ABSTRACT OPP-9711609 RAM, MICHAEL SUNY at Buffalo This research project will utilize the Greenland Ice Sheet Project Two (GISP2) ice core to look for evidence of an eleven-year sunspot cycle. Preliminary results indicate that some of the GISP2 ice core contains dust that has been transported by global atmospheric circulation to the summit of Greenland and incorporated into the ice sheet. Those results show that a sunspot cycle exists in an older section of the core and the investigator will determine if the same cycle can be identified in the past few hundred years when there is a historical, observational record of fluctuating sunspot activity. The investigator will examine the relationship of increased aridity in China (the likely source of the dust) with the sunspot cycle to determine if fluctuations in solar activity may be responsible for changes either in desert size or wind speed/direction. Therefore, this project has important implications for the impact of solar activity on continental environments.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Polar Programs (PLR)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
9711609
Program Officer
Michael T. Ledbetter
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1997-08-01
Budget End
2001-07-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
$255,626
Indirect Cost
Name
Suny at Buffalo
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Buffalo
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14260