This dataset presents stable isotope data (d13C, d18O, D47, D17O) from Holocene lake cores from three lakes in the Peruvian Andes (Lakes Junin, Pumacocha, and Mehcocha). We also present new radiocarbon (14C) data and core age models for Lakes Junin and Mehcocha. We use these data to explore trends in lake water temperatures and evaporative state (i.e., water balance) over the Holocene. Our clumped isotope (D47) results suggest lake water temperatures at all three lakes were stable over the Holocene and similar to present day lake temperatures. Our triple oxygen isotope (D’17O) results illustrate that lake water balance at all three lakes was variable over the Holocene and tracks changes in austral summertime insolation, suggesting a connection between central Andean water balance and the South American summer monsoon (SASM).
Katz, S.A., Levin, N.E., Abbott, M.B., Rodbell, D.T., Passey, B.H., DeLuca, N.M., Larsen, D.J., Woods, A. "Holocene temperature and water stress in the Peruvian Andes: insights from lake carbonate clumped and triple oxygen isotopes," in review. and Katz, S.A., (2024) Andean interglacial climate and hydrology over the last 650,000 years. [PhD Thesis, University of Michigan]
Inland lakes play a critical role in ecosystem stability, and robust validation of lake models is essential for understanding their dynamics. While remote sensing data can assist with lake surface temperature validation, in situ data typically provides more accurate, reliable data not limited to only the lake surface. However, in situ temperature data for many individual lakes, particularly in North America, is difficult for researchers to quickly access in a standardized format. This database offers a well-organized collection of in situ near-surface and subsurface temperatures from 134 sites divided among 29 large North American inland lakes collected from a variety of sources. The database includes multiple subsurface temperatures throughout the depth profile of 84 of these sites, providing comprehensive data for lake model evaluation. All lakes selected for this database are large enough (over approximately 30 km^2 to be represented by large-scale operational weather models, supporting robust lake model validation efforts on the lakes that have the greatest impact on climatology.
Sorensen, T., Espey, E., Kelley, J.G.W. et al. A database of in situ water temperatures for large inland lakes across the coterminous United States. Sci Data 11, 282 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-03103-8
