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dc.contributor.authorWoodhouse, Connie Ann, 1957-
dc.creatorWoodhouse, Connie Ann, 1957-en_US
dc.date.accessioned2011-11-28T13:31:23Z
dc.date.available2011-11-28T13:31:23Z
dc.date.issued1996en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10150/191204
dc.description.abstractThe primary goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the spatial and temporal relationships between atmospheric circulation features and winter climate variability in the southwestern United States, and to investigate the variations in these relationships over the past three centuries. A set of six circulation indices is compiled that describes circulation features important to winter climate variability in this region. This set includes pre-existing indices such as the SOI and a modified PNA index, as well as regionally-tailored indices. A network of 88 tree-ring chronologies is then used to reconstruct the indices and the regional winter climate variables: numbers of rainy days (a variable not previously reconstructed with tree rings) and mean maximum temperature. Analyses suggest that three types of circulation features have influenced winter climate in the Southwest over the past three centuries. Although ENSO-related circulation patterns have been an important factor, especially in the 20th century, circulation patterns featuring a southwestern low appear to be as important if not more important to climate in some time periods. Results suggest that low frequency variations in atmospheric circulation patterns have occurred over the past three centuries and have had spatially and temporally varying impacts on winter climate in the Southwest.
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherThe University of Arizona.en_US
dc.rightsCopyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.en_US
dc.subjectHydrology.en_US
dc.subjectDendroclimatology -- Southwest, New.en_US
dc.titleClimate variability in the Southwestern United States as reconstructed from tree-ring chronologiesen_US
dc.typeDissertation-Reproduction (electronic)en_US
dc.typetexten_US
dc.contributor.chairHirschboeck, Katherine K.en_US
dc.identifier.oclc221991086en_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Arizonaen_US
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen_US
dc.contributor.committeememberBaker, Victor R.en_US
dc.contributor.committeememberMeko, David M.en_US
dc.contributor.committeememberComrie, Andrew C.en_US
dc.contributor.committeememberYool, Stephen R.en_US
thesis.degree.disciplineGeosciencesen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineGraduate Collegeen_US
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en_US
dc.description.notehydrology collectionen_US
refterms.dateFOA2018-06-25T13:39:15Z
html.description.abstractThe primary goal of this research is to gain a better understanding of the spatial and temporal relationships between atmospheric circulation features and winter climate variability in the southwestern United States, and to investigate the variations in these relationships over the past three centuries. A set of six circulation indices is compiled that describes circulation features important to winter climate variability in this region. This set includes pre-existing indices such as the SOI and a modified PNA index, as well as regionally-tailored indices. A network of 88 tree-ring chronologies is then used to reconstruct the indices and the regional winter climate variables: numbers of rainy days (a variable not previously reconstructed with tree rings) and mean maximum temperature. Analyses suggest that three types of circulation features have influenced winter climate in the Southwest over the past three centuries. Although ENSO-related circulation patterns have been an important factor, especially in the 20th century, circulation patterns featuring a southwestern low appear to be as important if not more important to climate in some time periods. Results suggest that low frequency variations in atmospheric circulation patterns have occurred over the past three centuries and have had spatially and temporally varying impacts on winter climate in the Southwest.


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