Long-range memory in Earth's climate response - analysis of paleoclimatic records and climate model simulations

Abstract

The memory properties in paleoclimate temperature records based on model simulations and proxy-reconstructions have been investigated, to find out if these records exhibit long-range memory in a similar manner as many instrumental temperature records. On time scales from years to centuries and even millennia, long-range memory is identified in the paleoclimate records using a toolbox of statistical time series analysis techniques. However, extra care must be taken when making inference about the memory in proxy-based temperature reconstructions. These records are subject to noise, uncertainties and biases that are not relevant to instrumental temperature.