Climate of the Past
Climate of the Past
CP
Articles | Volume 11, issue 10
Articles | Volume 11, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-1325-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-1325-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 11, issue 10
Research article
 | 
08 Oct 2015
Research article |  | 08 Oct 2015

ENSO flavors in a tree-ring δ18O record of Tectona grandis from Indonesia

K. Schollaen, C. Karamperidou, P. Krusic, E. Cook, and G. Helle

Abstract. Indonesia's climate is dominated by the equatorial monsoon system, and has been linked to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events that often result in extensive droughts and floods over the Indonesian archipelago. In this study we investigate ENSO-related signals in a tree-ring δ18O record (1900–2007) of Javanese teak. Our results reveal a clear influence of Warm Pool (central Pacific) El Niño events on Javanese tree-ring δ18O, and no clear signal of Cold Tongue (eastern Pacific) El Niño events. These results are consistent with the distinct impacts of the two ENSO flavors on Javanese precipitation, and illustrate the importance of considering ENSO flavors when interpreting palaeoclimate proxy records in the tropics, as well as the potential of palaeoclimate proxy records from appropriately selected tropical regions for reconstructing past variability of. ENSO flavors.

How to cite. Schollaen, K., Karamperidou, C., Krusic, P., Cook, E., and Helle, G.: ENSO flavors in a tree-ring δ18O record of Tectona grandis from Indonesia, Clim. Past, 11, 1325–1333, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-1325-2015, 2015.
Received: 29 Aug 2014 – Discussion started: 02 Oct 2014 – Revised: 21 Aug 2015 – Accepted: 23 Sep 2015 – Published: 08 Oct 2015
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Short summary
Indonesia’s climate has been linked to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events that often result in extensive droughts and floods over Indonesia. In this study we investigate ENSO-related signals in a tree-ring δ18O record of Javanese teak. Our results reveal a clear influence of Warm Pool El Niño events on Javanese tree-ring δ18O. These results illustrate the importance of considering ENSO flavors when interpreting palaeoclimate proxy records in the tropics.
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