AGS-PRF: Resolving High-Resolution Paleoclimate Variability in Subarctic Canada across the Mid Pleistocene Transition and Interglacial Periods of the Last 1.5 Ma

基于洞穴沉积物的古气候重建提供了一些最高分辨率的陆地气候记录。这项建议的目的是描述过去的间冰期更新世气候变化在中部大陆，亚北极加拿大使用一个罕见的收集缓慢增长的亚北极洞穴。研究人员将结合联合收割机一套分析工具，这些洞穴沉积物，包括新的年代学技术（U-Pb），微观分析技术（二次离子质谱，西姆斯），成像（共聚焦荧光激光显微镜，CFLM）重建高纬度北美古气候。这些新的记录将调查在过去的间冰期，高纬度气候是否或多或少的变化，甚至比今天更温暖，例如最温暖的间冰期的最后800 ka。 该项目的潜在成果将包括解析过去150万年来不同间冰期温度变化的广泛记录，以及提供高频（次年度到次十年期）水文气候变率的快照。潜在的更广泛影响是双重的：（1）博士后研究员的专业发展，以及（2）社区参与。博士后研究人员将获得新的地质年代学方法的第一手经验，以在美国唯一的实验室之一，为洞穴沉积物的U-Pb测年而建立的洞穴沉积物记录。此外，博士后将通过直接工作和与本科生和研究生的互动获得指导经验。本项目的研究成果将通过建立一个双向合作网络与西北地区（加拿大）的当地社区分享，该网络将：1）曝光并吸引奥罗拉学院的学生和员工（西北地区唯一的高等教育机构）关于西北地区洞穴的积极气候研究项目，2）向博士后和项目同事介绍北极变暖对当地土著社区的影响。作为这些外联工作的一部分，将向当地市政当局，特别是奥罗拉学院分发教育和互动展示材料。该推广计划的目标之一是在地球科学会议上向气候科学家分享西北地区社区居民的经验（例如AGU）该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值进行评估，被认为值得支持和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Speleothem-based paleoclimate reconstructions provide some of the highest-resolution terrestrial climate records. This proposal aims to characterize past interglacial Pleistocene climate variability in mid-continental, subarctic Canada using a rare collection of slow-growing subarctic speleothems. The researcher will combine a set of analytical tools to these speleothems including, novel geochronological techniques (U-Pb), micro-analytical technique (secondary ion mass spectrometry, SIMS), and imaging (confocal fluorescent laser microscopy, CFLM) to reconstruct high-latitude North American paleoclimate. These new records will investigate whether high-latitude climates were more or less variable during past interglacial periods that were even warmer than today, such as the warmest interglacial period of the last 800 ka. The potential results of this project will include resolving broad records of temperature changes across different interglacial stages of the last 1.5 Million years, as well as providing snapshots of high-frequency (sub-annual to sub-decadal) hydroclimate variability.The potential Broader Impacts are twofold: (1) professional development of the postdoctoral fellow, and (2) community engagement. The postdoctoral researcher will gain first-hand experience in novel geochronology methods to date speleothems records in one of the only labs in the United States that is set up for U-Pb dating of speleothems. Additionally, the postdoctoral fellow will gain mentoring experience through direct work and interaction with undergraduate and graduate students. The research finding of this project will be shared with local communities in Northwest Territories (Canada) by setting up a two-way collaborative network that will, 1) Expose and engage students and staff at Aurora College (the only post-secondary institution within the Northwest Territories) about active climate research projects at Northwest Territory caves, and 2) Teach the postdoctoral fellow and project colleagues about the impact Arctic warming has on local indigenous communities. As part of these outreach efforts, educational and interactive display materials will be distributed to local municipalities, specifically Aurora College. One of the goals of this outreach plan will be to share what is learned from the people living in the communities of the Northwest Territories to climate scientists at Geoscience meetings (e.g. AGU) to better science communication initiatives and relay the broader societal impact of climate science research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.