Professor of Geology Greg Wiles has recently received a grant from the National Science Foundation, which will allow him to continue his ongoing research of global climate change through the study of tree rings in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska. This research, done in collaboration with the U.S. Army, Columbia University, and the National Park Service, aims to establish a more detailed tree ring chronology, specifically focusing on patterns of temperature change in the past.
Glacier Bay, Ala., is an optimal spot to conduct this research and further develop the tree ring chronology because the ice there has recently receded about 120 kilometers, exposing thousands of logs that had been previously inaccessible under the ice. These logs can be incorporated in the tree census and hopefully will help piece together the past temperature trends of this area. Wiles comments that through their previous study of the tree rings they have established a sound idea in terms of temperature patterns ìof what went on over the last 1,500 years,” but with the new trees that have been exposed it might be possible to establish temperate patterns for ì5,000 to 6,000 years ago, maybe even 8,000.”
The purpose of all of this research reaches out globally in an attempt to understand the warming of our planet; ìYou canít really say we [humans] are causing climate change now unless you understand how the climate naturally changes,” explains Wiles. There are natural ups and downs in temperature that have been recorded in the past, and even now we know that the ìwhole world isnít warming uniformly, and that there are some places that are actually cooling now,” noted Wiles.
Taking the recently exposed trees into account and adding them into the tree data ó this will allow for a more detailed and more complete record of temperature variability.
Wiles has received similar grants in the past to help fund his research in Alaska, so while the $93,000 grant from the National Science Foundation was much appreciated and much needed, it was not the first of its kind. This grant also allows for eight students from Wooster to be able to assist in the research both in Alaska and here on campus in labs, and help them further their understanding of this field and in developing their senior Independent Study project.
ìThe grant actually kind of came too late, we just went to Alaska this past summer and did most of the work,” comments Wiles.
Yet there is still a lot of work to be done. He expects that it will take at least 20 years of work, recording and research to document all of the trees that have recently been exposed due to the recession of the glaciers.
However, with continued financial support of their program they hope to be able to piece together the patterns of temperature variations, as people all over the globe are attempting to do as well. Wiles believes that ìthe most important thing for the College now, is to get the students up to Alaska who are willing to help because they will be the next ones working on the research in the future,” he said.
ìWe need all the help we can get, all of the opinions we can get, and all of the combined minds to figure these patterns out.”