Quinn, T. M., Taylor, F. W. and Crowley, T. J.: A 173 year stable isotope record from a tropical south pacific coral 0, Quaternary Science Reviews, 12(6), 407–418, doi:10.1016/s0277-3791(05)80005-8, 1993.

New stable isotope results from a 173-year coral from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

Quinn, T. M., Crowley, T. J. and Taylor, F. W.: New stable isotope results from a 173-year coral from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, Geophysical Research Letters, 23(23), 3413–3416, doi:10.1029/96gl03169, 1996.

The authors note that their coral was not sampled optimally for intra-annual variabilty and their sampling method did not capture the seasonal cycle (Leder et al., 1996). The authors also note that they may have sampled off the thecal wall and may have included endothecal material what would have represented different time intervals. Montastraea annularis (may actually be M. faveolata; this coral definition varies with time) reproduces in the summer and they deposit a high denisty band, which Swart assumes in July. It is possible this coral does not grow at a constant rate and slows its extention in the warmer summer months, thus the annual mean d18O could be bias towards non-summer months. Examining this annual d18O record versus monthly SST and SSS, similar to tree-ring studies may provide further insight on how to interprete this record.

MAT 251 mass spectometer with an automated carbonate device, no pretreatment used , reactions at 90 degrees C.

should "isotope interpretation1" = Salinity_water? -BK . DMT:  Authors interpret in terms of summer precip.

Counting annual density bands provided an age model for these samples assuming high density band is July. Data linearly interpolated to monthly for less than 12 samples per year and used rectanglar interpolation for years with more than 12 samples. From NOAA wb site: The skeleton was sampled at about 10-15 samples a year and  these data have been pooled to construct the annual means.

subannual samples averaged to annual for archived data

when precipitation is greater than average, precipitation is inversely correlated with d18O reflecting the input of isotopical depleted precipitation, and vice versa reflectin ghte input of isotopically heavy weaters from the Everglades.