Centennial-scale monsoon collapses during Marine Isotope Stage(MIS)7e detected in a northern Chinese stalagmite record

Occurrence or absence of centennial-scale climatic variability during Marine Isotope Stage(MIS)7e,the first peak interval of the Penultimate Interglacial,remains ambiguous due to the limited available high-resolved records.Here,we present a decadal-resolved stalagmiteδ^(18)O record from northern China spanning from 242.3 to 236.8 ka BP,covering MIS7e.The composite KLSδ^(18)O record,integrating this study with the previous record in the same cave,shows a descending trend from TerminationⅢto MIS7e,which follows the increasing Northern Hemisphere summer insolation(NHSI).This observation further emphasizes the important influence of NHSI on the glacial/interglacial transition.There are more large-amplitude,millennial-to centennial-scale variability occurring during TerminationⅢcompared with MIS7e,implying that ice-sheet decay potentially plays an important role in climatic excursions.Four centennial-scale summer monsoon collapses,peaking at~242.1,~240.8,~239.3 and~238.2 ka BP,are detected in our new record,indicating the pervasiveness of the intra-interglacial climatic instability.Given the lack of solar activity and freshwater outbursts data during MIS7e,it is not possible to conclude about the drivers of the identified abrupt climatic anomalous.Following the dynamic mechanisms of sub-millennial climatic anomalous during early Holocene,we tentatively propose that slowdown of the meridional overturning circulation caused by freshwater fluxes into North Atlantic and/or attenuated solar irradiance is the potential forcing for the abrupt climate events within MIS7e.Additionally,attenuated solar irradiance could also result in climatic anomalies through low-latitude processes.

High-precision U-series dating of Holocene corals from South China Sea by thermal ionization mass spectrometry(TIMS)

Using the isotopic diluting and thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) technique, the U-series dating procedure was established on the basis of measurement of national standard GBW04412. With this highly precise technique the Holocene corals from the South China Sea were dated. Comparison between this method and α-spectrometry was made. The results show that a thriving period of corals in the South China Sea appeared at 6 800—5 800 a BP, during which the paleosea level was the higher than at present in the Holecene.

Holocene aeolian stratigraphic sequences in the eastern portion of the desert belt(sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China and their palaeoenvironmental implications

This paper presents the environmental history and its responses to palaeoclimatic changes since the start of the Holocene in the eastern portion of the desert belt(sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China by comparing the aeolian sandpalaeosol sequences and their palaeoclimatic proxies. The optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) ages of the aeolian sandpalaeosol sedimentary sequences and a series of palaeoenvironmental proxies show that:(1) The large-scale dune landscape currently in the Kubuqi Sand Sea was formed during the Holocene in general;and the palaeosol was generally developed during the period of 4–2 ka, indicating conditions favorable for vegetation growth, soil development, and organic carbon accumulation due to increased precipitation or effective moisture and weakened aeolian activities;the large-scale expansion of dunes in the recent 2 ka is closely linked to human activities. The variable discharge of the Yellow River with diversions for irrigation may have resulted in a more consistent supply of aeolian particles for dune field expansion.(2) The dune landscape of the Hunshandake Sandy Land was likely formed around 12 ka, and before this, the western part of the Hunshandake Sandy Land would have been covered by a single large lake;it was obviously wetter than today in the sandy land during the period of 9.6–3 ka and the palaeosols were developed at the same time. But the aeolian activities have not been completely dormant in this long-lasting wetter epoch;because the Holocene wetter period was likely time-transgressive across the region.(3) The palaeosol of the Hulunbuir Sandy Land began to develop as early as 14.5 ka, probably continuing until the last 2 ka. The palaeosol development of various dune fields in the eastern portion of the desert belt(sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China is spatially heterogeneous, and even the palaeosol development time in different locations within each sandy land is inconsistent. During the middle Holocene(especially the 7.5–3.5 ka), all the sandy lands were stabilized in general and the intensity of aeolian activities was significantly weakened. The number of palaeoenvironmental records in the eastern portion of the desert belt(sand seas and sandy lands) in northern China has increased rapidly in the past decade, but the amount of published data still does not match the vast extent of the dune fields. It does require much more in-depth palaeoenvironmental studies for a full understanding of the relationship between aeolian activities and climate change in northern China.

U-series dating on late Quaternary sediments from Balikun Lake

The U-series component-dating method has been employed to date the sediment core B-194 from Balikun Lake. 230Th/ 232Th and 234U/ 232Th ratios in various components of the samples dissolved in different concentration acids were measured respectively. The results indicate that there is a good relationship of the isotopic ratios between the solutions and the residues, and that uranium and thorium isotopic fractionations did not occur during acid leaching. Based on the U-series ages obtained by using component-dating method, a 144-ka time sequence was established corresponding to the upper 25-m interval of the B-194 core, which is in agreement with palaeomagnetic dating results. The fact that the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental record labeled with U-series ages is correlative with the deep-sea δ 18O SPECMAP also demonstrates that the U-series component-dating method can be used to date lake sediments.