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Split westerlies over Europe in the early Little Ice Age

Author

Listed:
  • Hsun-Ming Hu

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Chuan-Chou Shen

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • John C. H. Chiang

    (University of California
    Academia Sinica)

  • Valerie Trouet

    (University of Arizona)

  • Véronique Michel

    (Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, CEPAM
    Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, OCA, IRD, Géoazur)

  • Hsien-Chen Tsai

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Patricia Valensi

    (HNHP, UMR 7194: CNRS-MNHN-UPVD
    Fondation IPH, Laboratoire de Préhistoire Nice-Côte d’Azur)

  • Christoph Spötl

    (University of Innsbruck)

  • Elisabetta Starnini

    (University of Pisa
    Archaeological Superintendency of Liguria)

  • Marta Zunino

    (Toirano Cave, Piazzale D. Maineri 1)

  • Wei-Yi Chien

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Wen-Hui Sung

    (National Taiwan University
    National Taiwan University)

  • Yu-Tang Chien

    (National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction)

  • Ping Chang

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Robert Korty

    (Texas A&M University)

Abstract

The Little Ice Age (LIA; ca. 1450–1850 C.E.) is the best documented cold period of the past millennium, characterized by high-frequency volcanism, low solar activity, and high variability of Arctic sea-ice cover. Past studies of LIA Atlantic circulation changes have referenced the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), but recent studies have noted that LIA climate patterns appear to possess complexity not captured by an NAO analogue. Here, we present a new precipitation-sensitive stalagmite record from northern Italy that covers the past 800 years. We show that in the early LIA (1470–1610 C.E.), increased atmospheric ridging over northern Europe split the climatological westerlies away from central and northern Europe, possibly caused by concurrent Artic sea-ice reduction. With ongoing ice melting in the northern high latitudes and decreasing solar irradiance in the coming years, the early LIA may potentially serve as an analogue for European hydroclimatic conditions in the coming decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Hsun-Ming Hu & Chuan-Chou Shen & John C. H. Chiang & Valerie Trouet & Véronique Michel & Hsien-Chen Tsai & Patricia Valensi & Christoph Spötl & Elisabetta Starnini & Marta Zunino & Wei-Yi Chien & Wen-, 2022. "Split westerlies over Europe in the early Little Ice Age," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-32654-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32654-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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