Final Report Summary - INSITE (Intra-continental Reconstruction of the North Atlantic Oscillation using Stalagmite Isotopes and Trace Elements)
The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is the dominant mode of inter-annual atmospheric variability in the Northern Hemisphere and a key driver of climate fluctuations (i.e. wind speed/direction, temperature, precipitation, storminess) in the North Atlantic region (1-5) (Fig.1).
Characterising the currently unknown long-term behaviour of the NAO and the physical processes that control it is crucial for accurate prediction of future climate change and for distinguishing between anthropogenic and natural forcing mechanisms. The goal of the INSITE project is thus:
(i) To extend the existing North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index through the Holocene using stalagmite palaeoclimate proxy records from SW Poland;
(ii) To distinguish between anthropogenically - and naturally-induced NAO variability; and
(iii) To generate the longest, most precisely dated, highest resolution palaeoclimate record for this region of central Europe.
Characterising the currently unknown long-term behaviour of the NAO and the physical processes that control it is crucial for accurate prediction of future climate change and for distinguishing between anthropogenic and natural forcing mechanisms. The goal of the INSITE project is thus:
(i) To extend the existing North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index through the Holocene using stalagmite palaeoclimate proxy records from SW Poland;
(ii) To distinguish between anthropogenically - and naturally-induced NAO variability; and
(iii) To generate the longest, most precisely dated, highest resolution palaeoclimate record for this region of central Europe.
