High-resolution scanning XRF investigation of Chinese loess and its implications for millennial-scale monsoon variability

Millennial-scale monsoon variability has been investigated intensively using loess-based proxies; however, the amplitude and rhythms of millennial-scale signals have seldom been disentangled from the background glacial-interglacial changes. Here we present the results of high-resolution scanning X-r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Quaternary Science
Main Authors: Sun, Youbin, Liang, Lianji, Bloemendal, Jan, Li, Ying, Wu, Feng, Yao, Zhengquan, Liu, Yanguang
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2016
Subjects:
Chinese Loess
East Asian Monsoon
Elemental Ratios
Millennial Variability
Monsoon Dynamics
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
EAST-ASIAN MONSOON
PAST 800,000 YEARS
NORTH-ATLANTIC
CLIMATE VARIABILITY
SUMMER MONSOON
GRAIN-SIZE
ICE-VOLUME
MAGNETIC-SUSCEPTIBILITY
ANTARCTIC CLIMATE
LAST GLACIATION
Physical Geography
Geology
Geography
Physical
Geosciences
Multidisciplinary
Antarctic
Greenland
Antarc*
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://ir.ieecas.cn/handle/361006/5725
https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.2856
Description
Summary:Millennial-scale monsoon variability has been investigated intensively using loess-based proxies; however, the amplitude and rhythms of millennial-scale signals have seldom been disentangled from the background glacial-interglacial changes. Here we present the results of high-resolution scanning X-ray fluorescence analysis of a 75-m-thick loess sequence from the north-western Chinese Loess Plateau to address glacial-interglacial to millennial monsoon variability over the last two climatic cycles. Variations of the Si/K, Fe/K and Ca/K ratios are separated spectrally into low-and high-frequency components corresponding to glacial-interglacial and millennial-scale monsoon variability, respectively. The results indicate that the three elemental ratios exhibit similar glacial-interglacial variability but with varying spectral densities at the 100-, 41- and 23-kyr periodicities. Millennial-scale variability is quite similar between the three elemental ratios, and comparable to those inferred from records of Chinese speleothem delta O-18, Greenland palaeotemperature and North Atlantic cooling events. Comparison of various proxies indicates the broad similar magnitudes of abrupt climate changes, at least during the last two glacial-interglacial cycles, whereas the timing and amplitude of abrupt climatic events are not well correlated. We suggest that refinement of loess chronology and intensive data-model integration in the future are critical to decipher the characteristics and dynamics of rapid monsoon changes. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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