Project Details
Projekt
Glacial terrestrial climate in the southern high latitudes: The potential of the PASADO core from southern Patagonia
Applicants
Professorin Dr. Gesine Mollenhauer; Dr. Enno Schefuß
Subject Area
Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
Term
from 2013 to 2014
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 247223272
The southern Hemisphere westerlies are suggested to have a pivotal influence on atmospheric CO2 changes on glacial-interglacial as well as millennial time-scales. In order to evaluate their significance independent records of wind-strength at decisive latitudes are needed. The PASADO drill-core from Laguna Potrok Aike (52°S) in southern Patagonia is a unique terrestrial archive at southern high latitudes. It provides the possibility to infer wind-intensity changes by reconstructing the isotopic lake-water balance driven by wind-induced evaporation. Investigations of samples covering the Holocene indicate the potential of this approach. In order to evaluate the possibility for extending these analyses into the last Glacial, covering critical intervals such as Antarctic warm events, we propose to investigate a series of initial samples from the glacial section of the PASADO core. If successful, these analyses will form the basis for further investigations in higher temporal resolution.
DFG Programme
Infrastructure Priority Programmes
