Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity

Abstract Over recent decades, the southeastern United States (Southeast) has become increasingly well represented by the terrestrial climate proxy record. However, while the paleo proxy records capture the region's hydroclimatic history over the last several centuries, the understanding of near...

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Main Authors: Karen E. King, Grant L. Harley, Justin T. Maxwell, Shelly Rayback, Edward Cook, R. Stockton Maxwell, Maegen L. Rochner, Ellen V. Bergan, Zachary Foley, Matthew Therrell, Joshua Bregy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL109099
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author Karen E. King
Grant L. Harley
Justin T. Maxwell
Shelly Rayback
Edward Cook
R. Stockton Maxwell
Maegen L. Rochner
Ellen V. Bergan
Zachary Foley
Matthew Therrell
Joshua Bregy
author_facet Karen E. King
Grant L. Harley
Justin T. Maxwell
Shelly Rayback
Edward Cook
R. Stockton Maxwell
Maegen L. Rochner
Ellen V. Bergan
Zachary Foley
Matthew Therrell
Joshua Bregy
author_sort Karen E. King
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Over recent decades, the southeastern United States (Southeast) has become increasingly well represented by the terrestrial climate proxy record. However, while the paleo proxy records capture the region's hydroclimatic history over the last several centuries, the understanding of near surface air temperature variability is confined to the comparatively shorter observational period (1895‐present). Here, we detail the application of blue intensity (BI) methods on a network of tree‐ring collections and examine their utility for producing robust paleotemperature estimates. Results indicate that maximum latewood BI (LWBI) chronologies exhibit positive and temporally stable correlations (r = 0.28–0.54, p < 0.01) with summer maximum temperatures. As such, we use a network of LWBI chronologies to reconstruct August‐September average maximum temperatures for the Southeast spanning the period 1760–2010 CE. Our work demonstrates the utility of applying novel dendrochronological techniques to improve the understanding of the multi‐centennial temperature history of the Southeast.
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publishDate 2024-07-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-de761d94a01146d2950c6b6d1bc39ab22025-08-20T02:46:05ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-07-015113n/an/a10.1029/2024GL109099Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue IntensityKaren E. King0Grant L. Harley1Justin T. Maxwell2Shelly Rayback3Edward Cook4R. Stockton Maxwell5Maegen L. Rochner6Ellen V. Bergan7Zachary Foley8Matthew Therrell9Joshua Bregy10Department of Geography and Sustainability University of Tennessee Knoxville Knoxville TN USADepartment of Earth and Spatial Sciences University of Idaho Moscow ID USADepartment of Geography Indiana University Bloomington IN USADepartment of Geography and Geosciences University of Vermont Burlington VT USATree Ring Lab Lamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory Palisades NY USADepartment of Geospatial Science Radford University Radford VA USADepartment of Geographic and Environmental Sciences University of Louisville Louisville KY USADepartment of Earth and Spatial Sciences University of Idaho Moscow ID USADepartment of Geography University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL USADepartment of Geography University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL USADepartment of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences Clemson University Anderson SC USAAbstract Over recent decades, the southeastern United States (Southeast) has become increasingly well represented by the terrestrial climate proxy record. However, while the paleo proxy records capture the region's hydroclimatic history over the last several centuries, the understanding of near surface air temperature variability is confined to the comparatively shorter observational period (1895‐present). Here, we detail the application of blue intensity (BI) methods on a network of tree‐ring collections and examine their utility for producing robust paleotemperature estimates. Results indicate that maximum latewood BI (LWBI) chronologies exhibit positive and temporally stable correlations (r = 0.28–0.54, p < 0.01) with summer maximum temperatures. As such, we use a network of LWBI chronologies to reconstruct August‐September average maximum temperatures for the Southeast spanning the period 1760–2010 CE. Our work demonstrates the utility of applying novel dendrochronological techniques to improve the understanding of the multi‐centennial temperature history of the Southeast.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL109099blue intensitypaleoclimatetemperatureclimate changeSoutheast US
spellingShingle Karen E. King
Grant L. Harley
Justin T. Maxwell
Shelly Rayback
Edward Cook
R. Stockton Maxwell
Maegen L. Rochner
Ellen V. Bergan
Zachary Foley
Matthew Therrell
Joshua Bregy
Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity
Geophysical Research Letters
blue intensity
paleoclimate
temperature
climate change
Southeast US
title Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity
title_full Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity
title_fullStr Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity
title_full_unstemmed Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity
title_short Reconstructed Late Summer Maximum Temperatures for the Southeastern United States From Tree‐Ring Blue Intensity
title_sort reconstructed late summer maximum temperatures for the southeastern united states from tree ring blue intensity
topic blue intensity
paleoclimate
temperature
climate change
Southeast US
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL109099
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