Collaborative Research: Stable Isotope Variability in Precipitation at Low Latitude Sites: An Observational and Modeling Study

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal is for a study of stable isotopes in precipitation at low latitudes where paleoclimate records from ice cores have recently become available (Andes, Tibet/Himalayas, East Africa). The analysis will be based on the output from versions of the ECHAM4 and NASA-GISS2 GCM's with isotopic tracers. Model simulations for several time periods will be compared to the isotope records from ice cores in the target regions. Climatic data and isotope measurements from ice cores for the last 30 years will help validate the model performance under modern conditions and will be used for calibration purposes. The joint observation and modeling approach will shed new light on the heavily disputed interpretations of stable isotopes in precipitation at low latitudes.