Infra-sample, inter-sample and down-core microvariation in sea-surface temperature estimates obtained from planktonic foraminifera in the NE Atlantic
Quantitative investigation of populations of planktonic foraminifera in core-top and down-core (top 10 cm) samples from 14 sites in the NE Atlantic, between 19° to 52°N and 11° to 30°W, have revealed no intra-sample, inter-sample or down-core variability beyond that to be expected on counts of 300 s...
| Published in: | Journal of Micropalaeontology |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1144/jm.16.2.163 https://jm.copernicus.org/articles/16/163/1997/ |
| Summary: | Quantitative investigation of populations of planktonic foraminifera in core-top and down-core (top 10 cm) samples from 14 sites in the NE Atlantic, between 19° to 52°N and 11° to 30°W, have revealed no intra-sample, inter-sample or down-core variability beyond that to be expected on counts of 300 specimens (2 standard deviations, 95% confidence interval). Application of F20 transfer function analysis shows that estimates of sea-surface temperature, based on these counts, fall within a range of ±1.9°C (precision). However, when these estimates are compared with ‘actual’ temperatures within the 1° latitude/longitude squares containing the sites, the estimate errors range as high as ±3.6°C (accuracy). These results indicate there is a continuing need to improve methods for estimating proxy temperatures from planktonic foraminifera, in order to match the requirements of numerical modellers of past climates. |
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