UConn Physics Colloquium
Dr. Clay Tabor
Department of Geography
University of Connecticut
“Understanding orbitally driven δ18O variability in the South Asian monsoon region”
Speleothem records suggest that there has been significant long-term climate variability in the South Asian Summer Monsoon (SASM) region related to Milankovitch cycles. These records are difficult to interpret because their oxygen isotopic signals can represent several different climate responses. Here, I use an Earth system model with water isotope tracers to directly simulate the isotopic data captured in the speleothems. From these model simulations, I show that a large portion of the orbital signal found in the speleothem records is due to changes in the amount of water vapor coming from different sources. When India receives relatively less insolation in the summer months, most of the local precipitation sources from the nearby ocean. Conversely, when India receives relatively more insolation in the summer months, a greater portion of the local precipitation sources from farther away. Changes in the amount of local evaporation compared to precipitation also have an important effect on the isotopic signals found in the SASM speleothem records.
Friday, February 23, 2018
3:30 p.m.
Gant Science Complex
Physics, Room PB-38
Coffee and tea will be served prior to the talk, at 3:00 p.m., In Room P-103
For more information, contact: Anna Huang at anna.huang@uconn.edu