Coherence between tropical East African and South American records of the Little Ice Age

Comparison of high-resolution paleoclimate records from Lake Malawi and the Cariaco Basin reveals a consistent tropical behavior during the Little Ice Age. These records, which are interpreted to represent southward excursions of intertropical convergence zone position over southern tropical East Africa and northeastern South America, are characterized by subcentennial variability superimposed on a ramp of increasing intensity from CE 1400 to 1800. This response appears similar to that of "cold" episodes during the Late Glacial. The synchrony of these records suggests a teleconnection in tropical climate that may be a manifestation of persistent ENSO-like conditions.