# Tarawa Coral Stable Isotope and Geochemistry Data #----------------------------------------------------------------------- # World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder # and # NOAA Paleoclimatology Program #----------------------------------------------------------------------- # NOTE: Please cite Publication, and Online_Resource and date accessed when using these data. # If there is no publication information, please cite Investigators, Title, and Online_Resource and date accessed. # # Online_Resource: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/study/1845 # # Original_Source_URL: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/coral/west_pacific/readme_tarawa.txt # Original_Source_URL: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/coral/west_pacific/tarawa1.txt # Original_Source_URL: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/coral/image/tar39c13.gif # Original_Source_URL: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/coral/image/tar39o18.gif # Original_Source_URL: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/coral/image/tar44c13.gif # Original_Source_URL: http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/coral/image/tar44o18.gif # # Description/Documentation lines begin with # # Data lines have no # # # Archive: Corals and Sclerosponges #-------------------- # Contribution_Date # Date: 1994-06-01 #-------------------- # Title # Study_Name: Tarawa Coral Stable Isotope and Geochemistry Data #-------------------- # Investigators # Investigators: Cole, J.E.; Fairbanks, R.G.; Shen, G.T. #-------------------- # Description_and_Notes # Description: High-resolution (monthly) coral stable isotope and Mn/Ca from Tarawa Atoll, Republic of Kiribati. Included are 20 year (1959-1979 AD) records of d13C and d18O (Cole and Fairbanks, 1990) and Mn/Ca (Shen et al. 1992), plus a 96 year (1894 - 1990 AD) record of d18O (Cole et al. 1993). # Site: Tarawa Atoll, Republic of Kiribati (1 N, 172 E) Water depth: 2-4m Coral species Hydnophora microconos (short records) and Porites lobata (long record) # Data are stable isotope data presented by Cole and Fairbanks (1990) and Mn/Ca data presented by Shen et al. (1992) for 1959-1979 AD, and d18O data presented by Cole, Fairbanks, and Shen (1993) for the years 1894-1990. All stable isotopes were measured on untreated coral samples at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory by J. Cole and R. Fairbanks, on a Finnigan MAT-251 mass spectrometer with automated Carousel-48 carbonate device. Raw values are in standard per mil notation relative to PDB. For normalization in Cole et al. 1993, we subtracted the monthly mean from each monthly value and divided by the standard deviation of the full dataset. Measurement precisions are 0.08 per mil for d18O and 0.04 per mil for d13C. Mn/Ca measurements were performed at the University of Washington by G. Shen and L. Linn by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry; only coral LDGO-44 was analyzed for Mn/Ca. Sample treatment procedures are described in Shen et al. (1992). Average departures from duplicate means are 1.6 nmol Mn/mol Ca. Ages for all samples in this file were derived from annual variations in d13C, assumed to correspond with annual rainy seasons as described in Cole and Fairbanks (1990). Density banding confirms these ages for LDGO-44 samples, but coral LDGO-39 did not exhibit clearly annual banding patterns. For Mn/Ca data prior to 1962 in LDGO-44, ages were determined by extrapolation based on density band data, as isotopic data only extends to 1962 in LDGO-44. #-------------------- # Publication # Authors: Cole, J.E.; Fairbanks, R.G.; Shen, G.T. # Published_Date_or_Year: 1993 # Published_Title: The Spectrum of Recent Variability in the Southern Oscillation: Results from a Tarawa Atoll Coral. # Journal_Name: Science # Volume: 260 # Edition: # Issue: 5115 # Pages: 1790-1793 # DOI: 10.1126/science.260.5115.1790 # Online_Resource: # Full_Citation: Cole, J.E., R.G. Fairbanks, and G.T. Shen. 1993. The Spectrum of Recent Variability in the Southern Oscillation: Results from a Tarawa Atoll Coral. Science, Vol. 260, no. 5115, pp. 1790-1793, 18 June 1993. DOI:10.1126/science.260.5115.1790 # Abstract: In the western tropical Pacific, the interannual migration of the Indonesian Low convective system causes changes in rainfall that dominate the regional signature of the El Ni�o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) system. A 96-year oxygen isotope record from a Tarawa Atoll coral (1�N, 172�E) reflects regional convective activity through rainfall-induced salinity changes. This monthly resolution record spans twice the length of the local climatological record and provides a history of ENSO variability comparable in quality with those derived from instrumental climate data. Comparison of this coral record with a historical chronology of EI Ni�o events indicates that climate anomalies in coastal South America are occasionally decoupled from Pacific-wide ENSO extremes. Spectral analysis suggests that the distribution of variance in this record has shifted among annual to interannual periods during the present century, concurrent with observed changes in the strength of the Southern Oscillation. #-------------------- # Publication # Authors: Cole, J.E.; Fairbanks, R.G. # Published_Date_or_Year: 1990 # Published_Title: The Southern Oscillation recorded in the d18O of corals from Tarawa Atoll. # Journal_Name: Paleoceanography # Volume: 5 # Edition: # Issue: 5 # Pages: 669-683 # DOI: 10.1029/PA005i005p00669 # Online_Resource: # Full_Citation: Cole, J.E., and R.G. Fairbanks. 1990. The Southern Oscillation recorded in the d18O of corals from Tarawa Atoll. Paleoceanography, Vol. 5, No. 5, pp. 669-683. doi:10.1029/PA005i005p00669 # Abstract: In the western equatorial Pacific, the El Ni�o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is characterized by precipitation variability associated with the migration of the Indonesian low pressure cell to the region of the date line and the equator. During ENSO events, Tarawa Atoll (1�N, 172�E) experiences heavy rainfall which has an estimated d18O of about -8 to -10� d18OSMOW. At Tarawa, sufficient precipitation of this composition falls during ENSO events to alter the d18O and the salinity of the surface waters. Oxygen isotope records from two corals collected off the reef crest of Tarawa reflect rainfall variations associated with both weak and strong ENSO conditions, with approximately monthly resolution. Coral skeletal d18O variations due to small sea surface temperature (SST) changes are secondary. These records demonstrate the remarkable ability of this technique to reconstruct variations in the position of the Indonesian Low from coral d18O records in the western equatorial Pacific, a region which has few paleoclimatic records. The coral isotopic data correctly resolve the relative magnitudes of recent variations in the Southern Oscillation Index. Combining the Tarawa record with an oxygen isotopic history from a Gal�pagos Islands coral demonstrates the ability to distinguish the meteorologic (precipitation) and oceanographic (SST) anomalies that characterize ENSO events across the Pacific Basin over the period of common record (1960�1979). Comparison of the intensity of climatic anomalies at these two sites yields insight into the spatial variability of ENSO events. Isotope records from older corals can provide high-resolution, Pacific-wide reconstructions of ENSO behavior during periods of different climate boundary conditions. #-------------------- # Publication # Authors: Shen, G.T.; Linn, L.J.; Campbell, T.M.; Cole, J.E. # Published_Date_or_Year: 1992 # Published_Title: A chemical indicator of trade wind reversal in corals from the western tropical Pacific. # Journal_Name: Journal of Geophysical Research # Volume: 97 # Edition: # Issue: C8 # Pages: 12,689-12,697 # DOI: 10.1029/92JC00951 # Online_Resource: # Full_Citation: # Abstract: Historical levels of manganese have been measured in the annual rings of a reef coral from Tarawa atoll (1�30'N, 173�E) in order to assess the temporal variability of this trace element in surface waters of the western tropical Pacific. Seasonal variability associated with vertical mixing is not apparent as is the case in the eastern Pacific; however, Mn/Ca ratios are highly perturbed during three El Ni�o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events (1965, 1972, 1976) that occurred within the growth period 1960�1977. For approximately 6 months during each of these events, Mn/Ca ratios increase by 50-80% from a background of 27 nmol Mn/mol Ca. These features co-occur with negative d18O pulses recorded in the same coral which result from anomalously abundant rainfall. Wet deposition of Mn, however, does not appear to be an adequate source to account for the inferred surface ocean enrichments. The most plausible explanation has to do with the transient appearance of westerly winds along the equator during ENSO periods. Particularly vigorous westerly wind "bursts" (sometimes averaging 10 m/sec or more over 16 hours) during the aforementioned years may have generated wind waves of sufficient strength to create an aura of particulate and diagenetically remobilized Mn from within the shallow westward facing lagoon of Tarawa. This interpretation is supported by relatively high Mn concentrations measured in pore waters of Tarawa lagoon sediments. The results suggest a useful new chemical tracer of historical ENSO conditions in the western Pacific basin. #------------------ # Funding_Agency # Funding_Agency_Name: # Grant: #------------------ # Site_Information # Site_Name: Tarawa Atoll, Republic of Kiribati # Location: Ocean>Pacific Ocean>Central Pacific Ocean>Kiribati # Country: Republic of Kiribati # Northernmost_Latitude: 1 # Southernmost_Latitude: 1 # Easternmost_Longitude: 172 # Westernmost_Longitude: 172 # Elevation: -3 m #------------------ # Data_Collection # Collection_Name: 93kiri02a # Earliest_Year: 1959 # Most_Recent_Year: 1979 # Time_Unit: AD # Core_Length: # Notes: Coral LDGO-39 #------------------ # Species # Species_Name: Hydnophora microconos # Common_Name: #------------------ # Chronology_Information # Chronology: # #---------------- # Variables # # Data variables follow that are preceded by "##" in columns one and two. # Data line variables format: Variables list, one per line, shortname-tab-longname-tab-longname components (9 components: what, material, error, units, seasonality, archive, detail, method, C or N for Character or Numeric data) # ##depth depth, , ,mm, , , , ,N ##age age, , , years AD, , , , ,N ##d18O delta 18O, Hydnophora microconos, , permil PDB, , Corals and Sclerosponges, , Finnigan MAT-251 mass spectrometer,N ##d13C delta 13C, Hydnophora microconos, , permil PDB, , Corals and Sclerosponges, , Finnigan MAT-251 mass spectrometer,N # #---------------- # Data: # Data lines follow (have no #) # Data line format - tab-delimited text, variable short name as header # Missing Values: NAN # depth age d18O d13C 1 1979.000 -4.963 -1.728 2 1978.909 -4.838 -1.554 3 1978.818 -4.746 -1.576 4 1978.727 NAN NAN 5 1978.636 -4.865 -0.901 6 1978.545 -4.884 -0.703 7 1978.455 -4.782 -0.35 8 1978.364 -4.901 -0.805 9 1978.273 -5.029 -0.842 10 1978.182 -4.758 -1.111 11 1978.091 -4.936 -1.2 12 1978.000 -4.728 -1.406 13 1977.929 -4.698 -1.24 14 1977.857 -4.74 -0.793 15 1977.786 -5.189 -1.328 16 1977.714 -5.136 -1.235 17 1977.643 -5.419 -1.407 18 1977.571 -5.265 -1 19 1977.500 -5.192 -0.156 20 1977.429 -5.386 -0.5 21 1977.357 NAN NAN 22 1977.286 -4.793 0.033 23 1977.214 -4.909 -0.714 24 1977.143 -4.939 -1.074 25 1977.071 -5.142 -1.145 26 1977.000 -5.013 -1.291 27 1976.900 -4.875 -1.155 28 1976.800 -5.17 -1.123 29 1976.700 -5.266 -0.601 30 1976.600 -5.315 -0.53 31 1976.500 -5.015 0.33 32 1976.400 -4.953 0.426 33 1976.300 -4.717 0.036 34 1976.200 -4.595 -0.254 35 1976.100 -4.602 -0.613 36 1976.000 -4.653 -0.732 37 1975.900 -4.538 -0.519 38 1975.800 -4.595 -0.428 39 1975.700 -4.647 -0.223 40 1975.600 -4.678 0.059 41 1975.500 -4.628 0.087 42 1975.400 -4.492 -0.149 43 1975.300 -4.734 0.04 44 1975.200 -4.404 -0.394 45 1975.100 -4.727 -0.884 46 1975.000 -4.73 -0.963 47 1974.909 -4.635 -0.739 48 1974.818 -4.732 -0.555 49 1974.727 -4.526 -0.474 50 1974.636 -4.698 -0.312 51 1974.545 -4.544 -0.488 52 1974.455 -4.591 -0.68 53 1974.364 -4.687 -0.222 54 1974.273 -4.755 -0.192 55 1974.182 -4.745 -0.192 56 1974.091 -4.312 -0.814 57 1974.000 -4.437 -0.836 58 1973.937 -4.357 -0.655 59 1973.875 -4.32 -0.377 60 1973.812 -4.417 -0.212 61 1973.750 -4.428 -0.55 62 1973.688 -4.381 -0.087 63 1973.625 -4.48 0.026 64 1973.563 -4.563 0.018 65 1973.500 -4.695 0.134 66 1973.437 -4.713 0.065 67 1973.375 -4.487 -0.261 68 1973.313 -4.734 -0.614 69 1973.250 -4.804 -0.81 70 1973.188 NAN NAN 71 1973.125 -4.889 -0.752 72 1973.062 -5.04 -0.825 73 1973.000 -5.125 -0.966 74 1972.900 -5.023 -0.823 75 1972.800 -4.995 -0.738 76 1972.700 -5.031 -0.642 77 1972.600 -5.145 -0.677 78 1972.500 -4.861 -0.291 79 1972.400 -4.962 -0.24 80 1972.300 -4.858 0.129 81 1972.200 -4.479 0.588 82 1972.100 -4.611 0.341 83 1972.000 -5.035 -0.753 84 1971.923 -4.749 -0.229 85 1971.846 -4.554 -0.459 86 1971.769 -4.66 -0.348 87 1971.692 -4.619 -0.151 88 1971.615 -4.645 -0.027 89 1971.538 -4.658 -0.067 90 1971.462 -4.684 -0.214 91 1971.385 -4.651 -0.224 92 1971.308 -4.608 -0.374 93 1971.231 -4.469 -0.135 94 1971.154 -4.086 -0.698 95 1971.077 -4.273 -0.988 96 1971.000 -4.548 -1.012 97 1970.917 -4.36 -0.287 98 1970.833 -4.443 -0.359 99 1970.750 -4.506 -0.504 100 1970.667 -4.559 -0.514 101 1970.583 -4.55 0.049 102 1970.500 -4.922 -0.842 103 1970.417 -4.842 -0.981 104 1970.333 -4.822 -1.063 105 1970.250 -4.727 -1.059 106 1970.167 -4.91 -1.336 107 1970.083 -4.859 -1.311 108 1970.000 -4.772 -1.364 109 1969.929 -4.622 -1.116 110 1969.857 -4.791 -0.667 111 1969.786 -4.873 -0.59 112 1969.714 -4.835 -0.389 113 1969.643 -4.8 -0.473 114 1969.571 -4.969 -0.677 115 1969.500 -5 -0.494 116 1969.429 -4.795 -0.401 117 1969.357 -4.804 -0.28 118 1969.286 -5.107 -1.077 119 1969.214 -4.891 -0.846 120 1969.143 -4.886 -0.607 121 1969.071 -4.966 -1.091 122 1969.000 -5.083 -1.476 123 1968.933 -5.121 -1.421 124 1968.867 -4.931 -1.231 125 1968.800 -5.084 -1.231 126 1968.733 -4.909 -0.922 127 1968.667 -4.828 -1.057 128 1968.600 -4.795 -0.954 129 1968.533 -4.798 -0.291 130 1968.467 -4.619 -0.121 131 1968.400 -4.855 -0.417 132 1968.333 -4.889 -0.557 133 1968.267 -4.886 -0.846 134 1968.200 -4.884 -0.884 135 1968.133 -4.713 -1.055 136 1968.067 -4.82 -1.261 137 1968.000 -4.823 -1.412 138 1967.923 -4.72 -1.034 139 1967.846 -4.74 -1.268 140 1967.769 -4.812 -0.607 141 1967.692 -4.4 -0.793 142 1967.615 -4.662 -0.638 143 1967.538 -4.731 -0.236 144 1967.462 -4.767 -0.552 145 1967.385 -4.809 -0.621 146 1967.308 -4.867 -0.318 147 1967.231 -4.842 -0.447 148 1967.154 -4.855 -0.68 149 1967.077 -4.745 -0.789 150 1967.000 -4.552 -0.871 151 1966.917 -4.446 -0.596 152 1966.833 -4.427 -0.529 153 1966.750 -4.81 -0.832 154 1966.667 -4.854 -0.778 155 1966.583 -4.806 -0.84 156 1966.500 -4.804 -0.622 157 1966.417 -4.818 -0.41 158 1966.333 -4.932 -0.463 159 1966.250 -4.875 -0.507 160 1966.167 -5.078 -0.978 161 1966.083 -5.001 -1.163 162 1966.000 -5.038 -1.506 163 1965.937 -4.961 -1.396 164 1965.875 -4.835 -1.341 165 1965.812 -4.874 -1.151 166 1965.750 -5.031 -1.449 167 1965.688 -5.281 -1.398 168 1965.625 -5.402 -1.452 169 1965.563 -5.018 -0.969 170 1965.500 -5.351 -1.057 171 1965.437 -5.24 -0.858 172 1965.375 -5.314 -0.811 173 1965.313 -5.286 -0.869 174 1965.250 -4.86 -1.122 175 1965.188 -4.783 -1.202 176 1965.125 -4.769 -0.973 177 1965.062 -4.609 -1.171 178 1965.000 -4.781 -1.333 179 1964.917 -4.931 -1.114 180 1964.833 -4.771 -0.824 181 1964.750 -4.64 -0.547 182 1964.667 -4.43 -0.343 183 1964.583 -4.198 0.217 184 1964.500 -4.4 0.115 185 1964.417 -4.557 0.07 186 1964.333 -4.604 -0.318 187 1964.250 -4.654 -1.233 188 1964.167 -4.537 -0.934 189 1964.083 -4.641 -1.31 190 1964.000 -4.69 -1.607 191 1963.929 -4.554 -1.56 192 1963.857 -4.458 -1.469 193 1963.786 -4.785 -1.164 194 1963.714 -4.765 -1.42 195 1963.643 -4.904 -1.347 196 1963.571 -5.073 -1.43 197 1963.500 -4.986 -1.36 198 1963.429 -5.062 -1.139 199 1963.357 -5.003 -1.122 200 1963.286 -5.059 -0.892 201 1963.214 -4.626 -0.506 202 1963.143 -4.893 -0.768 203 1963.071 -4.693 -0.328 204 1963.000 -4.964 -1.503 205 1962.929 -4.836 -1.23 206 1962.857 -4.537 -0.926 207 1962.786 -4.468 -0.737 208 1962.714 -4.54 -0.735 209 1962.643 -4.663 -0.729 210 1962.571 -4.993 -0.908 211 1962.500 -4.709 -0.346 212 1962.429 -4.793 -0.38 213 1962.357 -4.858 -0.594 214 1962.286 -5.001 -0.296 215 1962.214 -5.077 -0.13 216 1962.143 -5.303 -0.913 217 1962.071 -4.855 -0.745 218 1962.000 -4.967 -1.349 219 1961.933 -4.711 -1.248 220 1961.867 -4.772 -1.238 221 1961.800 -4.519 -1.092 222 1961.733 -4.572 -0.962 223 1961.667 -4.572 -0.954 224 1961.600 -4.782 -0.838 225 1961.533 -4.79 -0.587 226 1961.467 -4.523 -0.314 227 1961.400 -4.652 -0.255 228 1961.333 -4.999 -0.801 229 1961.267 -4.805 -0.74 230 1961.200 -5.147 -0.599 231 1961.133 -5.288 -1.102 232 1961.067 -5.123 -1.027 233 1961.000 -4.91 -1.315 234 1960.933 -4.967 -1.299 235 1960.867 -4.526 -1.14 236 1960.800 -4.855 -1.033 237 1960.733 -5.105 -1.284 238 1960.667 -4.803 -1.289 239 1960.600 -5.012 -1.166 240 1960.533 -5.038 -1.105 241 1960.467 -4.757 -1.182 242 1960.400 -4.771 -1.29 243 1960.333 -4.771 -1.209 244 1960.267 -4.974 -1.084 245 1960.200 -4.664 -0.821 246 1960.133 -4.677 -1.038 247 1960.067 -4.985 -1.702 248 1960.000 -5.182 -1.783 249 1959.933 -5.05 -1.56 250 1959.867 -5.056 -1.279 251 1959.800 -4.743 -1.34 252 1959.733 -4.697 -0.899 253 1959.667 -4.844 -0.95 254 1959.600 -5.24 -1.404 255 1959.533 -5.062 -1.015 256 1959.467 -4.826 -0.74 257 1959.400 -4.899 -0.877 258 1959.333 -4.812 -0.977 259 1959.267 -5.168 -0.847 260 1959.200 -4.723 -1.147