Marine proxy evidence linking decadal North Pacific and Atlantic climate.

Hetzinger, Steffen , Halfar, J., Mecking, Jennifer, Keenlyside, Noel S., Kronz, A., Steneck, R. S., Adey, W. H. and Lebednik, P. A. (2012) Marine proxy evidence linking decadal North Pacific and Atlantic climate. Climate Dynamics, 39 (6). pp. 1447-1455. DOI 10.1007/s00382-011-1229-4.

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Abstract

Decadal- to multidecadal variability in the extra-tropical North Pacific is evident in 20th century instrumental records and has significant impacts on Northern Hemisphere climate and marine ecosystems. Several studies have discussed a potential linkage between North Pacific and Atlantic climate on various time scales. On decadal time scales no relationship could be confirmed, potentially due to sparse instrumental observations before 1950. Proxy data are limited and no multi-centennial high-resolution marine geochemical proxy records are available from the subarctic North Pacific. Here we present an annually-resolved record (1818–1967) of Mg/Ca variations from a North Pacific/Bering Sea coralline alga that extends our knowledge in this region beyond available data. It shows for the first time a statistically significant link between decadal fluctuations in sea-level pressure in the North Pacific and North Atlantic. The record is a lagged proxy for decadal-scale variations of the Aleutian Low. It is significantly related to regional sea surface temperature and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index in late boreal winter on these time scales. Our data show that on decadal time scales a weaker Aleutian Low precedes a negative NAO by several years. This atmospheric link can explain the coherence of decadal North Pacific and Atlantic Multidecadal Variability, as suggested by earlier studies using climate models and limited instrumental data.

Document Type: Article
Additional Information: WOS:000308722900014
Keywords: Climatology; Aleutian Low – North Atlantic Oscillation – North Pacific – Atlantic Multidecadal Variability – Mg/Ca – Coralline algae; BERING-SEA; INTERDECADAL VARIABILITY; GEOPOTENTIAL HEIGHT; ELECTRON-MICROPROBE; OSCILLATION; TEMPERATURE; OCEAN; 20TH-CENTURY; LINKAGES; IMPACTS
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-P-OZ Paleo-Oceanography
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB1 Ocean Circulation and Climate Dynamics > FB1-ME Maritime Meteorology
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: Springer
Date Deposited: 01 Dec 2011 09:35
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2023 05:19
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/12691

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