TY  - JOUR
A1  - McClelland, Harry-Luke O.
A1  - Halevy, Itay
A1  - Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter
A1  - Evans, David
A1  - Bradley, Alexander S.
T1  - Statistical uncertainty in paleoclimate proxy reconstructions
T2  - Geophysical research letters
N2  - A quantitative analysis of any environment older than the instrumental record relies on proxies. Uncertainties associated with proxy reconstructions are often underestimated, which can lead to artificial conflict between different proxies, and between data and models. In this paper, using ordinary least squares linear regression as a common example, we describe a simple, robust and generalizable method for quantifying uncertainty in proxy reconstructions. We highlight the primary controls on the magnitude of uncertainty, and compare this simple estimate to equivalent estimates from Bayesian, nonparametric and fiducial statistical frameworks. We discuss when it may be possible to reduce uncertainties, and conclude that the unexplained variance in the calibration must always feature in the uncertainty in the reconstruction. This directs future research toward explaining as much of the variance in the calibration data as possible. We also advocate for a “data-forward” approach, that clearly decouples the presentation of proxy data from plausible environmental inferences.
Y1  - 2021
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/62753
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-627539
SN  - 1944-8007
N1  - I. Halevy acknowledges a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (OOID No. 755053). A. S. Bradley acknowledges funding from the US Department of Energy (DE-SC0014613) and the Simons Foundation (622740).
VL  - 48
IS  - 15, art. e2021GL092773
SP  - 1
EP  - 11
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken, NJ
ER  -