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Radioanalytical and Isotopic Studies of Climate Trends and Variability in Marine Paleo-records
Closed for proposals
Project Type
Project Code
K41015CRP
2067Approved Date
Status
Start Date
Expected End Date
Completed Date
6 January 2023Participating Countries
Description
Future climate projections rely on sound knowledge of the basic physical and chemical processes responsible for setting baseline climate conditions coupled with an understanding of the dynamics of these processes (i.e. interactions and feedbacks).? The reliability and robustness of climate model projections require calibration and validation using real climate data.? For this, climatologists study environmental climate records from the industrial era and from the more distant past, such as those found in corals, ocean and lake sediments, and ice cores.? The use of naturally occurring radioisotopes allows precise dating of temporal records, and the analysis of isotopic ratios, trace elements and other biogeochemical proxies can provide information about past climate conditions, including temperature, salinity, precipitation and more.? With this CRP, IAEA will provide Member States an assessment of climate trends and variability through studying new climate records in relevant regions, and build upon existing knowledge.
Objectives
To analyse climate records with radio-analytical and isotopic tools to investigate?historical climate trends and variability and the occurrence of extreme events, so that Member States may be able to better predict?these events?in future climate scenarios.
Specific objectives
To improve radio-analytical and isotopic tools for studying paleo-climate records through the process of an inter-laboratory comparison.
To use a multiproxy approach on a select number of paleo-climate records to investigate late Holocene climate trends and variability, as well as changes in the occurrence of extreme climate events or shifts in baseline conditions.
To characterise multi-decadal to centennial scale variability in coupled ocean-atmosphere oscillations and determine whether their behaviour was influenced during extreme climate conditions.
To improve radio-analytical and isotopic tools for studying paleo-climate records through the process of an inter-laboratory comparison.
To use a multiproxy approach on a select number of paleo-climate records to investigate late Holocene climate trends and variability, as well as changes in the occurrence of extreme climate events or shifts in baseline conditions.
To characterise multi-decadal to centennial scale variability in coupled ocean-atmosphere oscillations and determine whether their behaviour was influenced during extreme climate conditions.
Impact
The CRP was able to provide the contract holders with resources and collaborations to conduct important studies in their home countries. In particular, Cuba, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia are located in geographically important locations for historical climate studies to be conducted yet there are relatively few existing studies. The outputs of the CRP, namely the publications and student theses, will advance the capabilities in these countries to conduct more research on historical trends in sea surface temperature and salinity. Although many of the objectives were not met due to COVID and logistical constraints, the skills and data sets gained by the MS are very valuable. Paleoclimate studies using corals are inherently very time intensive and the outputs captured by this CRP underestimate the effects that the CRP has on MS. Most of the CSIs from the project have data sets that they will eventually turn into peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, they have made connections and collaborations that will help them analyze future samples. It is very unusual for one lab to have all the capabilities to conduct a paleoclimate study using corals, so these collaborations are very valuable.
Relevance
The CRP falls within the program 2.4.1 Nuclear Techniques to Understand Climate and Environmental Change. Using isotopes and geochemical markers in corals is the most widely accepted method to study paleoclimate and historical trends in sea surface temperature and salinity, and increasing MS capability in these techniques is an important task. Understanding the past variability gives scientists the tools to better predict most aspects of ocean variability, including ocean oscillations, sea surface temperature, and even river runoff.