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Research has found that Corals can show signs of Global Warming which in turn can provide a record of the climatic changes. Researchers from University of Arizona and National Center for Atmospheric Research have found changes of chemical nature in the corals enabling investigators to read from past records of trade winds in the Pacific Ocean.
The trade winds of the Pacific have varied a lot during the 20th century thereby having lasting impressions on global temperatures. This process could also be contributing a lot today’s climatic measurements. Weak trade winds occurring from 1910 to 1940 were the reason behind warm climate during that time whereas stronger air currents between 1940s to 1970s caused rising temperatures.
Strong trade winds during recent times could be the reason behind the rate of global warming decrease since the dawn of the 21st century, climatologists believed. This new study of corals backs evidence to this notion and possibly even explains the reason behind the slowdown of global warming. Once these currents settle down, researchers claim the rise in temperatures will be inevitable.
Diane Thompson, a postdoctoral scientist at NCAR stated that: “Strong winds in the tropical Pacific have been playing a huge hand in the slowdown of Global warming over the past 15 years. When these winds inevitably change to a weaker state, global warming will start to accelerate again.”
