CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Barnes, S.D. ; and Lamoureux, S.F.
Date : 2000.
Title : The record of the PDO in terrestrial instrumental climate data and high resolution paleoclimatic proxy records, southeast Alaska and adjacent Canada.
Publication : 2000 Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting -- November 12-16, Reno, Nevada, USA.
Issue :
Page(s) :
Abstract
Natural climate cyclicities, such as Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Nino - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are recognized as reflecting a fundamental organization of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system. The PDO arises from the interaction of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system in the North Pacific basin. The PDO shows a dominant decadal variability, both in the time series constructed from instrumental climate data, and in climate model runs. The PDO time series shows what some researchers call step wise changes in the past, at 1925, 1947, and 1976/77. The change in phase of the PDO has a marked effect on the ocean environment, as shown by increases in planktonic productivity, and changes in salmon stocks. The effect of ENSO on terrestrial climate is becoming increasingly well known, but the study of the effect of the PDO on terrestrial climate is only starting to be investigated. This work will investigate the role of the PDO in modifying terrestrial climate in northern British Columbia and southeast Alaska, and evaluate the suitability of varved lake sediments for the reconstruction of PDO through time. A seven station terrestrial climate record of monthly temperature anomalies from the study area spanning 1910 to 1990 has a raw correlation of 0.46 with the PDO index. The obvious impact of the PDO on downstream terrestrial climate conditions suggests that high resolution paleoclimatic proxy records such as varves may be important in reconstructing a long term record of the PDO past the instrumental record. A record of the PDO may be recorded in varves due to the changes in climate associated with shifting PDO phase. For example, four of the five largest positive temperature and precipitation anomalies occurred during negative phases of the PDO. Several cores obtained from Meziadin Lake, British Columbia will be used to assess this relationship. By examining the varve record over the last 500 years, an assessment of the role of the PDO through major climate events such as the Little Ice Age can be made.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology