| Popis: |
Transfer functions are empirical equations for making quantitative estimates of past atmospheric and oceanic conditions from paleontologic data. They are calibrated on a set of geographically-distributed observations which record both the modern climate and the biotic response to climate as reflected in paleontological samples. The technique has been used on tree rings (27) and pollen as well as on planktonic microfossils (including foraminifera, coccoliths, radiolaria, and diatoms, (28)). Down-core applications in deep-sea Quaternary sediments yield time series reflecting local changes in seasonal temperatures and salinity. When applied to samples from a chronostratigraphic horizon, transfer functions yield synoptic charts of past climates. In this form paleontological data are readily interpretable by meteorologists and physical oceanographers, and can be entered as boundary conditions into numerical models of climate. |
