Latitudinal response of storm activity to abrupt climate change during the last 6,500 years

This study examines the influence of the strength of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) on storminess at different latitudes in the North Atlantic, based on a new 6.5‐Kyr record of large storms from the Scotian Shelf (Eastern Canada) that provides the first >3.5‐ka record from mid...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Yang Y, Maselli V, Normandeau A, Piper DWJ, Li MZ, Campbell DC, Gregory T, Gao S
Other Authors: Yang, Y, Maselli, V, Normandeau, A, Piper, Dwj, Li, Mz, Campbell, Dc, Gregory, T, Gao, S
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2020
Subjects:
abrupt climate change
AMOC
Holocene
latitudinal response
North Atlantic
storm activity
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1331506
https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089859
Description
Summary:This study examines the influence of the strength of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) on storminess at different latitudes in the North Atlantic, based on a new 6.5‐Kyr record of large storms from the Scotian Shelf (Eastern Canada) that provides the first >3.5‐ka record from middle latitudes. Comparison with a compilation of other paleostorm records shows that peaks in storminess are at times synchronous (4.5–2.5 and since 0.5 ka) between low and middle latitudes but in the intervening period (2.5–0.5 ka) were latitudinally asynchronous. Synchronous (asynchronous) behavior correlates with sustained increase (decrease) of AMOC. Regime shifts in storm activity between low and middle latitudes were more frequent since 2.5 ka, related to increased frequency of abrupt climate changes. These findings indicate a latitudinal response of storm activity due to abrupt climate change, which is critical to correctly assess future storm risks along the North Atlantic coastline.

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