Tropical cyclone frequency inferred from intra-annual density fluctuations in longleaf pine
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Tyler J. Mitchell (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Paul Knapp
Abstract: I present a new method for identifying historic tropical cyclone activity utilizing frequencies of intra-annual density fluctuations in longleaf pine in western Florida. In addition, in this work I provide information about the causal factors that determine the formation of intra-annual density fluctuations (IADFs) in longleaf pine latewood. Specifically, I test the viability of using L+ IADFs in longleaf pine latewood as a proxy for historic tropical cyclone frequency and precipitation for the period 1950–2017. The stabilized frequency of L+ IADF occurrence is significantly (p < 0.01) associated with PDSI for the months June through October indicating that high amounts of late growing-season moisture promote the formation of IADFs in latewood. I find the strongest relationships between PDSI and IADF occurrence during September and October, indicating the influence of tropical cyclone (TC)-sourced precipitation on IADF formation. High IADF stabilized frequencies (i.e., > 0.50) nearly always (88%) coincide with a TC tracking into the study area, and I find a significant (p < 0.01) relationship between TC-sourced precipitation and the stabilized frequency of L+ IADFs. Via this relationship, reconstruction of historic tropical cyclone frequency and precipitation is probable, which would allow for increased understanding of historic tropical cyclone activity prior to the historic climate record.
Tropical cyclone frequency inferred from intra-annual density fluctuations in longleaf pine
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Created on 5/1/2019
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2019
- Keywords
- Climatology, Dendroclimatology, Florida, Intra-annual density fluctuation, Longleaf pine, Tropical cyclone
- Subjects
- Cyclones $z Tropics $x History
- Longleaf pine $z Florida
- Dendroclimatology