88th Annual Meeting (20-24 January 2008)

Tuesday, 22 January 2008: 2:00 PM
Signatures of land-atmosphere feedback in a 360-year tree-ring record
224 (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
Randal D. Koster, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD; and H. C. Fritts and M. Suarez
A 360-year proxy (tree ring-based) temperature record spanning the continental United States provides a valuable, unparalleled opportunity to examine climate statistics associated with land-atmosphere feedback. Here, we demonstrate that the record does indeed contain certain established signatures of land-atmosphere feedback, particularly those associated with the variance and skew of summer air temperature. The lengthier data record provides support to the proposition that the land surface plays a key role in shaping continental air temperature variability.

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