Relating West Antarctic Ice Cores to Climate with Artificial Neural Networks

This NSF funded proposal focused on three areas: (1) filling gaps in and
extending the length of automatic weather station (AWS) records using an
objective technique based on feed-forward artificial neural networks (FF-ANNs)
and atmospheric reanalysis data from ECMWF (ERA-15); (2) extracting generalized
circulation patterns from ERA-15 annual fields using self-organizing maps; (3)
relating ice core data to the patterns found in (2) using FF-ANNs so as to
reconstruct past circulation from ice core data. Part 1 resulted in complete
15-year records (merged observations and FF-ANN-based predictions) at 6-hourly
resolution for these six AWS for 1979-1993: Siple Station, Byrd, Lettau,
Elaine, Marilyn and Ferrell. As these datasets are a synthesis of previously
existing observations (available from the University of Wisconsin,
http://uwamrc.ssec.wisc.edu/) and model-based predictions they are not posted
here (but they are available from the author on request). Similarly, parts 2
and 3 produced new analyses of existing model data (ERA-15). These results are
also available on request (pending publication).

Part 1 has been published in:
Reusch, D.B. and R.B. Alley, Automatic weather stations and artificial neural
networks: Improving the instrumental record in West Antarctica. Monthly Weather
Review. 130(12), 2002, 3037-3053.

Reusch, D.B., and R.B. Alley, A 15-Year West Antarctic Climatology from Six
Automatic-Weather-Station Temperature and Pressure Records, Journal of
Geophysical Research. 109, 2004, doi: 10.1029/2003JD004178.

Parts 2 and 3 are in review:
Reusch, D.B., B.C. Hewitson and R.B. Alley, Towards Ice Core-based Synoptic
Reconstructions of West Antarctic Climate with Artificial Neural Networks,
International Journal of Climate.