Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium

Abstract Reconstructions of ocean temperatures prior to the industrial era serve to constrain natural climate variability on decadal to centennial timescales, yet relatively few such observations are available from the west Pacific Warm Pool. Here we present multiple coral‐based sea surface temperat...

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Main Authors: Tianran Chen, Kim M. Cobb, George Roff, Jianxin Zhao, Hongqiang Yang, Minhang Hu, Kuan Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL077619
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author Tianran Chen
Kim M. Cobb
George Roff
Jianxin Zhao
Hongqiang Yang
Minhang Hu
Kuan Zhao
author_facet Tianran Chen
Kim M. Cobb
George Roff
Jianxin Zhao
Hongqiang Yang
Minhang Hu
Kuan Zhao
author_sort Tianran Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Reconstructions of ocean temperatures prior to the industrial era serve to constrain natural climate variability on decadal to centennial timescales, yet relatively few such observations are available from the west Pacific Warm Pool. Here we present multiple coral‐based sea surface temperature reconstructions from Yongle Atoll, in the South China Sea over the last ~1,250 years (762–2013 Common Era [CE]). Reconstructed coral Sr/Ca‐sea surface temperatures indicate that the “Little Ice Age (1711–1817 CE)” period was ~0.7°C cooler than the “Medieval Climate Anomaly (913‐1132 CE)” and that late 20th century warming of the western Pacific is likely unprecedented over the past millennium. Our findings suggest that the Western Pacific Warm Pool may have expanded (contracted) during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (Little Ice Age), leading to a strengthening (weakening) of the Asian summer monsoon, as recorded in Chinese stalagmites.
format Article
id doaj-art-d77ee0c45e794eefad6c055761cdaa5d
institution Kabale University
issn 0094-8276
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language English
publishDate 2018-04-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-d77ee0c45e794eefad6c055761cdaa5d2025-08-20T03:47:32ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-04-014583542354910.1002/2018GL077619Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last MillenniumTianran Chen0Kim M. Cobb1George Roff2Jianxin Zhao3Hongqiang Yang4Minhang Hu5Kuan Zhao6CAS Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaSchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta GA USASchool of Biological Sciences University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland AustraliaRadiogenic Isotope Facility, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland AustraliaCAS Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou ChinaAbstract Reconstructions of ocean temperatures prior to the industrial era serve to constrain natural climate variability on decadal to centennial timescales, yet relatively few such observations are available from the west Pacific Warm Pool. Here we present multiple coral‐based sea surface temperature reconstructions from Yongle Atoll, in the South China Sea over the last ~1,250 years (762–2013 Common Era [CE]). Reconstructed coral Sr/Ca‐sea surface temperatures indicate that the “Little Ice Age (1711–1817 CE)” period was ~0.7°C cooler than the “Medieval Climate Anomaly (913‐1132 CE)” and that late 20th century warming of the western Pacific is likely unprecedented over the past millennium. Our findings suggest that the Western Pacific Warm Pool may have expanded (contracted) during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (Little Ice Age), leading to a strengthening (weakening) of the Asian summer monsoon, as recorded in Chinese stalagmites.https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL077619Porites coralswestern Pacificsea surface temperaturesMCALIAthe last millennium
spellingShingle Tianran Chen
Kim M. Cobb
George Roff
Jianxin Zhao
Hongqiang Yang
Minhang Hu
Kuan Zhao
Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium
Geophysical Research Letters
Porites corals
western Pacific
sea surface temperatures
MCA
LIA
the last millennium
title Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium
title_full Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium
title_fullStr Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium
title_full_unstemmed Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium
title_short Coral‐Derived Western Pacific Tropical Sea Surface Temperatures During the Last Millennium
title_sort coral derived western pacific tropical sea surface temperatures during the last millennium
topic Porites corals
western Pacific
sea surface temperatures
MCA
LIA
the last millennium
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2018GL077619
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AT kimmcobb coralderivedwesternpacifictropicalseasurfacetemperaturesduringthelastmillennium
AT georgeroff coralderivedwesternpacifictropicalseasurfacetemperaturesduringthelastmillennium
AT jianxinzhao coralderivedwesternpacifictropicalseasurfacetemperaturesduringthelastmillennium
AT hongqiangyang coralderivedwesternpacifictropicalseasurfacetemperaturesduringthelastmillennium
AT minhanghu coralderivedwesternpacifictropicalseasurfacetemperaturesduringthelastmillennium
AT kuanzhao coralderivedwesternpacifictropicalseasurfacetemperaturesduringthelastmillennium