Dynamic and Thermodynamic Influences on Precipitation in Northeast Mexico on Orbital to Millennial Timescales

Authors

Kevin T. Wright, University of California, Irvine
Kathleen R. Johnson, University of California, Irvine
Gabriela Serrato Marks, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
David McGee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tripti Bhattacharya, Syracuse University
Gregory R. Goldsmith, Chapman UniversityFollow
Clay R. Tabor, University of Connecticut - Storrs
Jean-Louis Lacaille-Muzquiz, Independent researcher
Gianna Lum, University of California, Irvine
Laura Beramendi-Orosco, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-20-2023

Abstract

The timing and mechanisms of past hydroclimate change in northeast Mexico are poorly constrained, limiting our ability to evaluate climate model performance. To address this, we present a multiproxy speleothem record of past hydroclimate variability spanning 62.5 to 5.1 ka from Tamaulipas, Mexico. Here we show a strong influence of Atlantic and Pacific sea surface temperatures on orbital and millennial scale precipitation changes in the region. Multiple proxies show no clear response to insolation forcing, but strong evidence for dry conditions during Heinrich Stadials. While these trends are consistent with other records from across Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, the relative importance of thermodynamic and dynamic controls in driving this response is debated. An isotope-enabled climate model shows that cool Atlantic SSTs and stronger easterlies drive a strong inter-basin sea surface temperature gradient and a southward shift in moisture convergence, causing drying in this region.

Comments

This article was originally published in Nature Communications, volume 14, in 2023. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37700-9

Recommended Citation

Wright, K.T., Johnson, K.R., Marks, G.S. et al. Dynamic and thermodynamic influences on precipitation in Northeast Mexico on orbital to millennial timescales. Nat Commun 14, 2279 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37700-9

Copyright

The authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.