Editing Coral (section)

====Geochemistry====
Corals are shallow, colonial organisms that integrate oxygen and trace elements into their skeletal [[aragonite]] ([[Polymorphism (materials science)|polymorph]] of [[calcite]]) crystalline structures as they grow. Geochemical anomalies within the crystalline structures of corals represent functions of temperature, salinity and oxygen isotopic composition. Such geochemical analysis can help with climate modeling.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kilbourne |first1=K. Halimeda |last2=Quinn |first2=Terrence M. |last3=Taylor |first3=Frederick W. |last4=Delcroix |first4=Thierry |last5=Gouriou |first5=Yves |year=2004 |title=El Niño-Southern Oscillation-related salinity variations recorded in the skeletal geochemistry of a ''Porites'' coral from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu |journal=Paleoceanography |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=PA4002 |bibcode=2004PalOc..19.4002K |doi=10.1029/2004PA001033|doi-access=free }}</ref> The [[δ18O|ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16]] (δ<sup>18</sup>O), for example, is a proxy for temperature.

=====Strontium/calcium ratio anomaly=====
Time can be attributed to coral geochemistry anomalies by correlating [[strontium]]/[[calcium]] minimums with [[sea surface temperature|sea surface temperature (SST)]] maximums to data collected from [http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/gcos_wgsp/Timeseries/Nino34/ NINO 3.4 SSTA].<ref name="Ren, L. 2002">{{cite journal |last1=Ren |first1=Lei |last2=Linsley |first2=Braddock K. |last3=Wellington |first3=Gerard M. |last4=Schrag |first4=Daniel P. |last5=Hoegh-guldberg |first5=Ove |year=2003 |title=Deconvolving the δ<sup>18</sup>O seawater component from subseasonal coral δ<sup>18</sup>O and Sr/Ca at Rarotonga in the southwestern subtropical Pacific for the period 1726 to 1997 |journal=Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta |volume=67 |issue=9 |pages=1609–21 |bibcode=2003GeCoA..67.1609R |doi=10.1016/S0016-7037(02)00917-1}}</ref>
<!-- [[WP:NFCC]] violation: [[File:Linsley2006 figure1.png|thumb|The position of the [[South Pacific convergence zone]] as a function of precipitation and salinity]] -->

=====Oxygen isotope anomaly=====
The comparison of coral strontium/calcium minimums with sea surface temperature maximums, data recorded from [http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/gcos_wgsp/Timeseries/Nino34/ NINO 3.4 SSTA], time can be correlated to coral strontium/calcium and [[Δ18O|δ<sup>18</sup>O]] variations. To confirm the accuracy of the annual relationship between Sr/Ca and [[Δ18O|δ<sup>18</sup>O]] variations, a perceptible association to annual coral growth rings confirms the age conversion. [[Geochronology]] is established by the blending of Sr/Ca data, growth rings, and [[Stable isotope ratio|stable isotope]] data. [[El Nino-Southern Oscillation|El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)]] is directly related to climate fluctuations that influence coral [[Δ18O|δ<sup>18</sup>O]] ratio from local salinity variations associated with the position of the [[South Pacific convergence zone|South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ)]] and can be used for [[El Niño Southern Oscillation|ENSO]] modeling.<ref name="Ren, L. 2002" />

=====Sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity=====
[[File:Global Sea Surface Temperature - GPN-2003-00032.jpg|thumb|Global sea surface temperature (SST)]]
The global moisture budget is primarily being influenced by tropical sea surface temperatures from the position of the [[Intertropical Convergence Zone]] (ITCZ).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wu |first1=Henry C. |last2=Linsley |first2=Braddock K. |last3=Dassié |first3=Emilie P. |last4=Schiraldi |first4=Benedetto |last5=deMenocal |first5=Peter B. |year=2013 |title=Oceanographic variability in the South Pacific Convergence Zone region over the last 210 years from multi-site coral Sr/Ca records |journal=Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |volume=14 |issue=5 |pages=1435–53 |bibcode=2013GGG....14.1435W |doi=10.1029/2012GC004293 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The [[Southern Hemisphere]] has a unique meteorological feature positioned in the southwestern Pacific Basin called the [[South Pacific convergence zone|South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ)]], which contains a perennial position within the Southern Hemisphere. During [[El Niño Southern Oscillation|ENSO]] warm periods, the [[South Pacific convergence zone|SPCZ]] reverses orientation extending from the equator down south through [[Solomon Islands]], [[Vanuatu]], [[Fiji]] and towards the French [[Polynesian islands|Polynesian Islands]]; and due east towards [[South America]] affecting geochemistry of corals in tropical regions.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kiladis |first1=George N. |last2=von Storch |first2=Hans |last3=van Loon |first3=Harry |year=1989 |title=Origin of the South Pacific Convergence Zone |journal=Journal of Climate |volume=2 |issue=10 |pages=1185–95 |bibcode=1989JCli....2.1185K |doi=10.1175/1520-0442(1989)002<1185:OOTSPC>2.0.CO;2 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Geochemical analysis of skeletal coral can be linked to sea surface salinity (SSS) and [[sea surface temperature]] (SST), from [http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/gcos_wgsp/Timeseries/Nino34/ El Nino 3.4 SSTA] data, of tropical oceans to seawater [[Δ18O|δ<sup>18</sup>O]] ratio anomalies from corals. [[El Niño Southern Oscillation|ENSO]] phenomenon can be related to variations in sea surface salinity (SSS) and [[sea surface temperature|sea surface temperature (SST)]] that can help model tropical climate activities.<ref name="Lukas, R. 1991">{{cite journal |last1=Lukas |first1=Roger |last2=Lindstrom |first2=Eric |year=1991 |title=The mixed layer of the western equatorial Pacific Ocean |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research |volume=96 |issue=S1 |pages=3343–58 |bibcode=1991JGR....96.3343L |doi=10.1029/90JC01951}}</ref>

=====Limited climate research on current species=====
[[File:Porites lutea.jpg|thumb|''Porites lutea'']]
Climate research on live coral species is limited to a few studied species. Studying ''[[Porites]]'' coral provides a stable foundation for geochemical interpretations that is much simpler to physically extract data in comparison to ''[[Platygyra]]'' species where the complexity of ''[[Platygyra]]'' species skeletal structure creates difficulty when physically sampled, which happens to be one of the only multidecadal living coral records used for coral [[paleoclimate]] modeling.<ref name="Lukas, R. 1991" />