Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem
The last interglacial serves as an excellent time interval for studying climate dynamics during past warm periods. Speleothems have been successfully used for reconstructing the paleoclimate of last interglacial continental Europe. However, all previously investigated speleothems are restricted to s...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:cp49655 2023-05-15T16:28:12+02:00 Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem Vansteenberge, Stef Verheyden, Sophie Cheng, Hai Edwards, R. Lawrence Keppens, Eddy Claeys, Philippe 2018-09-27 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-1445-2016 https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/12/1445/2016/ eng eng doi:10.5194/cp-12-1445-2016 https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/12/1445/2016/ eISSN: 1814-9332 Text 2018 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-1445-2016 2020-07-20T16:24:05Z The last interglacial serves as an excellent time interval for studying climate dynamics during past warm periods. Speleothems have been successfully used for reconstructing the paleoclimate of last interglacial continental Europe. However, all previously investigated speleothems are restricted to southern Europe or the Alps, leaving large parts of northwestern Europe undocumented. To better understand regional climate changes over the past, a larger spatial coverage of European last interglacial continental records is essential, and speleothems, because of their ability to obtain excellent chronologies, can provide a major contribution. Here, we present new, high-resolution data from a stalagmite (Han-9) obtained from the Han-sur-Lesse Cave in Belgium. Han-9 formed between 125.3 and ∼ 97 ka, with interruptions of growth occurring at 117.3–112.9 and 106.6–103.6 ka. The speleothem was investigated for its growth, morphology and stable isotope ( δ 13 C and δ 18 O) composition. The speleothem started growing relatively late within the last interglacial, at 125.3 ka, as other European continental archives suggest that Eemian optimum conditions were already present during that time. It appears that the initiation of Han-9 growth is caused by an increase in moisture availability, linked to wetter conditions around 125.3 ka. The δ 13 C and δ 18 O proxies indicate a period of relatively stable conditions after 125.3 ka; however, at 120 ka the speleothem δ 18 O registered the first signs of regionally changing climate conditions, being a modification of ocean source δ 18 O linked to an increase in ice volume towards the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e–5d transition. At 117.5 ka, drastic vegetation changes are recorded by Han-9 δ 13 C immediately followed by a cessation of speleothem growth at 117.3 ka, suggesting a transition to significantly dryer conditions. The Han-9 record covering the early Weichselian displays larger amplitudes in both isotope proxies and changes in stalagmite morphology, evidencing increased variability compared to the Eemian. Stadials that appear to be analogous to those in Greenland are recognized in Han-9, and the chronology is consistent with other European (speleothem) records. Greenland Stadial 25 is reflected as a cold/dry period within Han-9 stable isotope proxies, and the second interruption in speleothem growth occurs simultaneously with Greenland Stadial 24. Text Greenland Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Greenland Climate of the Past 12 7 1445 1458 |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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English |
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The last interglacial serves as an excellent time interval for studying climate dynamics during past warm periods. Speleothems have been successfully used for reconstructing the paleoclimate of last interglacial continental Europe. However, all previously investigated speleothems are restricted to southern Europe or the Alps, leaving large parts of northwestern Europe undocumented. To better understand regional climate changes over the past, a larger spatial coverage of European last interglacial continental records is essential, and speleothems, because of their ability to obtain excellent chronologies, can provide a major contribution. Here, we present new, high-resolution data from a stalagmite (Han-9) obtained from the Han-sur-Lesse Cave in Belgium. Han-9 formed between 125.3 and ∼ 97 ka, with interruptions of growth occurring at 117.3–112.9 and 106.6–103.6 ka. The speleothem was investigated for its growth, morphology and stable isotope ( δ 13 C and δ 18 O) composition. The speleothem started growing relatively late within the last interglacial, at 125.3 ka, as other European continental archives suggest that Eemian optimum conditions were already present during that time. It appears that the initiation of Han-9 growth is caused by an increase in moisture availability, linked to wetter conditions around 125.3 ka. The δ 13 C and δ 18 O proxies indicate a period of relatively stable conditions after 125.3 ka; however, at 120 ka the speleothem δ 18 O registered the first signs of regionally changing climate conditions, being a modification of ocean source δ 18 O linked to an increase in ice volume towards the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e–5d transition. At 117.5 ka, drastic vegetation changes are recorded by Han-9 δ 13 C immediately followed by a cessation of speleothem growth at 117.3 ka, suggesting a transition to significantly dryer conditions. The Han-9 record covering the early Weichselian displays larger amplitudes in both isotope proxies and changes in stalagmite morphology, evidencing increased variability compared to the Eemian. Stadials that appear to be analogous to those in Greenland are recognized in Han-9, and the chronology is consistent with other European (speleothem) records. Greenland Stadial 25 is reflected as a cold/dry period within Han-9 stable isotope proxies, and the second interruption in speleothem growth occurs simultaneously with Greenland Stadial 24. |
format |
Text |
author |
Vansteenberge, Stef Verheyden, Sophie Cheng, Hai Edwards, R. Lawrence Keppens, Eddy Claeys, Philippe |
spellingShingle |
Vansteenberge, Stef Verheyden, Sophie Cheng, Hai Edwards, R. Lawrence Keppens, Eddy Claeys, Philippe Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem |
author_facet |
Vansteenberge, Stef Verheyden, Sophie Cheng, Hai Edwards, R. Lawrence Keppens, Eddy Claeys, Philippe |
author_sort |
Vansteenberge, Stef |
title |
Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem |
title_short |
Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem |
title_full |
Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem |
title_fullStr |
Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem |
title_full_unstemmed |
Paleoclimate in continental northwestern Europe during the Eemian and early Weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a Belgian speleothem |
title_sort |
paleoclimate in continental northwestern europe during the eemian and early weichselian (125–97 ka): insights from a belgian speleothem |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-1445-2016 https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/12/1445/2016/ |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland |
genre_facet |
Greenland |
op_source |
eISSN: 1814-9332 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/cp-12-1445-2016 https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/12/1445/2016/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-1445-2016 |
container_title |
Climate of the Past |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
1445 |
op_container_end_page |
1458 |
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1766017838869381120 |