Planning Collaborative Research on Climate Variability in the Western Equatorial Atlantic Over Recent Centuries

University Of Maryland Center For Environmental Sciences, Cambridge MD

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract 1038031 Halimeda Kilbourne, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences Planning Collaborative Research on Climate Variability in the Western Equatorial Atlantic over Recent Centuries This planning visit evaluates the feasibility of establishing a long-term research effort to explore climate variability of the tropical Atlantic over the recent past. Currently paleoclimate reconstruction of the region is limited and relies largely on terrestrial records such as tree rings. This project explores the use of new coral species as a paleoclimate archive to gauge ocean climate variables such as upwelling rates and tropical sea surface temperature. Linking these findings to other climate records in the region will provide greater resolution of the recent climate of the tropical ocean, allowing more accurate prediction of the effects of climate change. The project is centered on collaboration between Dr. H. Kilbourne (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences)and Dr. Ruy Kikuchi (Federal University of Brazil, Salvador) and combines site visits, discussion and demonstrations of laboratories and facilities related to the project. This visit will lay the foundation for a new research collaboration between US and Brazilian scientists with complementary expertise in climate reconstruction. The PI is a new investigator, and a post doctoral fellow will accompany her on this trip. Moreover, the PI has extensive mentoring experience and the research program that evolves from this visit is likely to create substantial graduate student involvement. Lectures, lab visits and displays that result from this work and will find a likely outlet through public venues such as the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory.