South Island, New Zealand
January 1, 2004 to February 28, 2004
The goals of this project are to produce detailed reconstructions of glacier history and climate change during the last 30,000 years (Late Quaternary). Mapping of glacial deposits to determine past ice limits will continue along the West and Eastern margins of the New Zealand Southern Alps (G. Denton). Lake sediment samples and lake cores will be collected (M Vandergoes) and used to develop high-resolution records of temperature change through the analysis of the fossil remains of non-biting midges. These records will allow interpretations of the timing, structure and magnitude of climate change in New Zealand during the Last Glacial Maximum and deglaciation (c. 30,000-10,000 years before present), and be used to test hypotheses related to the cause and global distribution of ice ages and rapid climate change.
For more info, please visit the Glacial History and Climate Reconstruction from the South Island, New Zealand Project page.
Marcus has sent us some postcards:
"Hi all, well here it is a postcard from New Zealand. While you guys have been freezing back in Maine we have been enjoying a South Pacific summer of mixed climate ranging from 29°C hot, dry days to torrential rainstorms and high velocity winds. All this has lead to an interesting field season so far.
Week 1, Week 2 & 3, Week 4, Week 5
"Well that’s about all so far. All in all things are going well. At the beginning of the season we set out to collect a minimum of 25 samples from varying lakes and tarns at different altitudes. Today we collected our 31st sample. I hope to send another update soon. Until then it’s goodbye from N.Z."