Coral-based reconstruction of dust emission and precipitation patterns from the Sahara-Sahel region

该项目将调查珊瑚中氦-4作为一种地球化学指标的应用，以重建热带大西洋和红海的高分辨率大气尘埃载量和降水模式。这项研究的主要目的将是将萨赫勒地区输出的沙尘记录追溯到19世纪初，通过比较从大西洋盆地获得的珊瑚沙尘的替代记录，阐明沙尘的输送过程，并重建撒哈拉和萨赫勒地区300年的沙尘通量记录，其分辨率为十年以下。重建的沙尘通量数据将被用作模型模拟验证的基准，以便更好地预测撒哈拉和萨赫勒地区未来的沙尘排放。更广泛的影响包括对与全球变暖/变化有关的一个重要社会问题的研究。这个项目将包括本科生在研究阶段的工作。

This project will investigate the application of helium-4 in corals as a geochemical proxy to reconstruct high-resolution atmospheric dust loading and precipitation patterns in the tropical Atlantic and Red Sea. The primary objectives of this research will be to extend the record of Sahel dust export over the Atlantic back to the early-part of the 19th century, to elucidate dust transport processes by comparing the proxy record of dust obtained in corals from across the Atlantic Ocean basin, and to reconstruct a 300 years dust flux record from the Sahara and Sahel region at sub-decadal resolution. Reconstructed dust flux data will be used as a benchmark for model simulation verification in order to better predict future dust emission form the Sahara and Sahel regions. The Broader Impacts include research on an important societal issue related to global warming/change. This project will involve undergraduate students during the research phase of the work.