Time series study of a 17-year record of ⁷Be and ²¹⁰Pb fluxes in northern Taiwan using ensemble empirical mode decomposition

Using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and a significance test method, we have analyzed time series data on the fluxes of ⁷Be and ²¹⁰Pb collected over a span of 17y in Northern Taiwan. Among nine intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) extracted from the method five (IMF4-8) are non-trivial for ²¹⁰Pb and have adequate S/N with significant power in localized windows around the periodicities of 0.5y, 1y, 2y, 5y, and 11y, respectively. For ⁷Be, IMF5 and IMF8 with periods around 1y and 11y, respectively, have adequate S/N. The semi-annual and annual cycles represented by IMF4 and IMF5, respectively, are dominated by East Asian monsoon. The sum of IMF6 and IMF7 reveals an inter-annual cycle where both ⁷Be and ²¹⁰Pb fluxes are well-correlated with the East Asian winter monsoon index (EAWMI). The close tracking of the ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be in IMF8 cases may reflect an 11y cycle; implying that it is caused by common climatologic factors, likely related to solar cycle, rather than their distinct production modes.