A 1000-year chironomid-based salinity reconstruction from varved sediments of Sugan Lake, Qaidam Basin, arid Northwest China, and its palaeoclimatic significance

A 1000-year high-resolution （-10 years） chironomid record from varved sediments of Sugan Lake, Qaidam Basin on the northern Tibetan Plateau, is presented. The chironomid assemblages are mainly composed of the relatively high-saline-water taxa Psectrocladius barbimanus-type and Orthocladius/ Cricotopus, and the relatively low-saline-water taxa Procladius and Psectrocladius sordidellus-type. Variations in the chironomid fauna and inferred salinities suggest that over the last millennium, the Sugan Lake catchment has alternated between contrasting climatic conditions, having a dry climate during the period 990-1550 AD, a relatively humid climate during the Little Ice Age （LIA） （1550-1840 AD）, and a dry climate again from 1840 AD onwards. At the decadal to centennial scale, a wet event around 1200-1230 AD, interrupting the generally arid period （990-1550 AD）, and a dry event around 1590-1700 AD, punctuating the generally humid period （1550-1840 AD）, are clearly documented. Trends in the chironomid-based salinity time series indicate a highly unstable climate during the LIA when salinity fluctuations were of greater magnitude and higher frequency. The effective moisture evolution in the Sugan Lake catchment during the last millennium reconstructed by chironomid analysis is in broad agreement with previous palaeo-moisture data derived from other sites in arid Northwest China （ANC）. The LIA, characterized by generally humid conditions over the westerly-dominated ANC was distinctly different from that in monsoonal China, implying an ＂out-of-phase＂ relationship between moisture evolution in these two regions during the past 1000 years.     

High－resolution precipitation variations in the Northeast Tibetan Plateau over the last 800 years documented by sediment cores of Qinghai Lake

Short cores of about 80-cm retrieved from three main basins of th e deepwater areas in Qinghai Lake,the largest inland enclosed lake in China, were studied. Sta-ble isotopes of authigenlc carbonates, grain-size, carbonate and organic matter content at 5-year resolution are used to reconstruct the climatic history over the last 800 years in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Chronology was established according to 210^pb dating and 137^Cs methods and the core corrdation. It is found that cores from different deep basins of the lake can be well correlated. The sedimentary rate is highest in the western basin of the lake and lowest in the east.In the southern basin of the lake where the short core Qing-6is located, the recent average sedimentation rate is 0.1004cm/yr. Variations in effective precipitation recorded by the oxygen isotopes and grain size data durine the last 800 years are consistent with the glacial accumulation record form the Dunde and Guliya ice cores. A dry climate lasted for 300 years from 1200 AD to 1500 AD, followed by a wet period from 1500 to 1560 AD. The two dry periods, 1560 to 1650 AD and 1780 to 1850 AD, were the results of southwest monsoon weakening. The effective precipitation generally increased since 1650 AD due to the strengthening of the Asian South-west Monsoon, resulting in a wet period until the 1950s. Ex-cept the early stage, the Little Ice Age on the Plateau is characterized b y increased effective moisture. Organic mat-ter content, with nearly 200-year cycles, shows similar trend with the atmospheric delta earbon-14 before the 1850s, indi-eating that the bioproductivity responds to solar activity.     

δ13CSC values of the loess-paleosol sequence in Dali area, Shaanxi Province, China, and paleoenvironmental implications

The carbon isotopic ratios of carbonate in the two profiles of the Dali area were analyzed and some new understandings on the influencing factors of the δ^13Csc value of the Iocss-paleosol sequence and its paleoenvironmental implications were discussed preliminarily in this report. The δ^13Csc value of the Dali Ioess-paleasol sequence is synchronizing with the variance of magnetic susceptibility basically and the negative peaks of the δ^13Csc curves are corresponding to the different developmental periods of the paleosol. It is believed that the intervention of the CO2 produced by plants will cause the decrease of the δ^13Csc value, the amplitude of which may be relevant to the paleovegetation density and the ancient humidity. The relative biomass of C4 plants in the vegetation will affect the sublevel change of the δ^13Csc. Low δ^13Csc value by and large indicates the environmental conditions of the relatively abundant vegetation and humid climate. During the last 250000 years, the period with the sparsest vegetation and the most arid climate is the phase of the loess in L2 depositing and the period with the most abundant vegetation and the most humid climate is the last interglacial period. The δ^13Csc curves of Dali also show that the High Temperature and Large Precipitation Event of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during 40-30 kaBP had affected the Central Shaanxi Plain with relatively humid climate, and had apparent influence on the local vegetation and humidity.     

Holocene lake deposits of Bosten Lake, southern Xinjiang, China

A 9.25-m-long sediment core from Bosten Lake,Xinjiang, provides detailed information about changes in the water budget and biological acticity over the last 8400 cal-endar years. The chronology is constructed from six AMS radiocarbon dates on the terrestrial plant remains. Based onanalyses of TOC, CO3, detrital compounds and biogenic SiO2,lake level fluctuations and periods of remarkably-negative water budget appeared at 8.4-8.2 cal ka, 7.38-7.25 cal ka,5.7-5.5 cal ka, 3.7-3.4 cal ka and 3.3-2.9 cal ka, respec-tively. As they are in-phase with low lake levels at Sumxl Co and Bangong Co in western Tibet Plateau and with paleo-lakes in Inner Mongolia, a climate-induced change to some-what drier and warmer conditions is inferred. A further drop in lake level after 1320 AD of about 200 yr duration may heattributed to a negative water balance prior to the main phase of the Little Ice Age. Deep and stable lake phases of 1500 yr and 1800 yr duration at 7.2-5.7 cal ka and 5.5-3.7cal ka coincide with maximum moisture during the Holocene Megathermai in China. The long term trend towards aridity since about 4.3 cal ka can dearly be recognised. The reduced water budget of Bosten Lake from 640-1200 AD may be attributed to local effects.     

Preliminary reconstruction of spatial precipitation patterns and atmospheric circulations in China during the late Quaternary

Quantitative estimates of the precipitation on different lake sites at the three time phases, i.e. 30, 18, and 6 kaBP by using the combined hydrological and energy budget model, make it possible to reconstruct the large changes in spatial precipitation patterns since the late Quaternary. The results have shown that, very strong precipitation occurred in western China at 30 kaBP, suggesting extremely enhanced summer Indian monsoon. Precipitation was high in southwestern China at 18 kaBP, especially the southern part of southwestern China, due to the southward shift of the westerlies and a low pressure cell occurred over northern India. The precipitation at 6 kaBP shows the complicated patterns for different regions of China, suggesting different climate dynamics. The comparison of the independent lake level/ area-based reconstruction of precipitation and the palaeo-climate simulations is an effective way for the validation ofeach method to reconstruct the palaeo-precipitation quantitatively, and for understanding the dynamic mechanisms of climatic change.     

Evolution of heat transport pathways in the Indonesian Archipelago during last deglaciation

The Indonesian Archipelago provides important heat transport pathways of the Western Pacific Warm Pool between the northern Indian Ocean and western equatorial Pacific Ocean, that exert important impacts on global climate change. This study investigated AMS ¹⁴C, δ¹⁸O, planktonic foraminifer assemblages and sedimentation rates in three piston cores collected in the Indonesian Archipelago. The results indicate that changes in the Indonesian Archipelago heat transport pathways were phase characteristic and in steps during the last deglaciation. In the deglaciation Termination IA, at about 12.5 kaBP, sea level rose rapidly in a short time period, and Makassar and Lombok straits widened suddenly for warm and fresh water from the Pacific to pour into the Java Sea and eastern Indian Ocean. During the Termination IB, about 9.5 kaBP, sea level rose rapidly again, and the South China Sea (SCS) started to connect with the Java Sea. With monsoon actions, a large amount of fresh water from the SCS shelf area flew through the Indonesian Archipelago.     

新疆巴里坤湖 9.0cal.ka BP来沉积物地球化学元素分布特征与古气候环境演化

根据中国西北干旱区巴里坤湖BLK-1剖面沉积物的地化元素分析,采用SPSS因子分析法提取了对沉积环境变化敏感的地化元素和氧化物组分. 在 R、Q 型因子分析的基础上,结合沉积物的硅铁铝率（SiO2/（Al2O3+Fe2O3））、淋失系数（SiO2/（MgO+K2O））、CaO/MgO以及腐殖化度等指标,提取出古气候环境信息. 初步研究结果表明:近9.0cal ka BP以来,巴里坤湖地区气候环境仍以干旱化为主,全新世期间出现过多次不同程度的干湿变化,经历了5个气候阶段:9.0～7.5cal kaBP期间,气候干旱;7.5～5.8cal kaBP期间,气候温暖湿润,为研究区全新世最佳适宜期;5.8～3.0cal kaBP期间,气候干旱;3.0～1.0cal kaBP期间,气候湿润;1.0～0cal kaBP期间,气候干旱.     

A high-resolution environmental change record since 19 cal ka BP in Pumoyum Co,southern Tibet

A 380-cm-long sediment core was acquired from the deep water area of Pumoyum Co, southern Tibet. Twenty-five plant residue samples were selected, and organic carbon stable isotopes were obtained using the AMS ¹⁴C chronological method. The ¹⁴C age and carbon reservoir effect were calibrated with surface sedimentation rate measurements using ²¹⁰Pb dating. Results showed that the core sediment deposited over 19 cal ka BP. Based on a multi-proxy analysis of TOC and IC contents, grain size and pollen assemblage data, the palaeoclimatic evolution of Pumoyum Co was reconstructed since the last glacial. Pumoyum Co was a shallow lake prior to 16.2 cal ka BP; although the glacier around the lake began to melt due to increasing temperatures, climate was still cold and dry. In the interval of 16.2–11.8 cal ka BP, the sedimentary environment fluctuated drastically and frequently. Two cold-events occurred at 14.2 and 11.8 cal ka BP, and these may correspond to the Older Dryas and the Younger Dryas events, respectively. After 11.8 cal ka BP, Pumoyun Co developed into the deep lake as it is now. The lake water temperature was relatively lower at that time because of influx of cold water from glacial meltwater entering the lake. As a result, the multi-proxy indicators showed no sign of warm conditions. Comparisons between the sedimentary record of Pumoyum Co with that of other lakes of the same age in southern Tibet indicate a warmer climate following the last deglaciation influenced the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. These results imply that the southwest Asian monsoon gradually became stronger since the deglaciation during its expansion to the inner plateau. The glacial-supplied water of the lake responded sensitively to cold-events. The entire southern Tibet region was dominantly influenced climatically by the southwest Asian monsoon during the Holocene.     

Water balance estimates of ten greatest lakes in China using ICESat and Landsat data

Lake level and area variations are sensitive to regional climate changes and can be used to indirectly estimate water balances of lakes. In this study, 10 of the largest lakes in China, ～1000 km² or larger, are examined to determine changes in lake level and area derived respectively from ICESat and Landsat data recorded between 2003 and 2009. The time series of lake level and area of Selin Co, Nam Co, and Qinghai Lake in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and Xingkai Lake in northeastern China exhibit an increasing trend, with Selin Co showing the fastest rise in lake level (0.69 m/a), area (32.59 km²/a), and volume (1.25 km³/a) among the 10 examined lakes. Bosten and Hulun lakes in the arid and semiarid region of northern China show a decline in both lake level and area, with Bosten Lake showing the largest decrease in lake level (?0.43 m/a) and Hulun Lake showing the largest area shrinkage (?35.56 km²/a). However, Dongting, Poyang, Taihu, and Hongze lakes in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin present seasonal variability without any apparent tendencies. The lake level and area show strong correlations for Selin Co, Nam Co, Qinghai, Poyang, Hulun, and Bosten lakes (R ² >0.80) and for Taihu, Hongze, and Xingkai lakes (～0.70) and weak correlation for East Dongting Lake (0.37). The lake level changes and water volume changes are in very good agreement for all lakes (R ² > 0.98). Water balances of the 10 lakes are derived on the basis of both lake level and area changes, with Selin Co, Nam Co, Qinghai, and Xingkai lakes showing positive water budgets of 9.08, 4.07, 2.88, and 1.09 km³, respectively. Bosten and Hulun lakes show negative budgets of ?3.01 and ?4.73 km³, respectively, and the four lakes along the Yangtze River show no obvious variations. Possible explanations for the lake level and area changes in these four lakes are also discussed. This study suggests that satellite remote sensing could serve as a fast and effective tool for estimating lake water balance.     

Palaeoenvironmental changes from pollen record in deep sea core PC-1 from northern Okinawa Trough, East China Sea during the past 24 ka

A pollen record of core PC-1 from the northern Okinawa Trough, East China Sea （ECS）, provides information on vegetation and climate changes since 24 cal. kaBP. A total of 103 samples were palynologically analyzed at 8 cm intervals with a time resolution of 230 a. Four pollen zones are recognized： zone Ⅰ （812-715 cm, 24.2-21.1 cah kaBP）, zone Ⅱ （715-451 cm, 21.1-15.2 cah kaBP）, zone Ⅲ （451-251 cm, 15.2-0.8 cah kaBP）, zone Ⅳ （251-0 cm, 10.8-0.3 cal. kaBP）, corresponding to Late MIS 3, Last Glacial Maximum （LGM）, deglaciation and Holocene, respectively. The LGM is characterized by the dominance of herbs, mainly Artemisia, and high pollen influx, implying an open vegetation on the ex- posed continental shelf and a cool and dry climate. The deglaciation is a climate warming stage with Pinus percentage increased and Artemisia percentage decreased and a rapid sea-level rise. The Holocene is characterized by predominance of tree pollen with rapid increase in Castanea-Castanopsis indicating the development of mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest and a warm, humid climate. Low pollen influx during the Holocene probably implies submergence of the continental shelf and retreat of the pollen source area. The vegetation indicated by pollen assemblage found in this upper zone is consistent with the present vegetation found in Kyushu, Japan. Originating from the humid mountain area of North Luzon of the Philippines, Tasmania and New Zealand, Phyllocladus with sporadic occurrence throughout PC-1 core probably suggests the influence of Palaeo-Kuroshio Current or intense summer monsoon. The observed changes in Pinus and Herbs percentage indicate fluctuations of the sea level, and high Pinus percentage corresponds to high sea level. Spectrum analysis of the pollen percentage record reveals many millennial-scale periodicities, such as periodicities of 6.8, 3.8, 2.2, 1.6 ka.     

Evidence for tritium production in the Earth’s interior

We have made a new investigation on the vertical profiles of tritium and helium isotopes in Lakes Van and Nemrut （Eastern Turkey）, using experimental data from the reference by Kipfer et al. for study of long-term vertical mixing and deep water renewal in Lake Van. Lakes Van and Nemrut are crater lakes. Lake Nemrut is at the western border of Lake Van. The ^3He and ^4He are injected at the bottom of Lakes Van and Nemrut, and the both helium isotopes are confirmed from the mantle source. From ^3H （tritium） data in Lakes Van and Nemrut, we have observed ＂^3H anomaly＂ at the vertical profile of ^3H concentrations in Lake Nemrut. The ^3H concentration at the lake bottom is 10% higher than at the surface. The difference of ^3H concentrations between surface and bottom is about 3.7±1.2 TU. This excess ^3H should be injected from the lake bottom. An investigation on the origin of the injected tritium has been made. The results show the conventional origins are excluded, such as residence of precipitation tritium from nuclear testing in the early 1950s--1960s and tritium from known nuclear reactions. Based on the correlation of excess ^3H with ^3He and heat flow in Lake Nemrut, we infer that the ^3He and ^3H might be all from the mantle source, and produced by the supposed natural-nuclear-fusion, which might occur in an environment rich in water （H） and （U ＋ Th） at high temperature and high pressure in the deep Earth. Detection of tritium in the Earth＇s interior is a key evidence for exploration of natural nuclear fusion in the deep Earth. Based on the published data, we have found that the excess ^3He and ^3H injected at the bottom of Lake Laacher （Germany） were also released from the mantle source. The present work will be helpful to the further study of mechanism of natural nuclear fusion in the Earth＇s interior.     

Reconstructing sea surface temperature,sea surface salinity and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in atmosphere in the Okinawa Trough during the Holocene and their paleoclimatic implications

The sediment core DGKS9603 collected from the Okinawa Trough was used as research target. By use of unsaturated indexU ^k₃₇ of long-chain alkenone, δ¹³C of POC and of planktonic foraminifera (G. sacculifer), the evolutions of sea surface temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the Holocene were reconstructed in the Okinawa Trough. And in combination of δ¹⁸O of planktonic foraminifera, the relative difference of sea surface salinity during the Holocene was also reconstructed. Consequently, three cooling events (E₁-E₃) were identified, each of which occurred at 1.7-1.6, 5.1-4.8 and 8.1-7.4 kaBP (cal), respectively. Of the three events, E₂ and E₃ are globally comparable, their occurrence mechanism would be that the main stream of the Kuroshio Current shifted eastward due to the enhanced circulation of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, which was driven in turn by amplified intensity of sunshine and subsequent enhancement of subtropical high pressure; E₁ corresponds to the Small Ice-Age Event occurring between 1550 and 1850AD in China. In the Oki-nawa Trough, E₁ might be also related to the eastward shift of main stream of the Kuroshio current driven by powerful Asia winter monsoon.

     

Millennial-scale climate change since the last glaciation recorded by grain sizes of loess deposits on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Whether climatic changes in high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere since the last glaciation have effects on the Tibetan Plateau monsoon, and the variation characteristics of the Plateau monsoon itself are still not solved but of great significance. The 22-m high-resolution Ioess-paleosol sequence in the Hezuo Basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau demonstrates that the Plateau winter monsoon experienced a millennial variation similar to high latitude Northern Hemisphere, with cold events clearly correlated with Heinrich events but less for the warm events (Dansgarrd-Oeschger events). It may indicate that the climate system at high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere had played an important role in both the Plateau monsoon and the high-level westerlies. On 10^4 year scale, there are two distinct anomalous changes, which are not found in the records from high latitude northern hemisphere, revealed by the loess grain size in the Hezuo Basin. One is that there was a considerable grain size increase at -36 kaBP, suggesting an abrupt enhancement of the Plateau winter monsoon at that time; the other is that, during 43--36 kaBP, the grain size decreased distinctly, indicating a notable weakening of the Plateau winter monsoon around that period. Both of the two anomalies suggest that the Tibetan climate may have been controlled by some other factors, besides the high latitude climatic changes in the Northern Hemisphere.     

Holocene abrupt climate shifts recorded in Gun Nuur lake core, northern Mongolia

A continuous 7.44 m lake core was successfully drilled at Gun Nuur Lake, northern Mongolia, and analyses on environment magnetic parameters, organic matter content and organic δ^13C were conducted in an attempt to retrieve the Holocene chronosequence of climatic changes based on 6 AMS ^14C dates. We found that the Holocene climate in northern Mongolia has been alternating between cold (or cool)/wet conditions and warm/arid conditions, and also punctuated with a series of abrupt climate shifts. The abrupt climate shifts occurred around 1750, 2800, 4000, 5200, 7200, and 9200 aBP (^14C age), being chronologically correlative to those abrupt climatic events recorded in the high-latitude North Atlantic Ocean. The correlation indicates that the climatic changes in northern Mongolia were linked with those in the North Atlantic Ocean probably via the North Atlantic Oscillation-affected westerly winds. The strength and position of westerly winds might have modulated the Siberian-Mongolian high pressure system (winter monsoon), directly influencing the climate in China.     

137Cs tracing of lacustrine sediments in the Dalian Lake, Qinghai Province, China

Based upon the analysis of Cs and grain-size parameters, the total amounts of ¹³⁷Cs deposition by wind and water in the Dalian Lake of Gonghe Basin, Qinghai Province are defined. The vertical profile of ¹³⁷Cs in the lacustrine sediments exhibits three ¹³⁷Cs activity maxima and one minimum. The major maximum corresponds to the global ¹³⁷Cs fallout in 1963; the two secondary maxima correspond to the leakage of the Chernobyl reactor in 1986 and complete desiccation of the lake in 1994, respectively. The minimum corresponds to aeolian deposition caused by extensive reclamation in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The 137Cs data set was used to evaluate average sedimentation rate of the Dalian Lake since 1963. The deposition was stable in 1963-1986 and 1994-1998, and it was rapid during 1986-1994. This preliminary study reveals that l37Cs has the same potential to trace environmental changes introduce by human interference in arid/semiarid regions as in humid regions.     

青藏高原中部色林错SL-1孔粒度参数指示的5.33 ka BP以来的水位变化

 对取自青藏高原中部色林错深水区的SL-1 孔开展年代学和粒度参数研究,以此重建了该湖5.33 ka BP 以来的水位变化.结果表明,5.33~4.25 ka BP 是一期较为稳定的高湖面期,湖面波动较小,始终维持在高湖面,后期(4.30～4.25 ka BP)湖面开始下降;4.25~2.20 ka BP,风力加强,湖面较上一期有所降低,属湖面降低期,风力作用的影响增加;2.20~1.90 ka BP,稳定的低湖面期;1.90 ka BP 至今,高湖面期.但有几期短暂而快速的湖面降低,湖面降低的持续时间一般为20~50 a,具有约0.10 ka和0.20 ka 的周期性,约0.20 ka 的准周期基本贯穿了色林错自5.33 ka BP 以来的湖面变化.这种周期在青藏高原冰芯氧同位素恢复的温度序列中也存在,说明在百年尺度上,温度对色林错的湖面变化有一定影响.     

公元1450年以来巢湖湖泊沉积物与区域和全球气候变化对比研究

湖泊沉积物物理、化学和生物特征是反演区域古环境的有效载体。本文选择巢湖西湖区CH-1钻孔连续湖泊沉积物的粒度和磁化率数据,结合公元1450年以来该区域旱涝灾害文献资料和全球气候变化代用指标中的Intcal 98 ~（14）C同位素数据,对500 cala.BP以来巢湖流域古气候演变,特别是降水演替进行分析。研究表明1450-1949年间,巢湖流域降水变化经历了少-多-少-多的变迁,湖芯钻孔粒度、磁化率变化很好的响应了区域和全球气候变化,环境变化与人类活动密切相关。     

Quantitative reconstruction of the paleosalinity at Qinghai Lake in the past 900 years

Based on the function relationship between the shell length of Limnocythere inopinata and the salinity of its living water in Tibetan Plateau lakes, the paleosalinty of Qinghai Lake in the past 900 years was reconstructed through the measurement of the adult body length of Limnocythere inopinata. Meanwhile, the paleosalinity sequence of Qinghai Lake during the same period was rebuilt by the St/Ca ratio of the shell of Eucypris inflata combined with the St/Ca ratio of living ostracod valves from the species of genus Eucypris inflata and the host water. The paleosalinity results obtained by two different methods were compared and assessed in this paper. To check the result, it was also contrasted with other historical climatic sequences of this area including tree ring and ice core. It was shown that the paleosalinity sequence rebuilt by adult ostracod body length had high reliability, and the paleosalinity reconstruction method by trace elements of ostracod shells was not suitable for Qinghai Lake. From the reconstructed paleosalinty sequence of Qinghai Lake, it can be found that low salinity during 1160-1290 AD showed the humid climate condition on the Mediaeval Warm Period in this area, while the high salinity during 1410-1540 AD, 1610-1670 AD and 1770-1850 AD which was corresponding to the three cold pulses of the Little Ice Age with a dry climate condition. And the high salinity in the latest several decades was consistent with recent warm and dry trends of the climate in this area. The good consistency of the reconstructed palaeosalinity sequence and the precipitation sequence in this area rebuilt by tree ring proves the reconstruction of past lake salinity is reliable.     

New evidence for enhanced cosmogenic isotope production rate in the atmosphere ≈37 kaBP from the Guliya ice core

A³⁶Cl peak was found in the predicted section of Guliya ice core, from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, at about 37 kaBP. This cannot be interpreted by means of changes in the accumulation rate, but by the enhanced cosmogenic isotope production rate in the atmosphere. Compared with the records of¹⁰Be and³⁶Cl in the other regions, the peaks of the cosmogenic isotopes are global and can be considered as time marks. An intriguing fact is that the peaks coincided with cold periods.