Improving temperature reconstructions from ice-core water-isotope records

Abstract. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope ratios in polar precipitation are widely used as proxies for local temperature. In combination, oxygen also provide information on sea surface temperature at the oceanic moisture source locations where originates. Temperature reconstructions obtained from ice-core records generally rely linear approximations of relationships among temperature, water-isotope values. However, there important nonlinearities that significantly affect such reconstructions, particularly region temperatures. Here, we describe a relatively simple distillation model novel reconstruction method accounts these nonlinearities. Further, examine detail many parameters, assumptions, uncertainties underlie models their influence reconstructions. We new absolute condensation evaporation all long Antarctic which necessary data available. These differ previous estimates due to both our technique, is investigated directly. thorough uncertainty histories. Our constrain pattern magnitude amplification past reveal asymmetries histories East West Antarctica.