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Project Progress

1. A map of advanced very-high-resolution radiometer — normalized difference vegetation index (AVHRR-NDVI) was produced for the subtropical and higher latitude growing season of South America (Oct-Jan, when El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effects are more intense) on monthly data from 1981 through 2000. This is the time when ENSO effects are strongest. Also, the map validates earlier ground-level studies by Hueck and Seibert (1982).

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2. Analysis of the South American AVHRR-NDVI database was completed and a summary description of the continent’s NDVI-deviations from normal (i.e. 1981-2000) under “El Niño”, “La Niña” and “Normal” conditions was produced.

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3. In collaboration with the Drylands Institute in Tucson, we applied this method to the area including most of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California, and the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Zacatcas, Chiuaua, Durango, Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Baja California Norte and Sur.

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4. Studying the forcing of South American climate we simulated the “Paleo” Sea Surface Temperature for the West Coast of the Americas (“Ship Track 1”) and the Tropical Atlantic Ocean for the period 1246-1995 based on tree-ring widths.

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5. In collaboration with ESPOL (Guayaquil, Ecuador), several archeological “albarradas” were dated by radiocarbon, demonstrating that people in the Inca Empire understood and used ENSO events to improve agriculture.

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6. The Astrobiology, Earth Science, and History Workshop held in Morgan Hill and chaired by D’Antoni (April 13-19, 2003) set the basis for interdisciplinary, collaborative work in selected regions of South America.

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