Stable isotope analysis in ice core paleoclimatology

Ice cores from New Zealand and the Antarctic margin provide an excellent means of addressing the lack of longer-term climate observations in the Southern Hemisphere with near instrumental quality. Their study helps us to improve our understanding of regional patterns of climate behaviour in Antarctica and its influence on New Zealand, leading to more realistic regional climate models. Such models are needed to sensibly interpret current Antarctic and New Zealand climate variability and for the development of appropriate mitigation strategies for New Zealand. Ice core records provide an annual-scale, 'instrumental-quality' baseline of atmospheric temperature and circulation changes back many thousands of years. (author). 45 refs., 16 figs., 2 tabs.