Documentary evidence as a source of data for temperature and precipitation reconstructions in the past millennium

MACKOVÁ, Jarmila, Rudolf BRÁZDIL, Petr DOBROVOLNÝ and Monika HALÍČKOVÁ. Documentary evidence as a source of data for temperature and precipitation reconstructions in the past millennium. In Geophysical Research Abstracts. Volume 9. Vienna: EGU General Assembly, 2007, p. 1. ISBN 1029-7006.

Basic information

• Original name: Documentary evidence as a source of data for temperature and precipitation reconstructions in the past millennium
• Name in Czech: Dokumentární data jako zdroj dat pro rekonstrukce teploty vzduchu a srážek za posledních tísíc let
• Authors: MACKOVÁ, Jarmila, Rudolf BRÁZDIL, Petr DOBROVOLNÝ and Monika HALÍČKOVÁ.
• Edition: Volume 9. Vienna, Geophysical Research Abstracts, p. 1-1, 2007.
• Publisher: EGU General Assembly

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Proceedings paper
• Field of Study: 10500 1.5. Earth and related environmental sciences
• Country of publisher: Austria
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• ISBN: 1029-7006
• Keywords in English: documentary evidence; temperature; precipitation; indices; reconstruction
• Tags: documentary evidence, indices, Precipitation, reconstruction, Temperature
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

Documentary evidence is used as one type of proxy data extending knowledge about climate in the pre-instrumental period in Europe where exists a long cultural tradition of keeping written documents. Documentary data are one type of evidence used in the EU project MILLENNIUM for temperature reconstruction. On the example of the Czech Republic, available data sources and their evaluation are presented. The data sources include written narrative sources (annals, chronicles), visual daily weather records, personal correspondence, economic records, special prints, early journalism, early scientific papers, early instrumental records etc. Advantages and disadvantages of documentary evidence with respect to temperature and precipitation reconstructions are discussed. Database creation and dealing with these data is described. Density of weather records is increasing from the past to the present, changing from information about weather and climatic extremes to description of usual daily weather. These data are used for deriving temperature and precipitation indices. Utilisation of visual daily weather records for deriving indices and their quantification is documented. Future research activities in the Czech Republic are also presented.

Abstract (in Czech)

Documentary evidence is used as one type of proxy data extending knowledge about climate in the pre-instrumental period in Europe where exists a long cultural tradition of keeping written documents. Documentary data are one type of evidence used in the EU project MILLENNIUM for temperature reconstruction. On the example of the Czech Republic, available data sources and their evaluation are presented. The data sources include written narrative sources (annals, chronicles), visual daily weather records, personal correspondence, economic records, special prints, early journalism, early scientific papers, early instrumental records etc. Advantages and disadvantages of documentary evidence with respect to temperature and precipitation reconstructions are discussed. Database creation and dealing with these data is described. Density of weather records is increasing from the past to the present, changing from information about weather and climatic extremes to description of usual daily weather. These data are used for deriving temperature and precipitation indices. Utilisation of visual daily weather records for deriving indices and their quantification is documented. Future research activities in the Czech Republic are also presented.