Award Abstract # 2102844
Collaborative Research: P2C2--Evaluating the Origins of Multidecadal Variability in Late Holocene Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall in Nepal

NSF Org: AGS
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Recipient: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
Initial Amendment Date: March 25, 2021
Latest Amendment Date: May 21, 2021
Award Number: 2102844
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Mea S. Cook
mcook@nsf.gov
 (703)292-7306
AGS
 Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: June 1, 2021
End Date: May 31, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $149,067.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $149,067.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2021 = $149,067.00
History of Investigator:
  • Caroline Ummenhofer (Principal Investigator)
    cummenhofer@whoi.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
266 WOODS HOLE RD
WOODS HOLE
MA  US  02543-1535
(508)289-3542
Sponsor Congressional District: 09
Primary Place of Performance: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
266 Woods Hole Rd.
Woods Hole
MA  US  02543-1535
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
09
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): GFKFBWG2TV98
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Paleoclimate
Primary Program Source: 01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 7754, 8070
Program Element Code(s): 153000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

The research team aims to develop a replicated, 4000-year-long, precisely dated, sub-decadally resolved, multi-proxy stalagmite reconstruction of Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) rainfall in Nepal and to couple this record with climate model simulations to examine the nature and origins of multidecadal monsoon variability during different climate states of the late Holocene.

The ISM supplies nearly seventy percent of South Asia?s annual precipitation, serving as the primary water resource for agriculture and the myriad of natural environments, including glaciers, across the region. Over the last century and a half, ISM rainfall has been positively correlated at multidecadal time scales with sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean. However, in the last twenty years, this link appears to have been broken, with monsoon rainfall over India failing to increase despite a much warmer North Atlantic. This shift has profound consequences for regional ecosystems and the approximately two billion people living in South Asia.

The potential Broader Impacts include a deeper understanding of a climatological system which impacts large human population centers, capacity building and expertise exchange with international colleagues, support of students involved with the research, and public outreach.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.

Print this page

Back to Top of page