Part B Proxy data sources The proxy data sources available to reconstruct past c
ID: 119304 • Letter: P
Question
Part B Proxy data sources The proxy data sources available to reconstruct past climates will vary according to the period and location that is being examined. Some of the more common proxy data sources include Historical data: Historical documents (e.g., accounts of travelers, farmers' diaries, and ship logs) can contain both qualitative and quantitative information about past weather and climate. Tree rings: The width of tree rings, which trees generally produce each year in temperate regions with a distinct growing season, reflect variations in climate Ice cores: In regions where snow and ice have accumulated over many centuries, millennia, or longer, ice cores contain dust, air bubbles, or isotopes of oxygen that can be used to interpret past climates. . Lake sediments: The sediment of lakes, which can accumulate each year, contains materials (e.g., pollen and fossils) that can be used to interpret past climates. Coral: The hard skeletons of corals contain different isotopes of oxygen and trace metals that can be used to determine the temperature of the water in which the coral grew. Ocean sediments: Ocean basin sediments, potentially accumulating over long periods, contain materials that were produced in the ocean or deposited from nearby land, and can be used to interpret past climates. The most suitable proxy data source to use depends upon the situation/location being examined. For example, To determine the climate of a small island or an area of the ocean, coral reefs or ocean sediments, respectively, would be more appropriate To determine the climate over land, tree rings or lake sediments would prove more useful. In addition, the time span of the record needed and the resolution must be considered. If the time span examined is millions of years, ocean sediments may be required If annual resolution is required for just the past 200 years, tree rings or coral reefs may be appropriate. The figure below provides the time span of record, and the resolution and time span of these proxy data sources. Determine which proxy data source would be most useful in determining the climate for the scenaños provided.Explanation / Answer
1.Corals - The climate each year over the past few hundred years for the small island located in the pacific ocean near the equator.
2.Tree rings - The climate for each year over the past 200 years in the heavily vegetated north west United States.
3.Ice cores - The climate of Antarctica for the past 100,000 years.
4.Ocean sediments- The climate of the North Atlantic Ocean for the past million years.
5.Lake sediments- The climate of last 10,000 years in the southeastern United States with several inland water bodies such as lakes.