Split westerlies over Europe in the early Little Ice Age
Journal
Nature communications
Journal Volume
13
Journal Issue
1
Date Issued
2022-12
Author(s)
Hu, Hsun-Ming
Chiang, John C H
Trouet, Valerie
Michel, Véronique
Tsai, Hsien-Chen
Valensi, Patricia
Spötl, Christoph
Starnini, Elisabetta
Zunino, Marta
Chien, Wei-Yi
Sung, Wen-Hui
Chien, Yu-Tang
Chang, Ping
Korty, Robert
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.
Subjects
NORTH-ATLANTIC OSCILLATION; ARCTIC SEA-ICE; ATMOSPHERIC BLOCKING; SURFACE-TEMPERATURE; CLIMATE; VARIABILITY; RESOLUTION; GREENLAND; REGIMES
SDGs
Publisher
NATURE PORTFOLIO
Type
journal article