Entropy analysis of the dynamics of El Niño/Southern Oscillation during the Holocene

Abstract

This study explores temporal changes in the dynamics of the Holocene ENSO proxy record of the Laguna Pallcacocha sedimentary data using two entropy quantifiers. In particular, we analyze the possible connections between changes in entropy and epochs of rapid climate change (RCC). Our results indicate that the dynamics of the ENSO proxy record during the RCC interval 90008000 BP displays very low entropy (high predictability) that is remarkably different from that of the other RCCs of the Holocene. Both entropy quantifiers point out to the existence of cycles with a period close to 2000 years during the mid-to-late Holocene. Within these cycles, we find a tendency for entropy to increase (predictability to decrease) during the two longer RCC periods (60005000 and 35002500 BP) which might be associated with the reported increased aridity of the low tropics.