Testing the “tropical storm” hypothesis of Yucatan Peninsula climate variability during the Maya Terminal Classic Period

Medina‐Elizalde, Martín; Polanco-Martínez, Josué M.; Lases‐Hernandez, Fernanda; Bradley, Raymond S.; Burns, Stephen J.

doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2016.05.006

Cited by 26 publications

(26 citation statements)

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“…Positive (enriched) and negative (depleted) excursions in the isotopic composition of tropical rainfall have been linked to the occurrence of dry and wet conditions, respectively 10–15 . These types of statistical inferences are often not physically based, and interpretations are even more problematic as the sampling frequency increases (i.e., weekly to sub-daily) 33 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deciphering key processes controlling rainfall isotopic variability during extreme tropical cyclones

et al. 2019

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The Mesoamerican and Caribbean (MAC) region is characterized by tropical cyclones (TCs), strong El Niño-Southern Oscillation events, and climate variability that bring unique hazards to socio-ecological systems. Here we report the first characterization of the isotopic evolution of a TC (Hurricane Otto, 2016) in the MAC region. We use long-term daily rainfall isotopes from Costa Rica and event-based sampling of Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017), to underpin the dynamical drivers of TC isotope ratios. During Hurricane Otto, rainfall exhibited a large isotopic range, comparable to the annual isotopic cycle. As Hurricane Otto organized into a Category 3, rapid isotopic depletion coupled with a decrease in d-excess indicates efficient isotopic fractionation within ~200 km SW of the warm core. Our results shed light on key processes governing rainfall isotope ratios in the MAC region during continental and maritime TC tracks, with applications to the interpretation of paleo-hydroclimate across the tropics.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deciphering key processes controlling rainfall isotopic variability during extreme tropical cyclones

et al. 2019

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“…Medina‐Elizalde et al . () used other proxy data ( δ 18 O‐derived precipitation levels recorded from a stalagmite in the Yucatán Peninsula) and found that regional palaeo‐storm records suggested that tropical storm activity in the Yucatán Peninsula was either similar to or significantly lower than today during the TCP (Terminal Classic Period; ad 750–950). Therefore, perhaps some of the ‘washover’ events identified in the literature of similar age may not have been caused by hurricane events.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If 20th Century category 5 hurricanes have not been able to move reef boulders, it seems plausible to assign a tsunami origin to the extreme wave event that resulted in the formation of the boulder ridges studied. Medina-Elizalde et al (2016) used other proxy data (d 18 O-derived precipitation levels recorded from a stalagmite in the Yucat an Peninsula) and found that regional palaeo-storm records suggested that tropical storm activity in the Yucat an Peninsula was either similar to or significantly lower than today during the TCP (Terminal Classic Period; AD 750-950).…”

Section: Origin Of the Boulder Ridgesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An extreme wave event in eastern Yucatán, Mexico: Evidence of a palaeotsunami event during the Mayan times

et al. 2019

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The Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, has typically been considered a tectonically stable region with little significant seismic activity. The region though, is one that is regularly affected by hurricanes. A detailed survey of ca 100 km of the eastern Yucatán and Cozumel coast identified the presence of ridges containing individual boulders measuring >1 m in length. The boulder ridges reach 5 m in height and their origin is associated with extreme wave event activity. Previously modelled tsunami waves from known seismically active zones in the region (Muertos Thrust Belt and South Caribbean Deformed Belt) are not of sufficient scale in the area of the Yucatán Peninsula to have produced the boulder ridges recorded in this study. The occurrence of hurricanes in this region is more common, but two of the most destructive (Hurricane Gilbert 1988 and Hurricane Wilma 2005) produced coastal waves too small to have created the ridges recorded here. In this paper, a new tsunami model with a source area located on the Motagua/Swan Island Fault System has been generated that indicates a tsunami event may have caused the extreme wave events that resulted in the deposition of the boulder ridges.

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“…Point-by-point details on stratiform analysis are presented in Sánchez- Murillo et al (2019a) and Munksgaard et al (2020). Positive (enriched) and negative (depleted) inputs in the isotopic composition of tropical rainfall have been linked in paleoclimatic studies to the occurrence of dry and wet conditions, respectively (Frappier et al, 2007;Medina-Elizalde et al, 2016). These types of inferences are often not physically based, and interpretations are even more problematic as modern sampling frequency increases (i.e., monthly to daily).…”

Section: Stratiform and Convective Rainfall Fractionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracing Water Sources and Fluxes in a Dynamic Tropical Environment: From Observations to Modeling

et al. 2020

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Tropical regions cover approximately 36% of the Earth's landmass. These regions are home to 40% of the world's population, which is projected to increase to over 50% by 2030 under a remarkable climate variability scenario often exacerbated by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other climate teleconnections. In the tropics, ecohydrological conditions are typically under the influence of complex land-oceanatmosphere interactions that produce a dynamic cycling of mass and energy reflected in a clear partition of water fluxes. Here, we present a review of 7 years of a concerted and continuous water stable isotope monitoring across Costa Rica, including key insights learned, main methodological advances and limitations (both in experimental designs and data analysis), potential data gaps, and future research opportunities with a humid tropical perspective. The uniqueness of the geographic location of Costa Rica within the mountainous Central America Isthmus, receiving moisture inputs from the Caribbean Sea (windward) and the Pacific Ocean (complex leeward topography), and experiencing strong ENSO events, poses a clear advantage for the use of isotopic variations to underpin key drivers in ecohydrological responses. In a sequential approach, isotopic variations are analyzed from moisture transport, rainfall generation, and groundwater/surface connectivity to Bayesian and rainfall-runoff modeling. The overarching goal of this review is to provide a robust humid tropical example with a progressive escalation from common water isotope observations to more complex modeling outputs and applications to enhance water resource management in the tropics.

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Testing the “tropical storm” hypothesis of Yucatan Peninsula climate variability during the Maya Terminal Classic Period

Cited by 26 publications

References 50 publications

Deciphering key processes controlling rainfall isotopic variability during extreme tropical cyclones

Deciphering key processes controlling rainfall isotopic variability during extreme tropical cyclones

An extreme wave event in eastern Yucatán, Mexico: Evidence of a palaeotsunami event during the Mayan times

Tracing Water Sources and Fluxes in a Dynamic Tropical Environment: From Observations to Modeling

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