P2C2: ENSO Paleoclimatology in Queensland, Australia

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

Funding is provided to develop replicated, multi-century tree-ring width and intra-to-inter annual oxygen isotopic proxy records of precipitation in North Queensland, Australia from plantation tree samples and long lived wild specimens of Callitris intratropica and Araucaria cunninghamii. The overarching scientific goal of the project is to develop a reliable archive of climate data from tropical tress for which classic annual growth bands are not formed. The region of study is strongly affected by El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activity, as well as longer term droughts with great impact on agriculture and water resources. The broader impacts involve strong international collaboration, supporting a graduate student and post-doctoral scholar, and bringing a different quantitative perspective to the analysis of paleoclimate data.