Variation in the Asian monsoon intensity and dry–wet conditions since the Little Ice Age in central China revealed by an aragonite stalagmite

Abstract

Abstract. This paper focuses on the climate variability in central China since AD 1300, involving:(1) a well-dated, 1.5-year resolution stalagmite δ 18 O record from Lianhua Cave, central China (2) links of the δ 18 O record with regional dry-wet conditions, monsoon intensity, and temperature over eastern China (3) correlations among drought events in the Lianhua record, solar irradiation, and ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) variation.We present a highly precise, 230 Th / U-dated, 1.5-year resolution δ 18

Changes in climate and vegetation of central Guizhou in southwest China since the last glacial reflected by stalagmite records from Yelang Cave

“…2013). On the other hand, speleothem d 18 O records on interannual-to-centennial scales during the late Holocene show significant discrepancies (e.g., Wan et al, 2011b;Chu et al, 2012;Yin et al, 2014). In general, ''amount effect'' and changes in d 18 O of moisture source and depositional temperature can all become major factors to influence speleothem d 18 O.…”

“…Since 1950, the EASM strength had a decreasing trend, but the summer rainfall in central China increased. The summer/spring rainfall ratio changed from <1 to >1 after 1950 in Lianhua Cave area, which dominated the stalagmite d 18 O variation on such a time scale (Yin et al, 2014). For this reason, other proxies for climatic conditions in speleothem records are needed.…”

“…Studies on variability of the EASM strength and its forcing factors have been contributed by many precisely dated speleothem records (e.g., Ku and Li, 1998;Li et al, 1998Li et al, , 2011aWang et al, 2001Wang et al, , 2005Wang et al, , 2008Paulsen et al, 2003;Yuan et al, 2004;Hu et al, 2008;Wan et al, 2011a,b;Yin et al, 2014). This is because carbonate cave deposits in the monsoonal regions are assumed to record the intensity of monsoon precipitation as the d 18 O of the carbonate tracks the isotopic signature of precipitation, with a lighter speleothem d 18 O swing indicating stronger summer monsoon and increased rainfall Wang et al, 2001Wang et al, , 2005Yin et al, 2014). On one hand, many speleothem d 18 O records over the eastern China show similarities on orbital scales following the 23-kyr precessional cycles of solar insolation which seems to be a major influencing factor on temperature contrast between land and ocean surface hence the EASM strength (Wang et al, 2001Yuan et al, 2004;Wan et al, 2011a; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2015.07.021 1367-9120/Ó 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.…”

“…On annual to decadal scales, it is clear that a strong summer monsoon can cause wet condition in a region but dry condition in another region in the eastern China, and no simple correlations between EASM intensity and precipitation or temperature. For these reasons, no single speleothem d 18 O record can represent variation of monsoonal precipitation of the entire eastern China (Yin et al, 2014). Therefore, in order to understand paleomonsoon activity and monsoonal climate, more speleothem d 18 O records especially high-resolution, well-dated records of the late Holocene distributed over the monsoonal regions are needed.…”

“…As a major climatic system, the EASM is not only related to solar insolation and temperature in high latitudes of North Hemisphere (Wang et al, 2001;Wan et al, 2011a), but also interacted/teleconnected with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Intertropical Convergent Zone (ITCZ), North Pacific Subtropical High (NPSH) and Pacific Warm Pool (PWP) Wan et al, 2011b;Yin et al, 2014). Studies on variability of the EASM strength and its forcing factors have been contributed by many precisely dated speleothem records (e.g., Ku and Li, 1998;Li et al, 1998Li et al, , 2011aWang et al, 2001Wang et al, , 2005Wang et al, , 2008Paulsen et al, 2003;Yuan et al, 2004;Hu et al, 2008;Wan et al, 2011a,b;Yin et al, 2014). This is because carbonate cave deposits in the monsoonal regions are assumed to record the intensity of monsoon precipitation as the d 18 O of the carbonate tracks the isotopic signature of precipitation, with a lighter speleothem d 18 O swing indicating stronger summer monsoon and increased rainfall Wang et al, 2001Wang et al, , 2005Yin et al, 2014).…”