RAPID: Securing the Climate, Limnological and Sediment Data Needed to Understand and Calibrate Multi-millennial Records of ENSO in the Eastern Pacific

亚利桑那大学的研究人员在三个岛屿上的三个湖泊部署了一个数据记录器和沉积物捕捉器网络，以监测该地区气候变化的气象、湖泊和沉积物变异性。主要的年际变化是由ENSO引起的，在部署期间，该区域出现了轻微的厄尔尼诺现象(2009-2010年)，随后出现了适度的拉尼娜现象(2010-2011年)。该地区目前处于中立状态，预测厄尔尼诺现象将在2012-2013年冬季再次开始。数据记录器已满，需要检索、下载和更换。此外，沉积物圈闭还含有与从弱/中等厄尔尼诺到2010年拉尼娜过渡有关的粒子雨。用新的捕捉器替换将使观察回到厄尔尼诺条件成为可能。这个项目将支持两位早期职业科学家的研究：现供职于佐治亚理工学院的国家科学基金会博士后杰西卡·康罗伊和亚利桑那大学高级研究生黛安·汤普森。这是一个很好的快速资助方案，因为：1)数据收集系统已满，应该在今年秋天下一次厄尔尼诺现象爆发之前更换：2)沉积物捕捉器将记录最新的拉尼娜现象，通过检索和处理这些样本将立即取得研究进展；3)两名早期职业科学家正在进行研究(在他们的博士论文研究期间开始)，这将从这一实地计划中受益匪浅；4)在下一次厄尔尼诺现象开始之前，重新部署新的监测仪将到位。

A network of data loggers and sediment traps was deployed by researchers for the University of Arizona in three lakes on three islands to monitor meteorological, limnological, and sedimentation variability as a function of climate changes in the region. The dominant interannual variability is caused by ENSO and during the period of deployment the region exhibited a minor El Nino (2009-2010) followed by modest La Nina conditions (2010-2011). The region is now in a neutral state with predictions of an El Nino beginning again in winter 2012-2013. The data loggers are filled to capacity and need to be retrieved, downloaded and replaced. In addition sediment traps contain the particle rain related to the transition from the week/moderate El Nino to the 2010 La Nina. Replacement with new traps will permit observations of the transition back into El Nino conditions.This project will support the research of two early career scientists: Jessica Conroy, an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow now at Georgia Tech, and Diane Thompson, an advanced graduate student from the University of Arizona.This an excellent proposal for RAPID funding because: 1) the data collection systems are full and should be replaced this fall before the onset of the next El Nino: 2) the sediment traps will have a record of the most recent La Nina and immediate research progress will occur by retrieving and processing these samples; 3) two early career scientists have studies underway (begun during their Ph.D. thesis research) which will benefit greatly from this field program; 4) the redeployment of new monitors will be in place prior to the beginning of the next El Nino.