Stalagmite evidence for the onset of the Last Interglacial in southern Europe at 129 ± 1 ka

• Main Authors: Drysdale, Russell N., Zanchetta, Giovanni, Hellstrom, John C., Fallick, Anthony E., Zhao, Jian-xin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: American Geophysical Union 2005
• Subjects: stalagmite; Last Interglacial; Southern Europe; Heinrich Event 11; Vostok ice core; interglacial warming; ice core
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/27286

Multi-proxy data from an Italian stalagmite constrain the commencement of full Last Interglacial conditions in southern Europe at 129 ± 1 ka, consistent with absolutely dated records currently available from both hemispheres. The post-glacial transition towards warmer and wetter conditions commenced at 134 ± 2 ka. Oxygen isotope evidence suggests this was interrupted briefly at 130 ± 2 ka, an event probably related to the 'Termination II pause' associated with Heinrich Event 11. For most of the stalagmite, the pattern of δ¹⁸O variation mimics the air temperature record from the Vostok ice core, especially through marine isotope stage 5. There is no obvious evidence for substantial 'early interglacial' warming.