Collaborative Research: Hydrologic Variability in the Pacific Northwest During the Past 13,000 Years from High-Resolution Studies of Finely Laminated Lake Sediments

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This awards supports research to undertake a multi-proxy study of finely laminated lake sediments in the north central region of Washington. The researchers will investigate the complex relationships between large-scale climatic forcing, regional climatic change, and vegetation and lake responses over the past 13,000 years, at the watershed scale, in the northeast Pacific region. The overall goal of the study is to examine shifts in the regional precipitation-evaporation balance and its connection with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). To achieve this goal, the researchers will use a combination of historical records and modern calibration studies across the region to constrain the down-core interpretations of the proxy data. This research will help produce a high-resolution climate history for the Pacific Northwest that will increase knowledge of how regional climate is influenced by changes in the PDO and other climate events. The research will provide graduate and undergraduate students with a unique experience for professional development.