Assessing the role of the Indian Ocean in global climate change: A paleo-perspective

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The proposed research project forms the basis for an innovative and multi-disciplinary approach aimed at a better understanding of the role of the Indian Ocean/Monsoon system in global climate change. The specific questions to be addressed are: (1) Is the pronounced warming of the Indian Ocean since 1950 a result of anthropogenic warming, or is it within the range of natural, multi-decadal climate variability? (2) How do sea surface temperature (SST) changes in the tropical Indian Ocean impact on rainfall over the surrounding continents? The approach chosen is to develop long (up to 400 years), multi-core geochemical proxy records measured at coral and tree ring chronologies. The proxy records will be used to reconstruct interannual to centennial changes of SST and rainfall in two key areas of Indian Ocean climate variability: Indonesia and East Africa. A major outcome of the project will be the combination of coral and tree ring chronologies to document the impact of Indian Ocean SST changes on rainfall over teleconnected land areas.