Abrupt climate change of EastAsian Monsoon at 130 kaBP inferred from a high resolu-tion stalagmite δ18O record

^230Th ages and oxygen isotope data of a stalagmite from Shanbao Cave in Hubei Province characterize the East Asian Monsoon precipitation from 133 to 127ka. The decadal-scale high-resolution δ^18O record reveals a detailed transitional process from the Penultimate Glaciation to the Last Interglaciation. As established with ^230Th dates, the age of the Termination Ⅱ is determined to be 129.5±1.0 kaBP, which supports the Northern Hemisphere insolation as the triggers for the ice-age cycles. In our δ^18O record, the glacial/interglacial fluctuation reaches about 4‰, almost the same level as in other Asian Monsoon cave stalagmite δ^18O records. The transition of the glacial/interglacial period in our record can be recognized as four stepwise stages, among which, a rapid rise of monsoon precipitation follows the stage of “Termination Ⅱ pause”. The rapid rise is synchronous with the abrupt change of global methane concentration, which reflects that an increase in both Asian Monsoon precipitation and tropical wetland plays an important role in the global climate changes.     

Long-term trend and abrupt events of the Holocene Asian monsoon inferred from a stalagmite δ18O record from Shennongjia in Central China

The middle-Holocene was a period of profound cul- ture transitions: the Neolithic culture around Central China[1], Mesopotamia[2] and India[3] all mysteriously collapsed around 4 ka . It is plausible that this civiliza-tion collapse can be contributed to …     

Speleothem Mg,Sr and Ba records during the MIS 5c-d,and implications for paleoclimate change in NE Sichuan,Central China

Trace metals of Mg, Sr and Ba in a stalagmite (SZ2) collected from Suozi Cave in NE Sichuan, Central China, were analyzed with ICP-AES. The stalagmite was dated to have developed between 120 and 103 ka BP. Results indicate that the Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios of SZ2 varied between (9500-14700) 10 6 , (54-123) 10 6 and (31-82) 10 6 , respectively. The three records displayed significant millennial scale variations, which correlate with changes in past climate and environment. Lower values of Mg/Ca ratios and higher values of Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios of SZ2 occurred during relatively cold-dry marine isotope stage (MIS) 5d, while the opposite trend was observed during relatively warm-humid MIS 5c. Trace metals in speleothems can be affected by distribution coefficients or trace metal concentrations in solutions from which speleothems precipitate. Temperature is suggested to be the dominant controller of Mg/Ca ratios in SZ2, whereas the Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios may have been influenced by surface soil and atmospheric dust activities and prior calcite precipitation in Suozi Cave. Further investigations are warranted as to whether Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios were affected by temperature and growth rate of the speleothem. The shifts of Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca records in SZ2 during the transition from MIS 5d to 5c apparently were earlier than the oxygen isotope record ( 18 O) of the same stalagmite. This possibly indicates (1) that atmospheric dust activity (the mechanism affecting SZ2 Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios) is closely related to temperature, and (2) that temperature changes (dominated by solar insolation) precedes change in speleothem 18 O records which are controlled by both summer monsoons and winter temperatures.     

The δ18O variation of a stalagmite from Qixing Cave, Guizhou Province and indicated climate change during the Holocene

A stalagmite from Qixing Cave, Guizhou Province was dated with the TIMS U-series method and its oxygen isotope composition was analyzed. On the basis of the ages and the variations of the δ¹⁸O of the stalagmite, the climate change of the last 7.7 ka has been reconstructed in this area: 7.7–5.8 ka, summer monsoon maximum period; 5.8–3.8 ka summer monsoon weakening period; 3.8–0.15 ka, weakened summer monsoon and high amplitude climate fluctuations period. We put forward that the increasing trend of δ¹⁸O of the stalagmite reflected not only the weakening of the summer monsoon, which was caused by the decreasing of solar radiation in the Northern Hemisphere, but also the possibly decreasing contribution of the southwest monsoon to the rainfall of this area. These results are consistent with the output of the numerical climate-model modeling. The high amplitude fluctuation of the δ¹⁸O may imply the quick shift of the contributions of different moisture sources to the precipitation in this area.     

Sea surface temperature record from the north of the East China Sea since late Holocene

Using the alkenone paleotemperature index U37^k, a high-resolution sea surface temperature （SST） record since 3600 a BP was reconstructed from the mud area in the north of the East China Sea. Combining with the grain size distribution curve of sensitive grain size group, which may reflect the East Asia Winter Monsoon activity, the palaeoenvironmental evolution cycle throughout the late Holocene in the area was obtained. The marine environment evolution during the last 3600 years displays a five-stage trend. （1） Temperature descending period from 0.85 cal. ka BP to present. The maximum temperature decrease amplitude is 2℃. The winter monsoon intensified and ＇Little Ice Age＇ were recorded in this period. （2） Warming period from 1.90 to 0.85 cal. ka BP. The mean temperature increase amplitude is 0.8℃. The Sui-Tang warming period was recorded at about 0.85--1.35 cal. ka BP and a prominent cooling event was recorded at 1.4 cal. ka BP in this period. （3） Temperature descending period from 2.55 to 1.90 cal. ka BP. Temperature cooling amplitude is 0.9℃. This period is coincident with an integrated temperature circle recorded in the Antarctic ice core, with the temperature changes from a slow cooling stage to a rapid warming stage. （4） Temperature comparatively stable with a little ascending period from 3.2 to 2.55 cal. ka BP. Temperature warming amplitude is 0.3℃. This period is coincident with the temperature fluctuant ascending period recorded in Antarctic ice core. （5） Temperature comparatively stable with little descending period from 3.6 to 3.2 cal. ka BP. This period corresponds with the temperature fluctuant cooling period recorded in Antarctic ice core. Basically, those five periods were coincident with the Antarctic ice core record. During the global cooling stage, the SST change in the continental shelf sea can be adjusted simultaneously.     

川东北宋家洞石笋氧碳同位素及锶含量突变分析

通过对宋家洞石笋SJ3的氧碳同位素及锶含量进行Mann-Kendall test突变分析,得出以下结论:(1)氧同位素值记录了末次冰盛期向Heinrich Event 1时期的转变;(2)碳同位素值和锶含量记录了由H1冷期向BФlling-AllerФd暖期的转变;(3)碳同位素值和锶含量指示了在19.8～15.3ka时当地的东亚夏季风和冬季风呈正相关关系,在15.3～14.8 ka呈负相关关系,表明石笋SJ3记录了古气候环境的冷干、暖湿变化,且不同气候指标对环境变化的敏感度不同。     

Stalagmite-inferred Holocene precipitation in northern Guizhou Province,China, and asynchronous termination of the Climatic Optimum in the Asian monsoon territory

An absolute-dated, bi-decadal-resolution, stalagmite oxygen-isotopic time series from Shigao Cave reveals the evolution of summer monsoon precipitation over the past 9.9 ka BP in northern Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The  18O-inferred climate conditions are divisible into three distinct stages: (1) a maximum humid era from 9.9-6.6 ka BP; (2) a gradual declining precipitation interval between 6.6-1.6 ka BP; and (3) a relatively low precipitation time window after 1.6 ka BP. Consistency of contemporaneous stalagmite Holocene 18O records between Shigao and other caves in the Indian and East Asian monsoon realms support the effect of primary orbital solar forcings on monsoonal precipitation. However, statistical analysis shows a significant spatial asynchroneity of the Holocene Optimum termination in the Asian monsoon territory. The Holocene Optimum ended at 7.2-7.4 ka BP in Oman, located in the Indian monsoon region, and at 5.6-5.8 ka BP in Central China, in the East Asian monsoon zone. In Southwest China, the termination occurred between these periods, at 6.6-7.0 ka BP, and was influenced by both monsoon systems. We propose that this spatially asynchronous ending of Holocene Optimum in Asia may be attributed to sea surface temperature changes in the western tropical Pacific, which is a primary moisture source for the East Asian monsoon.     

Holocene climatic and environmental changes recorded in Baahar Nuur Lake core in the Ordos Plateau, Inner Mongolia of China

A 5.3 m lake core was drilled in Baahar Nuur Lake in the Ordos Plateau, and measurements of meangrain size, organic δ 13C (δ 13Corg), organic carbon content (TOC), C/N, carbonate content, carbonate δ 13C(δ 13Ccar) and δ 18O (δ 18Ocar) were conducted for retrieving the Holocene chronosequence of climaticchanges based on 15 AMS 14C dates. The record documented four major stages of climate change inthe Ordos Plateau: (IV) a cold and dry condition before ～7.65 14C ka BP; (III) a warm and humid stagebetween ～7.65 and ～5.40 ka BP; (II) a generally drier and cooler climate since ～5.40 ka BP with twohumid events occurring from ～4.70 to ～4.60 ka BP and from ～4.20 to ～3.70 ka BP, and (I) a dry climatecharacterized by complete desiccation of the lake after 3.70 ka BP. Stage III can be further divided intothree sub-stages: (IIIa) a warm and humid episode from ～7.65 to ～6.70 ka BP, (IIIb) a warm and relativelydry episode from ～6.70 to ～6.20 ka BP, and (IIIc) the magthermal and maghumid episode of the Holo-cene from ～6.20 to ～5.40 ka BP.     

Variations of alkenone temperature in the Sea of Japan during the last 170 ka and its paleoceanographic implications

Two sediment cores, KCES1 and ODP797, which were recovered from the Sea of Japan （JS）, were measured for alkenone-derived sea surface temperatures （U37-SSTs）. Our results revealed that the SSTs closely follow the glacial-interglacial cycles during the last 170 ka, except in the last glacial maximum （LGM）, during which the SST was higher than in the Holocene. The anomalous high temperature in the LGM is considered as an effect of the intrusion of a low salinity water mass into the JS when the sea level was almost below 130 m. On the glacial- K interglacial to orbital timescale, the U37-SSTs record in the JS correlated well with the benthic foraminiferal SO record and solar insolation, which suggests the dominant control of solar insolation and its related sea ice develop- ment on the SST in the JS. On the sub-orbital/millennial timescale, reduced SST corresponds to an enhanced east asian winter monsoon （EAWM） during the last glacial period （MIS3 and MIS4）, indicating the dominant control of sea ice expansion due to the enhanced EAWM on the SST in the JS. In contrast, during the last interglacial period （MIS5）, the SST in the JS was controlled by variations in the east Asian summer monsoon. These results highlight the key role of solar insolation and associated glacial-interglacial conditions in the variations of the SST in the JS since the last 170 ka.     

A high-resolution stalagmite O-C isotope record from Nanjing and its rapid response to climatic events

Here we discussed rapid response of the cave temperature and vegetation to the four Dansgaard-Oeschger cold and warm cycles during 50-40 kaBP based on results of oxygen and carbon stable isotopic compositions from a stalagmite in Tangshan, Nanjing. It is found that the amount of C₃ vegetation relative to C₄-type declines during the D-O warm events, indicating the decrease of the effective meteoric precipitation. Compared with O-isotope records of the Greenland ice core, the stalagmite record displays a very similar pattern to Greenland ice core record over the decade-century time scale, suggesting that the changes of the East Asian monsoon climate are in accordance with the high-latitude polar climate in the short-term time scale. The age of the ice-rafted H5 event in the stalagmite record, however, preceded that of Greenland ice cores by 2 ka. This out of phase between the remote areas cannot be yet proven because the two time scales were determined from different dating methods.     

Sea surface temperature and subtropical front movement in the South Tasman Sea during the last 800 ka

Southern Hemisphere mid-latitude westerlies contribute to the ventilation of the deep Southern Ocean (SO), and drive changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the global climate. As the westerlies control directly oceanic fronts, the movement of the subtropical front (STF) reflects the westerlies migration. Thus it is important to understand the relationships between STF movement and the weaterlies, ventilation of the deep SO, ice volume and atmospheric CO₂. To this end, we use two new high-resolution records from early Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 20 (~800 ka) of sea surface temperature (SST) based on Uk’ 37 paleo-thermometer and benthic oxygen isotope (δ¹⁸OB) at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1170B in the southern Tasman Sea (STS), to construct linkages between the marine records and atmospheric proxies from Antarctic ice-cores. During the last 800 ka, the average SST (10.2°C) at Site 1170B is 1.8°C lower than today (annual average 12°C). The highest average SST of 11.6°C occurred during MIS 1, and the lowest average SST of 7.8°C occurred during MIS 2. The warmest and coldest records of 14.7°C and 6.2°C occurred in the MIS 5 and MIS 2, respectively. In the glacial-interglacial cycles of the last 800 ka, variability of reconstructed SST shows that the STF moved northward or southward more than 3° of latitude compared with its present location. In the warmest stage MIS 5, the STF shifted to its southernmost location of ~49°S. In contrast, in the coldest stage MIS 2, the STF moved to its northernmost location of ~43°S. In response to orbital cycles, the westerlies movement led ice volume and atmospheric CO₂ changes, but it was in phase with change in Antarctic atmospheric temperature. Ice volume only preceded atmospheric CO₂ only a little at the 23-ka precession band, lagged the atmospheric CO₂ at the 100-ka eccentricity band, and was in phase with atmospheric CO₂ at the 40-ka obliquity band.     

贵州荔波42.0kaB.P.~65.0kaB.P.气候变化的石笋记录

对贵州荔波董哥洞D42石笋进行TIMS-U测年和碳、氧同位素分析,建立末次冰期42．0ka B．P．～65．0ka B．P．的古气候变化时间序列。研究结果表明,荔波地区在65．0ka B．P．～42．0ka B．P．石笋记录的冷暖事件所反映出的季风气候变化,大致可分为3个气候阶段;65．0ka B．P．～60．6ka B．P．相当于海洋氧同位素MIS4晚期,反映本阶段东亚冬季风强盛,气温降低,表现为干旱寒冷的气候环境;60．6ka B．P．～48．4ka B．P．相当于海洋氧同位素MIS3早期,反映东亚夏季风相对增强,气温升高,有效降水相对较少,表现为温暖半干旱的气候环境;48．4ka B．P．～42．0ka B．P．相当于海洋氧同位素MIS3中期,显示东亚夏季风由强变弱,东亚冬季风相对增强,表现为干旱冷凉的气候环境。石笋记录揭示的2次寒冷事件在各类沉积物中均有记录,反映为全球变化的气候事件,相当于北大西洋沉积物中的Heinrich5和Heinrich 6冷事件,可以进行全球对比,显示荔波地区与北极地区存在着古气候的遥相关。     

Modern stalagmite oxygen isotopic composition and its implications of climatic change from a high-elevation cave in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau over the past 50 years

An oxygen isotope record of a stalagmite from Huanglong Cave in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau dated with 230Th and 210Pb methods provides variations of the Asian monsoon with an average resolu-tion of 1 year over the past 50 years. This study shows that the δ18O of dripwater in the cave represents the annual mean δ18O of local meteoric precipitation and the stalagmites were deposited in isotopic equilibrium. A comparison of the stalagmite δ18O record with instrumentally meteorological data indi-cates that shifts of the δ18O are largely controlled by the amount effect of meteoric precipitation con-veyed through the southwest monsoon(the Indian monsoon) and less affected by temperature. Therefore,the variations of δ18O record reflect the changes in monsoon precipitation on inter-annual time scales under the influence of the southwest monsoon. Like many other stalagmite δ18O records in the Asian monsoon regions,the δ18O record of the stalagmite from Huanglong Cave also reveals a gradually enriched trend during the past 50 years,i.e. relatively enriched in 18O. This trend may indicate the decline of the Asian monsoon intensity which is consistent with the decrease of monsoon indices. The weakening of the modern Asian monsoon well matched with the temperature changes in strato-sphere,which may illustrate that the weakening of the monsoon mainly results from the lowering of solar radiation.     

High-resolution stalagmite δ 13C record of soil processes from southwestern China during the early MIS 3

Knowledge of the evolution of pedogenic processes in the carbonate area is important to understand the dynamics of rock desertification.A precisely-dated stalagmite δ13C record between 61.3 and 50.5 ka BP from southwestern China,potentially related to soil biogenic CO2 production,shifts within a narrow range between -9‰ and -7‰,and exhibits a prominent cycle of 350-470 a,independent of the Asian monsoon changes.This indicates that a threshold effect might control the amplitude of calcite δ13C variability,likely associated with the vertical soil loss in the carbonate area.The periodic δ13C changes reflect that the loss/recovery of soil cover can operate on centennial scale.Thus,the rock desertification in southwestern China might at least initiate 60 ka ago and should be of natural origin.     

Millennial- and orbital-scale changes in the East Asian monsoon over the past 224,000 years

High-resolution speleothem records from China have provided insights into the factors that control the strength of the East Asian monsoon. Our understanding of these factors remains incomplete, however, owing to gaps in the record of monsoon history over the past two interglacial-glacial cycles. In particular, missing sections have hampered our ability to test ideas about orbital-scale controls on the monsoon, the causes of millennial-scale events and relationships between changes in the monsoon and climate in other regions. Here we present an absolute-dated oxygen isotope record from Sanbao cave, central China, that completes a Chinese-cave-based record of the strength of the East Asian monsoon that covers the past 224,000 years. The record is dominated by 23,000-year-long cycles that are synchronous within dating errors with summer insolation at 65 degrees N (ref. 10), supporting the idea that tropical/subtropical monsoons respond dominantly and directly to changes in Northern Hemisphere summer insolation on orbital timescales. The cycles are punctuated by millennial-scale strong-summer-monsoon events (Chinese interstadials), and the new record allows us to identify the complete series of these events over the past two interglacial-glacial cycles. Their duration decreases and their frequency increases during glacial build-up in both the last and penultimate glacial periods, indicating that ice sheet size affects their character and pacing. The ages of the events are exceptionally well constrained and may thus serve as benchmarks for correlating and calibrating climate records.     

Effect of precession on the Asian summer monsoon evolution: A systematic review

Geological climatic records and model simulations on the Asian summer monsoon climate change induced by insolation forcing of the Earth＇s precession are systematically reviewed in this paper. The presentation of the questions on the mechanism of the Asian monsoon evolution at the precession band, currently existing debates and future research directions are discussed. Since the early 1980s, more and more observed evidence and simulated results, especially the absolute-dated stalagmite records and orbital-scale transient model runs in the last few years, have indicated that the quasi-20ka period in the Quaternary monsoon climate change is caused by precession. However, debates still exist on the dynamic mechanism how precession affects the Asian monsoon. The ＂zero phase＂ hypothesis says that the Asian monsoon is merely controlled by summer insolation in the Northern Hemisphere （NH） while the ＂latent heat＂ hypothesis emphasizes the dominant effect of latent heat transport from the Southern Hemisphere （SH） besides the role of the northern insolation. The two hypotheses have separately been supported by some evidence. Although we are cognizant of the importance of northern solar radiation and the remote effect of southern insolation, it has still a long way to go before comprehensively understanding the evolutionary mechanism of the Asian monsoon. In view of the problems existing in present researches of monsoon-dominated climate change at the precession scale, we propose that studies on the environmental significance of geological monsoon proxies, feedback processes in the long-term transient simulations and intercomparisons between observations and modeling results should be strengthened in the future.     

A continuous 200-ka palaeoclimatic record from stalagmite in Tangshan Cave, Nanjing

An oxygen isotope temperature record from 381 to 166 kaB. P. (²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dating and tuned ages) has been obtained by combining data on the isotopic composition of calcites with that of fluid inclusions trapped in a stalagmite from a limestone cave in which a fossil cranium deposited. Several laminae in microsequence of the stalagmite represent climatic events or shifts. The Nanjing man fossil was older than 381 kaB. P.     

Microparticle record in the Guliya ice core and its comparison with polar records since the last interglacial

Based on the study of oxygen isotope and microparticle in the Guliya ice core,atmospheric dust and environmental changes in the northwest Tibetan Plateau since the last interglacial were revealed.The microparticle record indicates that low dust load on the Plateau in the interglacial.Particle concentration increased rapidly when the climate turned into the last glacial and reached the maximum during the MIS 4.In the Last Glacial Maximum, however,the enhancement of microparticle concentration was slight,differing to those in the Antarctic and Greenland.On the orbital timescale,both the temperature on the Tibetan Plateau and summer solar insolation in the Northern Hemisphere had their impact on the microparticle record,but the difference in phase and amplitude also existed. Though having the same dust source, microparticle records in the ice cores on the Tibetan Plateau and the Greenland seem to have different significance.     

High resolution stalagmite δ18O records over the past 1000 years from Dongge Cave in Guizhou

Based on MC-ICP-MS U-series dating andstable O-isotope analysis results, a 4-5 years resolution monsoon record over the past 1000 years has been established for two stalagmites from Dongge Cave, Guizhou. The high resolution oxygen isotope record serves as a proxy for variations in rainfall of Asian southwest monsoon over the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. A close relation of the δ18O record with the A^14C record from tree rings largely reflects impact of centennial-scale solar activity on the monsoon climate changes. The conspicuous decrease in the δ18O value at AD 1720 indicates an abrupt increase in monsoon rainfall, suggesting that an atmospheric-oceanic couple over the tropical Indian Ocean plays an important role in rapid increase of the Northern Hemisphere temperature over the last century.     

Dynamic control on grain-size distribution of terrigenous sediments in the western South China Sea: Implication for East Asian monsoon evolution

High-resolution oxygen isotope stratigraphy of Core MD05-2901, which is located off eastern Vietnam in the western South China Sea （SCS）, was established and indicated that the core spans a time period of the past 450 ka. Based on the bulk density, fractional porosity and lithogenic content of the sediments, terrigenous mass accumulation rate （TMAR） was obtained, which is 4.9-6.0 g cm^-2 ka^-1 on average during interglacial stages, higher than that during glacial stages, i.e. 1.9-5.0 g cm^-2 ka^-1, which is different from northern and southern SCS which show higher TMAR in glacial stages. By principle component analysis of grain size distribution of all the samples, two main control factors （F1 and F2） were obtained, which are responsible for about 80% variance of granularity. The contents of grain size population 1.26-2.66 μm% and 10.8-14.3 μm% which are sensible to F1 show high-frequency fluctuation, and correlate well with the summer insolation at 15^o N. They exhibit a distinct cyclicity with frequencies near 23 ka and 13 ka, in contrast to a strong frequency peak near 100 ka obtained in proxies 4.24-7.42 μm% and 30.1-43.7 μm% controlled mainly by F2. The sedimentary character of this part of the SCS was controlled by variations of input flux from two main source areas, namely the southwest and north SCS, which were transported by different circulations of surface current forced by East Asian summer monsoon and winter monsoon respectively. We believe that the East Asian summer monsoon has fluctuated with high frequency and been forced by changes in solar insolation in low latitude associated with precession and half precession, while ice-volume forcing is probably a primary factor in determining the strength and timing of the East Asian winter monsoon but with less important insolation forcing.