Spring-temperature variations in Western Himalaya, India, as reconstructed from tree-rings: AD 1390-1987

Yadav, Ram R. ; Park, Won-Kyu ; Bhattacharyya, Amalava (1999) Spring-temperature variations in Western Himalaya, India, as reconstructed from tree-rings: AD 1390-1987 The Holocene, 9 (1). pp. 85-90. ISSN 0959-6836

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Official URL: http://hol.sagepub.com/content/9/1/85.abstract

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/095968399667529322

Abstract

The Himalayan region plays a very important role in influencing the regional and extra-regional circulation system. Long-term instrumental or proxy climate records for this region are scant, but are essential for a global perspective of climate variability. A 598 -year (AD 1390-1987) reconstruction of spring (March-May) temperature has been derived for the first time for the western Himalayan region, India using a well replicated ring-width chronology of Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara (D. Don) G. Don). The reconstruction showing annual to multi-year episodes of cool and warm springs is well correlated with the instrumental record of spring temperature for 1876-1987 (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). Prominent large-magnitude century-scale excursions in negative anomalies of spring temperature which might reflect the regional influence of the ‘Little Ice Age’ are not indicated in our data. The seventeenth century experienced monotonically warm springs. Neither recostruction or instrumental data provide evidence of warming during the last few decades of this century which could be attributed to anthropogenic causes. A strong out-of-phase relationship between the instrumental sprin-temperature record over the western Himalayan region and sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) of ensuing months (June-May) over the equatorial Pacific Ocean has been noted. This suggests that temperature responsive tree-ring chronologies from the Himalayan region could also serve as a valuable proxy of the Southern Oscillation.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to Sage Publications.
Keywords:Tree-Rings; Spring Temperature; Dendroclimatology; Himalayan Cedar; Cedrus Deodara; 'Little Ice Age'; Southem Oscillation; Western Himalaya; India
ID Code:83301
Deposited On:20 Feb 2012 06:25
Last Modified:20 Feb 2012 06:25

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