Western Pacific hydroclimate linked to global climate variability over the past two millennia

Michael L. Griffiths; Alena K. Kimbrough; Michael K. Gagan; Russell N. Drysdale; Julia E. Cole; Kathleen R. Johnson; Jian Xin Zhao; Benjamin I. Cook; John C. Hellstrom; Wahyoe S. Hantoro

doi:10.1038/ncomms11719

Western Pacific hydroclimate linked to global climate variability over the past two millennia

Michael L. Griffiths^*, Alena K. Kimbrough, Michael K. Gagan, Russell N. Drysdale, Julia E. Cole, Kathleen R. Johnson, Jian Xin Zhao, Benjamin I. Cook, John C. Hellstrom, Wahyoe S. Hantoro

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

88 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Interdecadal modes of tropical Pacific ocean-Atmosphere circulation have a strong influence on global temperature, yet the extent to which these phenomena influence global climate on multicentury timescales is still poorly known. Here we present a 2,000-year, multiproxy reconstruction of western Pacific hydroclimate from two speleothem records for southeastern Indonesia. The composite record shows pronounced shifts in monsoon rainfall that are antiphased with precipitation records for East Asia and the central-eastern equatorial Pacific. These meridional and zonal patterns are best explained by a poleward expansion of the Australasian Intertropical Convergence Zone and weakening of the Pacific Walker circulation (PWC) between â 1/41000 and 1500 CE Conversely, an equatorward contraction of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and strengthened PWC occurred between â 1/41500 and 1900 CE. Our findings, together with climate model simulations, highlight the likelihood that century-scale variations in tropical Pacific climate modes can significantly modulate radiatively forced shifts in global temperature.

Original language	English
Article number	11719
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11719
Publication status	Published - 8 Jun 2016

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10.1038/ncomms11719

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@article{1736afe85ad941d1ab57d3f3fd493a70,

title = "Western Pacific hydroclimate linked to global climate variability over the past two millennia",

abstract = "Interdecadal modes of tropical Pacific ocean-Atmosphere circulation have a strong influence on global temperature, yet the extent to which these phenomena influence global climate on multicentury timescales is still poorly known. Here we present a 2,000-year, multiproxy reconstruction of western Pacific hydroclimate from two speleothem records for southeastern Indonesia. The composite record shows pronounced shifts in monsoon rainfall that are antiphased with precipitation records for East Asia and the central-eastern equatorial Pacific. These meridional and zonal patterns are best explained by a poleward expansion of the Australasian Intertropical Convergence Zone and weakening of the Pacific Walker circulation (PWC) between {\^a} 1/41000 and 1500 CE Conversely, an equatorward contraction of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and strengthened PWC occurred between {\^a} 1/41500 and 1900 CE. Our findings, together with climate model simulations, highlight the likelihood that century-scale variations in tropical Pacific climate modes can significantly modulate radiatively forced shifts in global temperature.",

author = "Griffiths, {Michael L.} and Kimbrough, {Alena K.} and Gagan, {Michael K.} and Drysdale, {Russell N.} and Cole, {Julia E.} and Johnson, {Kathleen R.} and Zhao, {Jian Xin} and Cook, {Benjamin I.} and Hellstrom, {John C.} and Hantoro, {Wahyoe S.}",

year = "2016",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.1038/ncomms11719",

language = "English",

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journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

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T1 - Western Pacific hydroclimate linked to global climate variability over the past two millennia

AU - Griffiths, Michael L.

AU - Kimbrough, Alena K.

AU - Gagan, Michael K.

AU - Drysdale, Russell N.

AU - Cole, Julia E.

AU - Johnson, Kathleen R.

AU - Zhao, Jian Xin

AU - Cook, Benjamin I.

AU - Hellstrom, John C.

AU - Hantoro, Wahyoe S.

PY - 2016/6/8

Y1 - 2016/6/8

N2 - Interdecadal modes of tropical Pacific ocean-Atmosphere circulation have a strong influence on global temperature, yet the extent to which these phenomena influence global climate on multicentury timescales is still poorly known. Here we present a 2,000-year, multiproxy reconstruction of western Pacific hydroclimate from two speleothem records for southeastern Indonesia. The composite record shows pronounced shifts in monsoon rainfall that are antiphased with precipitation records for East Asia and the central-eastern equatorial Pacific. These meridional and zonal patterns are best explained by a poleward expansion of the Australasian Intertropical Convergence Zone and weakening of the Pacific Walker circulation (PWC) between â 1/41000 and 1500 CE Conversely, an equatorward contraction of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and strengthened PWC occurred between â 1/41500 and 1900 CE. Our findings, together with climate model simulations, highlight the likelihood that century-scale variations in tropical Pacific climate modes can significantly modulate radiatively forced shifts in global temperature.

AB - Interdecadal modes of tropical Pacific ocean-Atmosphere circulation have a strong influence on global temperature, yet the extent to which these phenomena influence global climate on multicentury timescales is still poorly known. Here we present a 2,000-year, multiproxy reconstruction of western Pacific hydroclimate from two speleothem records for southeastern Indonesia. The composite record shows pronounced shifts in monsoon rainfall that are antiphased with precipitation records for East Asia and the central-eastern equatorial Pacific. These meridional and zonal patterns are best explained by a poleward expansion of the Australasian Intertropical Convergence Zone and weakening of the Pacific Walker circulation (PWC) between â 1/41000 and 1500 CE Conversely, an equatorward contraction of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and strengthened PWC occurred between â 1/41500 and 1900 CE. Our findings, together with climate model simulations, highlight the likelihood that century-scale variations in tropical Pacific climate modes can significantly modulate radiatively forced shifts in global temperature.

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DO - 10.1038/ncomms11719

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SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 11719

ER -

Western Pacific hydroclimate linked to global climate variability over the past two millennia

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