Regional hydroclimate
Monsoon systems are major components of the global climate system. They play a profound role in large-scale heat and moisture transport, as well as provide critical water resources needed for human water supply, agriculture, and ecosystems. Slight variations in the intensity and/or timing of monsoon rainfall could lead to profound hydroclimate hazards such as floods and droughts, and subsequently, adverse socioeconomic impacts on communities. Building on my expertise in stable isotopes in ecological applications, my research utilizes paleoclimate proxies, instrumental data, and climate model simulation outputs to improve our understanding of current hydroclimate activities and future projections.
Highlights
Sedimentary leaf wax stable isotopes
The isotopic variability in regional precipitation of the Andean highlands largely reflects the rainout effect, driven by the South American summer monsoon (SASM). However, the links among precipitation isotopes, glacial activities, and air temperature remain unclear. I use sedimentary leaf waxes preserved in lake sediments and peats to study local-scale and regional-scale hydroclimate variability in the Peruvian Andean highlands. I find that the Cordillera Vilcanota, southeast Peru became drier and cooler during the Little Ice Age (1600 - 1850 CE) despite the SASM being the most intensified. As a result, ice cores accumulated less ice during this period despite having more negative δ18O values. [Talk video]
Proxy system modeling and data assimilation
My postdoc appointment with Dr. Kathleen R. Johnson at the University of California, Irvine builds on the knowledge of hydroclimate proxy systems and hydroclimate variability in the monsoon system. My proposed project aims to combine different hydroclimate proxy systems (e.g., speleothems, waxes, and tree rings) and climate model simulation outputs to develop a regional-scale hydroclimate signal over the Southeast Asian region since Pleistocene. The proxy system model (PSM) is used for identifying controls and interrelationships among different proxy systems.