Common Era Reconstructions of African Dust Transport to the Western North Atlantic

This project aims to combine results and analyses from previous published research with new analytical measurements using Thorium isotopes to develop a record of dust deposition in the Western Atlantic (Bermuda and Bahamas) over the past 1,500 years to investigate relationships between dust and past climate. While dust aerosol is a critical component in the climate system and can force changes in surface temperatures through radiative effects, it can also respond to movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Such climate-dust interconnectivity and its effects on past or future climates, particularly in the North Atlantic, requires knowledge on the relative changes in atmospheric dust at the North African source as well as the regional extent of the dust transport. The research will address three key questions: 1) did North African dust activity significantly impact North Atlantic Sea surface temperatures; 2) did North African dust activity suppress basin-wide hurricane frequency; and 3) is African dust emission and transport over the Atlantic consistently linked with ITCZ movement or other climate indices? The potential Broader Impacts include a better understanding of the climate system, support for a graduate student, development of a network of colleagues in the Gulf Coast region, and a three-day High School Teacher Workshop for teachers from rural, inland areas of Mississippi and Alabama. In coordination with USM’s Marine Education Center, the researchers will engage teachers from underserved areas to learn how to implement ocean and climate research (including the impacts of African dust) into their teaching. This will involve teaching seminars, development of Science on a Sphere content, visits to research labs and a coastal Mississippi field trip. The Workshop activities will also include a follow-up to maintain connections with the High School teachers including an assessment of the workshop and the effectiveness of classroom implementation. 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.