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Extended megadroughts in the southwestern United States during Pleistocene interglacials

Author

Listed:
  • Peter J. Fawcett

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Josef P. Werne

    (University of Minnesota Duluth
    Centre for Water Research, University of Western Australia
    WA-Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Centre, Curtin University of Technology)

  • R. Scott Anderson

    (School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University
    Laboratory of Paleoecology, Bilby Research Center, Northern Arizona University)

  • Jeffrey M. Heikoop

    (EES-14, Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • Erik T. Brown

    (University of Minnesota Duluth)

  • Melissa A. Berke

    (University of Minnesota Duluth)

  • Susan J. Smith

    (Laboratory of Paleoecology, Bilby Research Center, Northern Arizona University)

  • Fraser Goff

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Linda Donohoo-Hurley

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Luz M. Cisneros-Dozal

    (EES-14, Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • Stefan Schouten

    (NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research)

  • Jaap S. Sinninghe Damsté

    (NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research)

  • Yongsong Huang

    (Brown University)

  • Jaime Toney

    (EES-14, Los Alamos National Laboratory)

  • Julianna Fessenden

    (School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University)

  • Giday WoldeGabriel

    (School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University)

  • Viorel Atudorei

    (University of New Mexico)

  • John W. Geissman

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Craig D. Allen

    (USGS Fort Collins Science Center, Jemez Mountains Field Station)

Abstract

A history of megadroughts Droughts lasting tens of years are known to have occurred in the southwestern United States during the past two millennia, but model simulations suggest that much longer 'megadroughts' might occur in a future, warmer climate. A new analysis of a lake sediment core from northern New Mexico reveals that such extreme droughts have occurred before: millennial-scale megadroughts were a regular feature of the warmest phases of Pleistocene interglacials. Mean annual temperatures during these droughts were comparable with or higher than today's. Comparison of the mid-Pleistocene climate record with that of the Holocene shows many similarities and suggests that were it not for anthropogenic warming, the southwestern United States would probably be entering a cool and wet phase by now.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter J. Fawcett & Josef P. Werne & R. Scott Anderson & Jeffrey M. Heikoop & Erik T. Brown & Melissa A. Berke & Susan J. Smith & Fraser Goff & Linda Donohoo-Hurley & Luz M. Cisneros-Dozal & Stefan Sch, 2011. "Extended megadroughts in the southwestern United States during Pleistocene interglacials," Nature, Nature, vol. 470(7335), pages 518-521, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:470:y:2011:i:7335:d:10.1038_nature09839
    DOI: 10.1038/nature09839
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