Tapping outstanding new lake records of annual- to millennial-scale Holocene climate variability in the north Pacific region

了解大范围时间尺度上的气候变率是气候科学研究的主要目标，因为它可能提高我们预测未来气候的能力。研究人员将记录过去（全新世= 12，000年）的气候变化，时间尺度从每年到千年不等，使用阿拉斯加安克雷奇周围湖泊中储存的沉积物证据，那里的气候密切跟踪更广泛的北太平洋地区。此外，沉积物记录包含以下信息：（1）库克湾火山的火山灰坠落危害，（2）大地震的震级和频率，（3）流入安克雷奇主要电力和淡水来源Eklutna湖的冰川融水的变化，以及（4）长期环境变化，作为近期生态系统变化的基线参考。该项目将为早期职业科学家提供支持，并将培训研究生和本科生，这项研究将利用阿拉斯加有史以来最好的年度层状（纹状）沉积物-这是代用气候数据最有价值的来源之一。在纹层厚度和粒度的波动，从冰川喂养的研究湖泊中恢复的沉积物反映了主要的水文气候变化。此外，来自非冰川湖泊的新沉积物岩心将提供一种多代理方法，以了解全新世期间平均气候状态的变化如何与北太平洋气候变异性的变化相关联。

Understanding climate variability over a wide range of timescales is a primary objective of climate science research because it is likely to improve our ability to foresee future climate. The investigators will document past (Holocene = 12,000 years) climate changes on time scales ranging from annual to millennial using evidence from sediments stored in lakes around Anchorage, Alaska, where climate closely tracks the broader North Pacific region. In addition, the sedimentary records contain information about: (1) ash-fall hazards from Cook Inlet volcanoes, (2) the magnitude and frequency of major earthquakes, (3) changes in glacier meltwater input to Eklutna Lake, a major source of electricity and freshwater for Anchorage, and (4) long-term environmental variability, which serves as a baseline reference for recent ecosystem changes. The project will support early-career scientists and will train graduate and undergraduate students.This study will take advantage of the best annually laminated (varved) sediment -- among the most valuable sources of proxy climate data -- ever recovered from Alaska. Fluctuations in varve thickness and grain size of sediments recovered from the glacier-fed study lakes reflect major hydroclimate changes. In addition, new sediment cores from non-glacial lakes will provide a multi-proxy approach to understanding how shifts in the mean state of climate during the Holocene were associated with changes in north Pacific climate variability.