Northeastern Caribbean Coral Relative Luminescence Data ----------------------------------------------------------------------- World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder and NOAA Paleoclimatology Program ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: PLEASE CITE CONTRIBUTORS WHEN USING THIS DATA!!!!! NAME OF DATA SET: Northeastern Caribbean Coral Relative Luminescence Data LAST UPDATE: 6/2007 (Original receipt by WDC Paleo) CONTRIBUTOR: Johan Nyberg, Geological Survey of Sweden IGBP PAGES/WDCA CONTRIBUTION SERIES NUMBER: 2007-056 SUGGESTED DATA CITATION: Nyberg, J., et al. 2007. Northeastern Caribbean Coral Relative Luminescence Data. IGBP PAGES/World Data Center for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series # 2007-056. NOAA/NCDC Paleoclimatology Program, Boulder CO, USA. ORIGINAL REFERENCE: Nyberg, J., B.A. Malmgren, A. Winter, M.R. Jury, K.H. Kilbourne and T.M. Quinn. 2007. Low Atlantic hurricane activity in the 1970s and 1980s compared to the past 270 years. Nature, Vol. 447, No. 7145, pp. 698-702, 7 June 2007, doi:10.1038/nature05895. ABSTRACT: Hurricane activity in the North Atlantic Ocean has increased significantly since 1995. This trend has been attributed to both anthropogenically induced climate change and natural variability, but the primary cause remains uncertain. Changes in the frequency and intensity of hurricanes in the past can provide insights into the factors that influence hurricane activity, but reliable observations of hurricane activity in the North Atlantic only cover the past few decades. Here we construct a record of the frequency of major Atlantic hurricanes over the past 270 years using proxy records of vertical wind shear and sea surface temperature (the main controls on the formation of major hurricanes in this region) from corals and a marine sediment core. The record indicates that the average frequency of major hurricanes decreased gradually from the 1760s until the early 1990s, reaching anomalously low values during the 1970s and 1980s. Furthermore, the phase of enhanced hurricane activity since 1995 is not unusual compared to other periods of high hurricane activity in the record and thus appears to represent a recovery to normal hurricane activity, rather than a direct response to increasing sea surface temperature. Comparison of the record with a reconstruction of vertical wind shear indicates that variability in this parameter primarily controlled the frequency of major hurricanes in the Atlantic over the past 270 years, suggesting that changes in the magnitude of vertical wind shear will have a significant influence on future hurricane activity. GEOGRAPHIC REGION: Northeastern Caribbean, Atlantic Ocean PERIOD OF RECORD: 1730 - 2000 AD FUNDING SOURCES: Swedish Research Council grants to J.N. DESCRIPTION: This file contains relative luminescence intensity values during August to October in coral cores of the species Montastraea faveolata retrieved off Catalina Island, southeastern Dominican Republic, Mona Island, between Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and La Parguera, southwestern Puerto Rico. An excitation wavelength of 390nm and an emission wavelength of 490nm were used. The relative luminescence was calculated so that measurements of luminescence and reflectivity of coral slices are corrected using measurements of background and calcium carbonate standards. The two cores outside La Parguera were drilled in February 1998 and 2004, respectively. Four U/Th dates retrieved at the University of Minnesota, together with density-band counting, demonstrate that the first core represents ages ranging from 1768 to 1957. The second core spans back to 1870 on the basis of density-band counting. Coral Sites: Mona Island: 18.00 N, 67.50 N Isla Catalina, Dominican Republic: 18.20 N, 69.00 W La Parguera, Puerto Rico: 17.90 N, 67.00 N DATA: Relative luminescence intensity (Aug-Oct) five-year running averages Year Mona Island 1992 9.66 1991 8.93 1990 9.05 1989 9.05 1988 9.02 1987 9.35 1986 9.35 1985 9.06 1984 8.98 1983 9.25 1982 9.23 1981 9.23 1980 9.46 1979 9.44 1978 9.45 1977 9.56 1976 9.81 1975 9.83 1974 9.86 1973 9.89 1972 10.05 1971 10.20 1970 10.15 1969 10.16 1968 10.14 1967 9.89 1966 9.95 1965 10.04 1964 10.06 1963 10.15 1962 10.33 1961 9.93 1960 10.07 1959 10.12 1958 10.04 1957 10.04 1956 10.15 1955 10.45 1954 10.68 1953 10.81 1952 11.02 1951 11.23 1950 10.80 1949 10.54 1948 10.23 1947 9.94 1946 9.94 1945 10.32 1944 10.75 1943 10.97 1942 10.86 1941 10.62 1940 10.09 1939 9.72 1938 9.81 1937 10.16 1936 10.42 1935 10.85 1934 11.20 1933 11.05 1932 10.61 1931 10.82 1930 10.95 1929 11.35 1928 11.75 1927 11.87 1926 11.68 1925 11.42 1924 11.25 1923 11.31 1922 11.41 1921 11.29 1920 11.05 1919 10.52 1918 9.99 1917 10.27 1916 10.69 1915 11.24 1914 11.70 1913 12.20 1912 12.33 1911 12.35 1910 12.35 1909 12.20 1908 11.99 1907 11.64 1906 11.36 1905 11.10 1904 11.24 1903 11.51 1902 11.99 1901 12.25 1900 12.38 1899 12.28 1898 12.12 1897 11.85 1896 11.61 1895 11.69 1894 11.74 1893 11.69 1892 11.96 1891 12.45 1890 12.71 1889 12.89 1888 13.19 1887 13.05 1886 12.58 1885 12.21 1884 11.94 1883 11.68 1882 11.47 1881 11.53 1880 11.52 1879 11.58 1878 11.46 1877 11.43 1876 11.28 1875 11.21 1874 11.05 1873 11.04 1872 10.98 1871 10.96 1870 10.95 1869 10.99 1868 11.11 1867 11.02 1866 10.91 1865 11.07 1864 11.00 1863 11.04 1862 11.26 1861 11.51 1860 11.53 1859 11.85 1858 11.58 1857 11.96 1856 12.21 1855 12.31 1854 12.37 1853 12.81 1852 12.76 1851 12.83 1850 12.97 1849 13.10 1848 13.28 1847 13.33 1846 13.34 1845 13.12 1844 12.68 1843 12.68 1842 12.68 1841 12.68 1840 12.75 1839 12.75 1838 12.25 1837 11.78 1836 11.53 1835 11.23 1834 11.05 1833 11.01 1832 10.95 1831 10.74 1830 10.98 1829 11.04 1828 11.24 1827 11.47 1826 11.75 1825 11.83 1824 12.20 1823 12.21 1822 12.26 1821 12.34 1820 12.31 1819 12.18 1818 12.02 1817 11.64 1816 11.49 1815 11.51 1814 11.68 1813 11.72 1812 12.66 1811 13.50 1810 14.09 1809 14.33 1808 14.52 1807 14.14 1806 13.72 1805 13.19 1804 12.82 1803 13.06 1802 12.78 1801 12.68 1800 12.61 1799 12.53 1798 11.97 1797 11.66 1796 11.19 1795 10.90 1794 10.88 1793 11.18 1792 11.43 1791 11.17 1790 11.57 1789 11.66 1788 12.11 1787 12.30 1786 13.02 1785 13.08 1784 13.62 1783 13.23 1782 13.13 1781 12.89 1780 12.62 1779 11.95 1778 11.96 1777 12.27 1776 12.35 1775 12.59 1774 13.15 1773 13.81 1772 14.20 1771 14.41 1770 14.33 1769 13.88 1768 13.39 1767 13.12 1766 13.55 1765 14.05 1764 14.36 1763 13.98 1762 13.57 1761 12.98 1760 12.69 1759 12.63 1758 12.85 1757 13.26 1756 13.37 1755 12.96 1754 12.97 1753 13.29 1752 13.12 1751 13.01 1750 13.18 1749 13.43 1748 13.46 1747 13.77 1746 13.86 1745 13.93 1744 13.73 1743 13.88 1742 13.97 1741 14.35 1740 14.56 1739 14.33 1738 13.83 1737 13.23 1736 12.92 1735 12.91 1734 13.16 1733 13.43 1732 13.62 1731 13.46 1730 13.15 Relative luminescence intensity (Aug-Oct) five-year running averages Year Catalina Island 1992 10.30 1991 9.98 1990 9.92 1989 9.84 1988 9.63 1987 9.33 1986 9.07 1985 8.97 1984 8.88 1983 8.94 1982 9.00 1981 9.18 1980 9.20 1979 9.22 1978 9.47 1977 9.61 1976 9.98 1975 10.12 1974 10.02 1973 9.76 1972 10.08 1971 10.13 1970 10.20 1969 10.21 1968 10.44 1967 10.25 1966 10.12 1965 10.07 1964 10.07 1963 10.13 1962 10.34 1961 10.35 1960 10.52 1959 10.38 1958 10.27 1957 10.21 1956 10.10 1955 10.20 1954 10.69 1953 10.90 1952 11.34 1951 11.74 1950 11.45 1949 11.01 1948 10.56 1947 9.89 1946 9.84 1945 9.96 1944 10.35 1943 10.82 1942 11.30 1941 11.14 1940 11.06 1939 10.89 1938 10.58 1937 10.48 1936 10.86 1935 11.53 1934 12.08 1933 12.52 1932 12.87 1931 12.82 1930 12.76 1929 12.89 1928 12.99 1927 12.39 1926 11.88 1925 11.16 1924 10.54 1923 10.17 1922 10.31 1921 10.14 1920 10.13 1919 10.15 1918 10.07 1917 10.35 1916 11.18 1915 11.73 1914 12.25 1913 13.06 1912 13.37 1911 13.28 1910 13.36 1909 13.18 1908 12.63 1907 12.12 1906 11.84 1905 11.78 1904 11.90 1903 12.15 1902 12.66 1901 12.67 1900 12.59 1899 12.46 1898 12.17 1897 11.42 1896 11.47 1895 11.17 1894 10.84 1893 10.83 1892 11.56 1891 11.82 1890 12.28 1889 12.67 1888 12.95 1887 12.94 1886 12.77 1885 12.44 1884 12.39 1883 12.30 1882 12.15 1881 12.27 1880 12.35 1879 12.27 1878 12.21 1877 12.07 1876 11.84 1875 11.85 1874 11.41 1873 11.02 1872 11.16 1871 11.06 1870 10.96 1869 11.48 1868 11.80 1867 11.67 1866 11.99 1865 12.25 1864 11.99 1863 11.80 1862 11.64 1861 11.26 1860 11.04 1859 11.26 1858 11.60 1857 11.94 1856 12.28 1855 12.45 1854 12.39 1853 12.54 1852 12.73 1851 13.06 1850 13.12 1849 13.11 Relative luminescence intensity (Aug-Oct) five-year running averages Year La Parguera (drilled 1998) 1955 9.31 1954 9.41 1953 9.40 1952 9.40 1951 9.43 1950 9.36 1949 9.44 1948 9.48 1947 9.46 1946 9.61 1945 9.66 1944 9.69 1943 9.85 1942 9.65 1941 9.52 1940 9.47 1939 9.42 1938 9.28 1937 9.74 1936 9.87 1935 10.10 1934 10.19 1933 10.21 1932 10.07 1931 9.99 1930 10.01 1929 10.11 1928 10.03 1927 9.70 1926 9.53 1925 9.39 1924 9.32 1923 9.56 1922 9.71 1921 9.76 1920 9.62 1919 9.45 1918 9.15 1917 9.34 1916 9.23 1915 9.47 1914 9.61 1913 9.89 1912 10.16 1911 10.51 1910 10.56 1909 10.74 1908 10.63 1907 10.22 1906 10.04 1905 9.96 1904 9.86 1903 9.87 1902 10.00 1901 9.96 1900 9.77 1899 9.58 1898 9.35 1897 9.15 1896 9.01 1895 8.99 1894 9.07 1893 9.13 1892 9.17 1891 9.40 1890 9.67 1889 9.77 1888 10.15 1887 10.36 1886 10.35 1885 10.13 1884 10.06 1883 9.94 1882 9.90 1881 9.88 1880 10.18 1879 10.55 1878 10.85 1877 10.92 1876 11.16 1875 11.09 1874 10.79 1873 10.59 1872 10.64 1871 10.53 1870 10.65 1869 10.56 1868 10.47 1867 10.48 1866 10.21 1865 9.83 1864 9.76 1863 9.48 1862 9.21 1861 9.11 1860 9.03 1859 9.05 1858 9.16 1857 9.11 1856 9.25 1855 9.24 1854 8.95 1853 8.90 1852 8.68 1851 8.65 1850 8.85 1849 9.26 1848 9.44 1847 10.03 1846 9.95 1845 10.01 1844 9.76 1843 9.65 1842 9.55 1841 9.90 1840 9.94 1839 9.78 1838 9.70 1837 9.41 1836 9.12 1835 8.88 1834 9.00 1833 8.88 1832 8.87 1831 8.80 1830 8.71 1829 8.56 1828 8.55 1827 8.78 1826 8.76 1825 8.75 1824 8.77 1823 8.97 1822 8.83 1821 8.74 1820 8.99 1819 9.53 1818 10.09 1817 10.31 1816 10.87 1815 10.96 1814 10.93 1813 10.78 1812 11.11 1811 11.53 1810 11.85 1809 11.73 1808 11.52 1807 11.25 1806 11.03 1805 11.01 1804 11.28 1803 11.39 1802 11.31 1801 11.33 1800 10.96 1799 10.54 1798 10.35 1797 10.31 1796 9.73 1795 9.87 1794 10.18 1793 10.25 1792 10.25 1791 10.42 1790 10.44 1789 10.32 1788 10.36 1787 10.38 1786 10.35 1785 10.54 1784 11.06 1783 11.29 1782 11.35 1781 11.43 1780 11.04 1779 10.43 1778 10.14 1777 10.25 1776 10.38 1775 10.78 1774 10.89 1773 11.11 1772 11.28 1771 11.26 1770 11.43 Relative luminescence intensity (Aug-Oct) five-year running averages Year La Parguera (drilled 2004) 2000 9.45 1999 9.38 1998 9.31 1997 9.31 1996 8.78 1995 8.50 1994 8.52 1993 8.32 1992 8.38 1991 8.49 1990 8.67 1989 8.54 1988 8.40 1987 8.31 1986 8.41 1985 8.29 1984 8.68 1983 9.09 1982 8.83 1981 8.71 1980 8.97 1979 8.78 1978 8.89 1977 9.29 1976 9.38 1975 9.08 1974 8.92 1973 8.71 1972 8.88 1971 9.08 1970 9.47 1969 9.91 1968 10.14 1967 9.82 1966 9.74 1965 9.72 1964 9.50 1963 9.55 1962 9.77 1961 9.76 1960 9.61 1959 9.52 1958 9.35 1957 9.29 1956 9.22 1955 9.31 1954 9.44 1953 9.52 1952 9.51 1951 9.58 1950 9.49 1949 9.55 1948 9.56 1947 9.63 1946 9.79 1945 10.06 1944 10.01 1943 10.04 1942 9.68 1941 9.46 1940 9.06 1939 9.04 1938 8.93 1937 9.18 1936 9.44 1935 9.79 1934 9.87 1933 9.95 1932 10.05 1931 10.08 1930 10.20 1929 10.49 1928 10.59 1927 10.21 1926 10.00 1925 9.74 1924 9.67 1923 10.01 1922 10.20 1921 10.23 1920 10.23 1919 10.10 1918 9.63 1917 9.72 1916 9.63 1915 9.91 1914 10.09 1913 10.36 1912 10.70 1911 10.92 1910 10.84 1909 10.82 1908 10.75 1907 10.39 1906 10.19 1905 9.96 1904 9.81 1903 9.61 1902 9.61 1901 9.55 1900 9.48 1899 9.39 1898 9.45 1897 9.49 1896 9.48 1895 9.59 1894 9.72 1893 9.79 1892 9.73 1891 10.01 1890 10.27 1889 10.27 1888 10.52 1887 10.66 1886 10.47 1885 10.20 1884 10.16 1883 10.08 1882 10.06 1881 10.20 1880 10.37 1879 10.79 1878 10.99 1877 10.99 1876 11.08 1875 11.16 1874 10.75 1873 10.59 1872 10.68 1871 10.65