title: Sea-surface temperature from coral skeletal strontium/calcium ratios.
abstract: Seasonal records of tropical sea-surface temperature (SST) over the past 10(5) years can be recovered from high-precision measurements of coral strontium/calcium ratios with the use of thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The temperature dependence of these ratios was calibrated with corals collected at SST recording stations and by (18)O/(16)O thermometry. The results suggest that mean monthly SST may be determined with an apparent accuracy of better than 0.5 degrees C. Measurements on a fossil coral indicate that 10,200 years ago mean annual SSTs near Vanuatu in the southwestern Pacific Ocean were about 5 degrees C colder than today and that seasonal variations in SST were larger. These data suggest that tropical climate zones were compressed toward the equator during deglaciation.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Recy
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rougerie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joannot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henin