Conference paper
Evidence of enhanced El Nino activity in the mid Holocene inferred from records of Australian dust deposition in New Zealand
15th Australian Conference on Nuclear and Complementary Techniques of Analysis & 9th Vacuum Society of Australia Congress: Proceedings, pp.17-20
Australian Conference on Nuclear and Complementary Techniques of Analysis & 9th Vacuum Society of Australia Congress, 15th (Melbourne, Australia, 21-Nov-2007–23-Nov-2007)
Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
2007
Abstract
Rates of mineral dust deposition act as a sensitive proxy of palaeo-climate because dust emissions respond rapidly to changes in source area conditions, such as drought. In Australia the occurrence of dust storms has been found to be controlled largely by rainfall and soil moisture (McTainsh et al., 1998). Up to 40% of annual rainfall variability in northern and eastern Australia is linked to ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) cycles (McBride and Nickolls, 1983). As a result, increased erosion and dust events occur during dry El Niño phases of the Southern Oscillation, while these are suppressed during wet La Niña phases when the activity of the Australian summer monsoon is enhanced. In New Zealand, Australian dust has been reported being deposited on numerous occasions over the last 100 years, typically following prolonged drought episodes associated with ENSO events (Marx and McGowan, 2005). Therefore, it was hypothesised that chronologies of Australian dust deposition in New Zealand would serve as a measure of climate, and in particular ENSO, variability through time. In this study we present a 7000 year record of Australian dust deposition in New Zealand. Changes in the rates of dust deposition through time are used to map ENSO-type variability in the climate of the Australian region over this period.
Details
- Title
- Evidence of enhanced El Nino activity in the mid Holocene inferred from records of Australian dust deposition in New Zealand
- Authors
- Samuel K Marx (Author) - University of QueenslandH A McGowan (Author) - University of QueenslandB S Kamber (Author) - Laurentian University
- Publication details
- 15th Australian Conference on Nuclear and Complementary Techniques of Analysis & 9th Vacuum Society of Australia Congress: Proceedings, pp.17-20
- Conference details
- Australian Conference on Nuclear and Complementary Techniques of Analysis & 9th Vacuum Society of Australia Congress, 15th (Melbourne, Australia, 21-Nov-2007–23-Nov-2007)
- Publisher
- Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
- Date published
- 2007
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99449642002621
- Output Type
- Conference paper
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