Award Abstract # 1566180
Collaborative Research: Reconstruction of Paleo-Storm History Using Geochemical Proxies in Coastal Lake Sediments

NSF Org: EAR
Division Of Earth Sciences
Recipient: THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Initial Amendment Date: March 25, 2016
Latest Amendment Date: March 25, 2016
Award Number: 1566180
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Jonathan G Wynn
jwynn@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4725
EAR
 Division Of Earth Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: April 1, 2016
End Date: December 31, 2019 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $132,067.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $132,067.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2016 = $132,067.00
History of Investigator:
  • Joseph Donoghue (Principal Investigator)
    joseph.donoghue@ucf.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees
4000 CENTRAL FLORIDA BLVD
ORLANDO
FL  US  32816-8005
(407)823-0387
Sponsor Congressional District: 10
Primary Place of Performance: University of Central Florida
4111 Libra Dr.
Orlando
FL  US  32826-3252
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
10
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): RD7MXJV7DKT9
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): GLOBAL CHANGE
Primary Program Source: 01001617DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 1304, EGCH
Program Element Code(s): 157700
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

This project will use historical information spanning thousands of years from coastal lake sediments to advance scientific understanding of hurricanes and their relationship to climate change. This knowledge could help coastal planners better manage the risk that hurricanes pose to coastal communities. The results will be shared on public websites of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This project will provide research training for both undergraduate and graduate students at Florida State University and the University of Central Florida. It will also provide research experience to K-12 students and teachers from education programs at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, FL.

Recent studies suggest that organic geochemical proxies preserved in coastal lake sediments are a sensitive indicator for storm events and can be used to reconstruct paleo-storm history. This project aims to examine the isotopic systematics in coastal lakes in northern and eastern Florida, and to develop high-resolution multi-proxy records of storms and environmental changes during the late Holocene for these regions via analyses of geochemical proxies. The results will be used to test hypotheses concerning the possible linkage between sea surface temperature and hurricane activity. This effort could help constrain predictive models that describe how global warming will affect regional climate conditions.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Sankar, R., Donoghue, J.F., and Kish, S.A. "Mapping shoreline variability of two barrier-island segments along the Florida coast." Estuaries and Coasts , v.41 , 2018 , p.2191 DOI 10.1007/s12237-018-0426-3
Sankar, R., Donoghue, J.F., and Kish, S.A. "Mapping shoreline variability of two barrier-island segments along the Florida coast." Estuaries and Coasts , v.41 , 2018 , p.2191 DOI 10.1007/s12237-018-0426-3
Sankar, R., Donoghue, J.F., and Kish, S.A., "Spatio-temporal analysis of decadal-scale patterns in barrier island response to storms: Perdido Key, Florida:" Physical Geography , v.39 , 2018 , p.166 DOI 10.1080/02723646.2017.1378959
Wang, Y., Das, O., Xiaomei Xu, Jin Liu, Shakura Jahan, Joseph Donoghue, Guy H. Means "Radiocarbon Ages of Organic and Inorganic Carbon in Coastal Lakes in Florida: Implications for Establishing Reliable Chronology for sediment-based paleoclimate reconstruction" Quaternary Research , 2018 DOI 10.1017/qua.2018.96
Wang, Y., Das, O., Xu, X., Liu, J., Jahan, S., Means, G.H., Donoghue, J.F., Jiang, S. "Implications of radiocarbon ages of organic and inorganic carbon in coastal lakes in Florida for establishing a reliable chronology for sediment-based paleoclimate reconstruction" Quaternary Research , v.91 , 2018 , p.638 DOI 10.1017/qua.2018.96

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

This investigation was carried out with the goal of developing proxy records of paleo-storm histories based on data from coastal sediment cores. The study areas were typical coastal environments on the Florida Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The time period of interest was the most recent several thousand years.  This period, the latter half of the Holocene epoch, has been a time during which human impact on climate has gained increasing influence, and in which mounting evidence points to significant anthropogenic alteration of Earth's climate.

The investigation had two additional goals. One was to better understand the physical properties and history of major storms that have such an oversize impact on coastal environments.  A second was to refine the technique for identifying and quantifying major storms in the long-term geologic records contained in coastal sediment cores. 

The broader impact of this work lies in providing coastal managers, planners and residents with knowledge of the long-term history of major storms for a given region.  Additionally, the paleo-storm history is of much value as input to models for predicting the probability and impact of storms in a warming future.

The results of the project are in general agreement with previous paleo-storm studies of the southeastern United States, all of which concluded that the past approximately six centuries have been a period of relative quiescence for major storms. Most of this period constitutes the so-called Little Ice Age, from the early 14th century to the middle 19th century, a climate cooling era during which tropical cyclone activity might be expected to be at a minimum.  Additionally, the data reveal unusual episodes of virtually no storm activity throughout the Florida peninsula during the periods 0-550 years BP, 2100-2300 yr BP, and 2800-3000 yr BP.  Finally, for specific regions of the central Florida peninsula, such as Merritt Island on the Atlantic coast, and Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico coast, there have been extended periods of minimal storm activity over the past several millennia. 

The project has also provided a comparison of the major storm record for the historic era with that of the pre-historic era, i.e., the several millennia prior to the industrial revolution.  The results indicate that the number of major storms per century during the historic period (1842 - present) has in virtually all cases been significantly greater than for the pre-historic period. The historic era appears to be considerably more prone to major storms.  

The results of this work should improve our understanding of the impact of major storms on the coastal zone, where nearly half of the global population resides.  Coastal hazards, including storms and sea-level rise, are an increasing threat to the existence of coastal states.  A better knowledge of the frequency and impact of major storms is essential information for coastal managers and planners in ensuring the safety and well-being of coastal populations.


Last Modified: 06/03/2020
Modified by: Joseph F Donoghue

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