RUI: High-Resolution Lacustrine Records of Precipitation Variability in the Northeastern United States during the Last Millennium

Paul Smith'S College Of Arts And Sciences, Paul Smiths NY

Investigators

Abstract

The award provides funds to develop continuous high-resolution hydro-climate records from diatom assemblages (algae with glassy shells), over the last millennium, in lake sediment cores from the Adirondack region of northern New York. A central aim of the research is to clarify the nature and causes of northeastern precipitation variability and extreme events, particularly in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and global to regional temperatures, and to evaluate conflicting climate model projections of precipitation trends. The broader impacts involve potential improvements in understanding regional precipitation patterns and water availability in the populous northeast as well as helping to clarify the influences of the NAO and temperature on climate. Undergraduate students will participate in field work and sediment core analyses, representing an important enhancement of the academic environment at a college that serves an under-represented rural region of upstate New York. Collaborations with regional stakeholders will enhance access to research facilities, professional networks, and expertise for both the research and students. Results of the research will be presented at science conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals with student co-authors. The analytical data resulting from the research will be archived at the NOAA World Data Center and physical sediment samples will be archived at Queen's University and Paul Smith's College.