Introduction to Archaeoclimatology or
Macrophysical Climate Modeling (MCM)

CPEP has been engaged in pioneering studies of the interrelationships of climate, environment, and cultures since its inception.  Research at CPEP-CCR and elsewhere has shown that the timing of important changes in the archaeological record often corresponds closely with the timing of important changes in climate: changes that influence food, water resources, and trade. The Archaeoclimatology Lab has developed a climate modeling technique specifically designed to address the needs of archaeologists for developing a priori hypotheses about the past climates of their particular research sites.

Introducing the Archaeoclimatology Workbook!

	The Archaeoclimatology Macrophysical Climate Model (MCM) itself is now available to scientists. The Workbook provides the background information, guidance, and case studies you need to apply the model to your area of interest. The attached CD contains model template files for all climatic regimes. Major sections include: An Introduction to the Archaeoclimatology MCM Background into the Construction of the Model MCM Application: detailed how-to directions Applications of the MCM: case studies from around the world Resources and references The Workbook may be ordered here, directly from the publisher.
Announcing: The Archaeoclimatology Atlas of Oregon Arriving in Fall 2008 from the University of Utah Press: The Archaeoclimatology Atlas of Oregon: the modeled distribution in space and time of the past climate of Oregon by Reid A. Bryson, Katherine M. DeWall, and Alison Stenger. The Atlas provides an in-depth look at the modeled climatic and environmental history of the state over the past 14,000 years and analyzes the relationship between climatic variables and people in the past.  The Archaeoclimatology or Macrophysical Climate Model (MCM) presents an alternate and innovative means of modeling past climate that has been rigorously tested and verified against field evidence worldwide.  The model’s unique top-down approach provides site-specific, high-resolution (100-year averages) output of a broad range of climatic variables.  The Atlas provides both broad scale reconstructions of specific times in the past as well as detailed, site-specific graphs of precipitation, temperature, evaporation, and snowfall for more than seventy-five locations in Oregon.  Applications of the model and its implications for human populations in Oregon are explored for each region of the state, demonstrating the variability of human-climate interactions.  A must have resource for anyone interested in Oregon, history, or climate.

The Archaeoclimatology web site is divided into several major sections, which can be accessed through the links above or the descriptions below:

• Overview: view a powerpoint movie introduction to the Archaeoclimatology MCM

• Meet the Team: information about the scientists and staff of the lab

• Methodology: the nuts and bolts of the model in an accessible manner

• Models: case studies of applications of the models

• Publications: detailed listing of all publications referenced on the site, organized both by category and alphabetically

Requests for models or more information should be directed to Dr. Bryson.

Highlights of Current Research

Internal Research

• Upgrading the Archaeoclimate model from 200 to 100-year time steps, and addition of over 2500 radiocarbon-dated volcanic events spanning the last 40,000 years allowing more precise calculation of past albedo and glaciers. Click here to see the new 100-year models!

• A climatic investigation of the "ice-free corridor" vs. the coastal route for migration into the Americas (Katie McEnaney DeWall and Reid Bryson). Some preliminary information is available here.

• Climate Atlases of Oregon, Wisconsin, and the Indus Valley (Katie McEnaney DeWall and Reid Bryson). The Archaeoclimatology Atlas of Oregon will be available from the University of Utah Press in Spring 2008. View a powerpoint movie about the Atlas project.

Modeled Precipitation History for Madison, Wisconsin
using Archaeoclimatology techniques

• Exploring the Role of Changing Temperature, Precipitation, and Flood Regimes in the Middle to Late Woodland Transition in the Ohio Valley (Anthony Ruter, Reid Bryson).

• Testing of the macrophysical modeling approach with pollen data in the upper Midwest (Samantha Kaplan).

Collaborations

• Landuse and Landscape Socioecology in the Mediterranean Basin: providing climatic expertise for the Medlands project at Arizona State University.

• Models of climate change at the time of the Indus Valley Civilization. Rita Wright (New York University). See recent write up in Science.
• Paleoresearch now includes Archaeoclimatic models with each contract.  Linda Scott-Cummings, R.A. Varney (Paleoresearch, Inc. of Golden, CO).  

• Stream discharge and geomorphic history of the Pee Dee, Savannah, and Altamaha rivers. David Leigh (University of Georgia). 

• Archaeological investigations in ancient Lycia (Turkey).  James Doerner (University of Northern Colorado). 

• The modeling of lake-level history for Glacial Lake Bonneville. Robert Bryson (National Park Service – Mojave National Preserve).

• Archaeoclimate models for excavation site selection in central Oregon.  Alison Stenger (Institute for Archaeological Studies, Portland, Oregon). 

• Origin of horse nomadism. Claudia Chang (Sweetbriar College). 

• Holocene climatic variability in SW Australia. Karl-Heinz Wyrwoll (University of Western Australia)