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Late Holocene Sea Temperatures Along The Cental California Coast, Terry L. Jones, Douglas J. Kennett

Social Sciences

Mussel shells from central California coastal archaeological sites record changes in sea surface temperatures in the past 2000 years. Water temperatures, inferred from oxygen isotopes in the shells, were about 1°C cooler than present and stable between 2000 and 700 yr ago. Between about 700 and 500 yr ago, seasonal variation was greater than present, with extremes above and below historic levels. Water temperatures were 2-3°C cooler than today 500-300 yr ago. The interval of variable sea temperatures 700-500 yr ago partially coincided with an interval of drought throughout central California. A coincident disruption in human settlement along the coast …