Antarctic Research Centre Te Puna Pātiotio

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Kevin Henson

Kevin Henson

Contact

Email: Kevin.Henson@vuw.ac.nz
Office: CO531

Qualifications

BSc Ateneo de Manila University (2017)
MSc Candidate in Ice Cores & Antarctic Climatology

Master thesis

Title

Does Antarctic dust deposition characterise Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation variability in the last century?

Supervisors

    Project objectives and description

    Climate variability in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) is dominated by the belt of circumpolar westerly winds. Understanding the dynamics of this large-scale circulation pattern is crucial for predicting future SH climate. As aeolian dust transport and deposition are driven by wind flow and precipitation, variability of long-range transported dust in Antarctica can be used to study changes in atmospheric circulation. Over interannual to millennial timescales, the wind flow patterns that modulate dust deposition vary regionally in Antarctica. To increase our understanding of circulation variability and consequent dust transport, this research project proposes to investigate an anomalous increase in dust deposition over the last century as observed in a new ice core from Kohnen Station (74°60′S, 0°6′E), Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Given the sensitivity of dust variability to wind flow and precipitation, the hypothesis is that the recent increase in dust deposition is associated with a 20th century shift in circulation patterns.

    The overall aim of this project is to investigate temporal and spatial relationships between dust deposition in Dronning Maud Land and large-scale circulation variability over the last century. Findings from this study will increase understanding of past SH climate variability as it relates to past dust variability and help inform climate projections in the SH. The specific objectives of this study are to 1) identify dominant dust transport pathways to Kohnen Station (KS), 2) determine regional climatic controls of dust flux and particle size distribution (PSD) at KS, 3) contextualise dust trends at KS through inter-comparison with other Antarctic ice core records and 4) develop a proxy of large-scale circulation using dust concentration and PSD.