Linda A. Hinnov
Professor of Geology
Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences
George Mason University

Holocene-Quaternary coupled atmosphere-ocean oscillations

This project involves ultra-high resolution reconstruction of Southern California precipitation for targeted intervals from 0-750 Ma. The marginal marine Santa Barbara Basin provides a sub-annual scale sedimentary record with suboxic bottom water and sediment-laden river runoff following precipitation events. River runoff carries significant lithogenic material to the basin with elevated Al, Ti, Si, Fe and K concentrations. Scanning XRF analysis of sediment cores at sub-mm scale provides detailed information on these elements related to annual, interannual (ENSO), and decadal (PDO) modes of climate forcing.

Funded by NSF-Standard Grants OCE 1304327, 1304148, and 1303605

Participants:

Ingrid Hendy, lead PI, University of Michigan
Erik Brown, PI, University of Minnesota, Duluth
Tiffany Napier, Ph.D. student, University of Michigan
Linda Hinnov, PI, George Mason University
Mingsong Li, Postdoctoral Researcher, George Mason University

We are addressing the following main hypotheses:

1. Santa Barbara sediment laminae are varves.
2. Drought and flood events in California are controlled by the North Pacific High.
3. During Northern Hemisphere insolation maxima droughts are more prevalent and floods are rare.
4. Interannual climate variability is different for interstadials, stadials, interglacials and glacials.