil corals of the same four species to generate seasonal-scale SST records for the coldest period of the Little Ice Age (1650?1700). These records will lead to an improved understanding of the amplitude and spatial distribution of SST change in the Atlantic during a climate anomaly that is not fully understood.This research will advance our capacity to reconstruct past changes in the ocean?climate system, and thereby to understand how this system may change in the future. The project will enhance research infrastructure by developing computer code to make the RBME technique accessible to the broader scientific community. A graduate student will be supported through the WHOI/MIT Joint Program, and undergraduate students will be involved via WHOI?s Summer Fellowship, Winter Internship, Minority Fellowship, and Guest Student programs.

拟议的工作将测试并应用一种新技术，利用珊瑚骨骼以季节性分辨率重建海面温度（SST）。该技术称为基于瑞利的多元素 (RBME) 测温法，利用多元素比率将海表温度信号与影响珊瑚骨骼组成的其他因素隔离开来。为了量化该方法的准确性和可重复性，RBME 测温法将用于重建四种现代热带和热带大西洋珊瑚的海表温度，这些珊瑚在大约 50 年的剖面中具有仪器温度记录。然后，该技术将应用于相同四个物种的化石珊瑚，以生成小冰河时期（1650年至1700年）最冷时期的季节性海表温度记录。这些记录将有助于更好地了解在尚未完全了解的气候异常期间大西洋海温变化的幅度和空间分布。这项研究将提高我们重建海洋气候系统过去变化的能力，从而了解这个系统将来可能会发生怎样的变化。该项目将通过开发计算机代码来增强研究基础设施，使 RBME 技术可供更广泛的科学界使用。研究生将通过 WHOI/麻省理工学院联合项目获得支持，本科生将通过 WHOI 的夏季奖学金、冬季实习、少数族裔奖学金和客座学生项目参与其中。