Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a large-scale, atmospheric signal in the North Atlantic region. It affects temperature and precipitation ranges from northern Europe to northern Africa and the eastern Mediterranean region. This study looks at how well the phase of the NAO is recorded in tree-rings from sites on the southern coast of the Turkish peninsula. We would expect to see smaller tree-rings during positive phases of the NAO when there are colder and drier conditions in the Mediterranean. While larger tree-rings would be expected during a negative phase of the NAO when warmer and wetter conditions predominate in the Mediterranean region. Multiple statistical calculations and filters were applied to five sites from southern Turkey and then plotted with both the winter and summer NAO index. This study found that the tree-rings from the study sites in southern Turkey best reflect the phase of the NAO when low-frequency signals in the tree-rings are compared to the winter NAO index, especially before 1880.
Date Awarded
2008
Department
Geology
Recommended Citation
Bice, Marley B., "How Well do Tree-Rings Reflect the Phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation?" (2008). Geology Senior Theses. William & Mary. Paper 189.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/geologyseniors/189
