Collaborative Research: Reconstruction of Paleo-Storm History Using Geochemical Proxies in Coastal Lake Sediments

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

This project will use historical information spanning thousands of years from coastal lake sediments to advance scientific understanding of hurricanes and their relationship to climate change. This knowledge could help coastal planners better manage the risk that hurricanes pose to coastal communities. The results will be shared on public websites of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This project will provide research training for both undergraduate and graduate students at Florida State University and the University of Central Florida. It will also provide research experience to K-12 students and teachers from education programs at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, FL. Recent studies suggest that organic geochemical proxies preserved in coastal lake sediments are a sensitive indicator for storm events and can be used to reconstruct paleo-storm history. This project aims to examine the isotopic systematics in coastal lakes in northern and eastern Florida, and to develop high-resolution multi-proxy records of storms and environmental changes during the late Holocene for these regions via analyses of geochemical proxies. The results will be used to test hypotheses concerning the possible linkage between sea surface temperature and hurricane activity. This effort could help constrain predictive models that describe how global warming will affect regional climate conditions.