Terrence M. Quinn Chuan-Chou Shen Ke Lin Kristine L DeLong 2010 <p><span>The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 310 recovered drill cores from the drowned reefs around the island of Tahiti (17°40′S, 149°30′W), many of which contained samples of massive corals from the genus&nbsp;</span><i>Porites</i><span>. Herein we report on one well-preserved fossil coral sample: a 13.6 cm long&nbsp;</span><i>Porites</i><span>&nbsp;sp. dated by uranium series techniques at 9523 ± 33 years. Monthly&nbsp;</span><i>δ</i>¹⁸<span>O and Sr/Ca determinations reveal nine clear and robust annual cycles. Coral&nbsp;</span><i>δ</i>¹⁸<span>O and Sr/Ca determinations estimate a mean temperature of ∼24.3°C (∼3.2°C colder than modern) for Tahiti at 9.5 ka; however, this estimate is viewed with caution since potential sources of cold bias in coral geochemistry remain to be resolved. The interannual variability in coral&nbsp;</span><i>δ</i>¹⁸<span>O is similar between the 9.5 ka coral record and a modern record from nearby Moorea. The seasonal cycle in coral Sr/Ca is approximately the same or greater in the 9.5 ka coral record than in modern coral records from Tahiti. Paired analysis of coral&nbsp;</span><i>δ</i>¹⁸<span>O and Sr/Ca indicates cold/wet (warm/dry) interannual anomalies, opposite from those observed in the modern instrumental record.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1029/2009GC002758 en American Geophysical Union A snapshot of climate variability at Tahiti ~ 9 ka using a fossil coral from IODP Expedition 310 article