Late Holocene intensification of the westerly winds at the subantarctic Auckland Islands (51° S), New Zealand

A late Holocene intensification of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds (SHWWs) between approximately 1600 and 900 years ago was identified at the subantarctic Auckland Islands, New Zealand. This finding suggests a northward migration of the SHWW over New Zealand during the first half of the last millennium, consistent with climate-driven vegetation changes in the region. The study used fjord sediment core data, analyzing magnetic susceptibility (MS), bulk organic δ13C and atomic C/N ratios to track terrestrial and marine organic matter influxes, alongside benthic foraminifer δ18O and δ13C to assess water column responses. Comparisons with records from southern South America and West Antarctica indicate a late Holocene strengthening of the SHWWs, likely linked to atmospheric teleconnections and Southern Annular Mode variability.

Browne, I. M., Moy, C. M., Riesselman, C. R., Neil, H. L., Curtin, L. G., Gorman, A. R., & Wilson, G. S. (2017). Late Holocene intensification of the westerly winds at the subantarctic Auckland Islands (51° S), New Zealand. Climate of the Past, 13(10), 1301–1322. https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-1301-2017