我国历史时期降尘记录南界的变动及其对北方干旱气候的推断

本文根据我国历史文献中的沙尘记载,讨论历年记录地点的南部边界的变动,指出南界地带的大致分布及其随北方地区的干湿气候条件而南北变动的特点.通过历史气候记录和现代气象观测资料的分析认为,南界地带的沙尘天气记录对北方尘源地区干湿气候状况有指示意义.文中根据南界地带的历史降尘记录对北方地区相应年份气候干湿状况试作推断,从而为北方干旱区气候历史的研究提供参考.     

70 Ma以来风尘活动在太平洋铁锰结壳中的记录

开展风尘沉积研究对于了解源区气候变化和大气循环过程具有重要意义。利用高分辨率电子探针技术,通过对铁锰结壳中风尘指示因子（Al沉积通量）的年际变化研究,探讨低纬度铁锰结壳中风尘沉积特征。结果显示：在过去近70 Ma中,低纬度铁锰结壳Al沉积通量平均值为300.5  μg/(cm^2·ka),并且记录了南、北半球的不完整风尘史。在晚白垩世－晚中新世期间,M06铁锰结壳位于热带辐合带之南,受南半球风系影响,其Al沉积通量大小反映了环太平洋区域火山活动强度;晚中新世后,受北半球风系控制,M06铁锰结壳Al通量的变化反映了亚洲风尘源区构造和气候的变化。     

Grain size in sediments from Lake Sugan: a possible linkage to dust storm events at the northern margin of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Samples of surface deposits in the Lake Sugan catchment, as well as surface lake sediments, eolian materials occulted in the lake ice cover, and airborne dust were collected for grain-size analysis. The results show that the coarse fraction of the lake sediments could be transported by ambient winds and to a lesser extent by river flow in the study area. Sediment cores were retrieved from Lake Sugan in December 2000, and ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs dating and grain-size analyses were performed on these samples. ²¹⁰Pb ages and the volume percentage of the fraction of lake sediments >63 μm were used to reconstruct the dust storm history from 1957 to 2000. Observational data for dust storm events collected at a local meteorological station largely agrees with the reconstructed trend for the past 44 years, suggesting that lake sediments can be employed to trace the dust storm history of the northern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.     

Sand dunes as a major proximal dust source for late Pleistocene loess in the Negev Desert, Israel

Grain size analyses of three hilltop, primary eolian loess sequences in the Negev desert, southern Israel, show a bimodal grain-size distribution at 50-60 μm and 3-8 μm. Using analyses of mineralogy and OSL ages we demonstrate that the coarse mode is composed mostly of quartz grains and its relative magnitude increases regionally with time, suggesting an enhancement of a time-transgressive proximal dust source compared to a distal, Saharan fine-grain dust. The only proximal dust source for large amount of coarse silt quartz grains is the sands that advanced into Sinai and the Negev concurrently with the loess accretion during the late Pleistocene as a result of the exposure of the Mediterranean shelf. We therefore propose that the coarse silt quartz grains were formed through eolian abrasion within the margins of an advancing sand sea. This relationship between desert sand seas as a source for proximal coarse dust and desert margin loess deposits can be applicable to other worldwide deserts such as Northern Africa, China and Australia.     

Oxygen isotopic ratios in fine quartz silt from sediments and soils of southern Africa

Fine quartz silt (1–10μm dia, important in aerosol dust) isolated from a large number of soils, as well as Phanerozoic shales, sandstones and recent sands of the southern African stratigraphie column (Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic) exhibits a mean δ¹⁸O of 12.2 ± 2.1%0. These values are similar to those reported for South Pacific pelagic sediments and adjacent land areas of similar latitude but are lower than those reported for this size fraction of 30 Mesozoic and Paleozoic shales (20.7 ± 1.8%.) and soils from mid-continental U.S.A., for aerosol quartz in the North Pacific pelagic sediments, and for eolian caps in high-elevation soils of Hawaii. The lower oxygen isotopic ratios in fine quartz silt of southern Africa reinforces the earlier indication that Southern Hemisphere detritai sedimentary reservoirs contain a higher proportion of igneous and metamorphic quartz (lower δ¹⁸O) and less lowtemperature authigenic quartz (higherδ¹⁸O) than Northern Hemisphere detritai sediments. The difference reflects climates, as continents drifted in latitude.     

8Ma以来黄土高原风尘堆积的物源变化与上地壳演化的关系

第三纪的红粘土和第四纪黄土同为风成沉积,二者是否有相同的物质来源?长尺度风尘的加积与上地壳演化之间有怎样的联系?二者均是非常重要的科学问题.由于Sr, Nd同位素可以有效示踪沉积岩的物质来源,我们近年研究了8Ma以来黄土高原泾川剖面红粘土-黄土序列《20靘的细粒硅酸盐组分的Sr, Nd同位素变化.结果表明:1)黄土高原的黄土与北太平洋中部的硅酸盐组分的Nd同位素组成非常接近,二者应在一定程度上具有相似的物质来源,即来自蒙古国南部及中国境内的戈壁、沙漠地区,所不同的是前者由近地面风搬运,而后者为远距离输送的风尘;2)Sr同位素在8.00～2.58Ma期间呈现略为增加的趋势,应当与红粘土的来源物质经受了较长时间的化学风化有关,而Sr同位素自2.58Ma以来的显著降低趋势与第四纪时期黄土-古土壤的物质来源和第三纪红粘土不同有关,新构造运动使更多相对年轻的造山带褶皱成山,第四纪冰期来临使更多高海拔的年轻造山带遭受剥蚀而成为黄土的来源物质,这是导致黄土、红粘土物源不同的重要原因.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Eolian Deposits on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Implications for Provenance

Eolian dust deposition is intimately related to atmospheric circulation and environmental setting of the source region, and therefore is an invaluable tool for studying the evolutionary history of atmospheric circulation patterns and paleoclimatic change. Identifying the provenance of any eolian deposit is crucial not only for reconstructing the paleoenvironmental history of the dust source region, but also for understanding the paleoclimatic significance of various indices. Loess and paleosol samples from the Garze region on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau(TP) were analyzed for their elemental(major and trace elements) and isotopic(Sm-Nd) geochemistry and compared with those of Northern Chinese(NC) loess formed at the same age. The results show that the geochemical compositions of the Garze loess and paleosol samples are similar to those eolian deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP), and also resemble the average UCC. This indicates that the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP were derived from well-mixed sedimentary protoliths that had undergone numerous upper crustal recycling processes, just as with the CLP loess deposits. However, compared with NC loess, the Garze samples have higher ∑REE, Li, Rb, Zr, Cs, Hf and Bi concentrations, higher TiO2/Al2O3, Hf/Nb, La/Nb, Th/Nb and lower K2O/TiO2, Zr/Hf, Ba/Rb ratios. From the Sm-Nd isotopic geochemistry, εNd(0) and 147Sm/144Nd values of Garze loess and paleosol samples are clearly lower than the NC loess. The higher Bi, Zr and Hf concentrations are relevant to the widely distributed acid-magmatic rocks in this region, whereas the higher contents of Li, Cs, Rb are attributed to the high background values of the TP. The geochemical characteristics of the Garze loess and paleosol samples further prove that the local glacial and other Quaternary detrital sediments are predominantly the contributors for the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP. Stable element concentrations and their ratios in the Garze loess and paleosol samples formed at different times have relatively greater variation ranges in comparison with the NC loess, indicating that the source regions for eolian deposits have been unstable since the late Early Pleistocene. We attribute the instability of dust sources to variable earth surface conditions and the changeable TP winter monsoon in direction and intensity, which are in turn related to the uplift of the TP.     

中国海岸带晚更新世风成沉积分区、序列特征及其气候-环境意义

本文提出海岸风沙沉积和海岸风尘沉积是晚更新世期间，由东北季风风系控制的风沙流活动所成。每一期风沙流活动的时限不恒定，其盛行风向前缘随着风力衰减而产生风尘沉积，形成海岸风沙—海岸风尘沉积匹配带。中国海岸带自北而南可划分出四个海岸风沙—海岸风尘沉积匹配区。海岸风沙－海岸风尘沉积均具有多发、高频变化特征，与其中交互更叠的土壤层、冲－洪积层、侵蚀间断面等一起，可成为晚更新世期间气候－环境判别的标志。     

Holocene environmental change inferred from the loess–palaeosol sequences adjacent to the floodplain of the Yellow River, China

Chinese loess deposits are generally considered to be the product of dust storms and dust falls from the central Asia arid zones that were transported across China by the northwesterly continental monsoon. In contrast, the Zhengzhou Loess found southeast of the Loess Plateau, adjacent to the floodplain of the Yellow River, records a different eolian regime and dust source. The Zhengzhou Loess was investigated by field observations, measurements of magnetic susceptibility, particle-size distribution, loss-on-ignition, CaCO₃ and chemical contents. Both field observations and the laboratory results indicate that, during the last glacial, the Zhengzhou Loess was supplied by two different eolian regimes and dust sources, one was from the fresh flood deposits of the Yellow River driven by the northeast winds from the low-lying floodplain, and the other was from the dust storms and dust falls that traveled across the Loess Plateau driven by the northwesterly continental monsoon from the central Asian arid lands. The early Holocene, 11,500–8500 a BP, was a transition during the change in eolian regime and dust source because of the weakened northwesterly monsoon along with the global climatic amelioration. Following the retreat of the northwesterly monsoon from the onset of the mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum at 8500 a BP, dust supply from the drifting sand zone on the Yellow River floodplain became dominant because of the intensified strength of the northeast winds from the Bohai Sea. From 3100 a BP onwards, climatic aridity and extensive human disturbance have resulted in intensive eolian processes causing the incursion of the drifting sand into the Zhengzhou Loess zone. These results show that loess accumulation is more complex than traditionally assumed. The origin of loess deposits elsewhere outside the Loess Plateau may be related to dust sources derived from alluvial sediments of major river systems.     

Oxygen isotope stage 3 fluvial and eolian successions in Europe compared with climate model results

Fluvial and eolian successions of oxygen isotope stage 3 are compared with global (GCM) and regional climate (RCM) modeling experiments of the stage 3 and last glacial maximum climate in Europe. Differences in precipitation between stage-3 stades and interstades were minor, which is confirmed by the fluvial successions. The fluvial response to climate variation is non-uniform, and in southern Europe more pronounced than in northern Europe. The model simulations indicate a strong western winter circulation over Europe during stage 3, which is supported by the eolian deposits data. Wind speeds in the last glacial maximum simulation appear modest compared with those of stage 3, which contrasts with the abundance of eolian deposits. This suggests that during glacial climates the stabilizing effect of vegetation determines eolian sedimentation rates, rather than wind speed. Stage 3 can be divided into an older part (>45,000 cal yr B.P.) with a relatively stable landscape and moist climate and a younger part with more frequent climate change and decreasing landscape stability.     

Late Quaternary sedimentology and geochronology of small playas on the Southern High Plains, Texas and New Mexico, U.S.A.

Playas are small, circular basins forming a ubiquitous component of the southern High Plains landscape. They are filled with carbonaceous mud deposited since the terminal Pleistocene. The stratigraphy and geochronology of 30 playas was investigated to better understand the paleoenvironmental record of basin filling. At the base of the fill in some playas is a well sorted eolian sand dated between ~ 13,000 and ~ 11,000 ¹⁴C yr BP. The beginning of mud deposition, representing aggradation of eolian dust on a moist, vegetated playa floor was largely between ~ 12,000 and ~ 10,500 ¹⁴C yr BP. Playa filling slowed ~ 9000 to ~ 4000 ¹⁴C yr BP, probably due to dry conditions, increased ~ 4000 to ~ 2000 ¹⁴C yr BP, then slowed again. Eolian sand and loam, likely representing regional aridity, accumulated in some basins episodically just prior to ~ 10,700 ¹⁴C yr BP, between ~ 8600 and ~ 4700 ¹⁴C yr BP, and at ~ 1300 ¹⁴C yr BP. Stable C isotopes from one basin indicate that the playa was inundated only seasonally throughout the record beginning ~ 11,500 ¹⁴C yr BP. The phytolith record in that basin indicates an abrupt shift toward cooling ~ 11,400 to ~ 11,200 ¹⁴C yr BP and then increasing importance of xeric-adapted C₄ grasses through the Holocene.     

Intensification of the East Asian Monsoon in Southern China at about 300–400 kaBP Inferred from Eolian Deposits in the Middle-lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

In the East Asian monsoon region,eolian deposits widely distributed in the middle-lower reaches of the Yantgze River are among the best materials available for studies on Quaternary climate change in the subtropical zone of Southern China.Typical eolian deposits in this region include upper Xiashu Loess(XL) and underlying Vermiculated Red Soil(VRS) layers.In this paper,chronological and paleoclimatic studies are conducted on an eolian deposit sequence near Jiujiang(JJ) city in northern Jiangxi province.A magnetostratigraphic study,combined with optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating,is conducted on the JJ section and provides further evidence that eolian deposits in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been formed since the late Early Pleistocene,and that the boundary age between the XL and VRS layers is about 300-400 kaBP.In grain-size records of the JJ section,the median grain-size and content of the 30 μm size fraction increase sharply after 300-400 kaBP,representing an East Asian winter monsoon intensification event.Further pollen analysis reveals differing pollen assemblages before and after 300-400 kaBP:there is an evident increase in plants adapted to grow in a warm humid environment after 300-400 kaBP,implying an increase in precipitation caused by intensification of the East Asian summer monsoon.Global ice volume and uplift of the Tibet Plateau(TP) are regarded as crucial factors influencing variations of the East Asian monsoon on a long-term scale.The deep-sea δ~(18)O record,which reflects variations in global ice volume,shows no obvious change after 300-400 kaBP.Moreover,the influence of global ice volume changes on the East Asian summer and winter monsoons is inverse;the global ice volume increase(decrease) implies a strengthened(weakened) winter monsoon and weakened(strengthened) summer monsoon.We therefore interpret the coupled intensifications of the East Asian summer and winter monsoons at about 300-400 kaBP to the uplift of the TP in the Middle Pleistocene.This climate event is also documented in eolian deposits from the southern margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP) and from the desert-loess transitional belt.However,it is not recorded in the loess-paleosol sequences from the central part of the CLP,thereby indicating differing climate responses to TP uplift in different regions,which requires further study.     

Sr isotopic and elemental characteristics of calcites in the Chinese deserts: Implications for eolian Sr transport and seawater Sr evolution

Calcite content, Sr concentrations, and isotopes of calcites in the Chinese deserts are systematically studied in this paper. Calcite contents, which are calculated according to acid-soluble Ca contents in the deserts, are generally higher in the sandy deserts than in the sandy lands and decrease roughly from northwest to northeast of China. Acid-soluble Sr is well correlated with calcite in the Chinese deserts, implying acid-soluble Sr comes mainly from the calcite dissolution. Sr concentrations in calcites, calculated on the basis of calcite contents and acid-soluble Sr concentrations in the deserts, have an inverse relation to calcite contents, essentially mirroring the degree of Sr substitution for Ca in the calcite development. Desert calcites have regional variations in Sr isotopic ratios. Calcite Sr isotopic ratios depend on geological settings and chemical weathering. The Badain Jaran, and Tengger deserts are probably affected by additional factors such as the remote groundwater cycle or overturning of underlying sand deposits.Only four deserts (Taklimakan, Qaidam, Badain Jaran, and Tengger) appear to be potential sources of eolian deposits in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP). Isotopic signatures of calcite Sr and silicate Nd further indicate that the Tengger desert was not an important source for eolian deposits in the CLP. Eolian calcite was probably enriched due to wind sorting from the potential sources to the CLP and suffered weathering–leaching after it accumulated in the CLP. Sr isotopic compositions and Ca/Sr molar ratios of calcites are different between the deserts and the Lingtai profile, due to the integrated effect of wind sorting and weathering–leaching.It is essential to calculate accurately the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio and Sr concentration of eolian calcite entering the oceans according to geochemical data of the Chinese deserts, because of the importance of the Chinese deserts in the global dust cycle. The calculated Sr concentration and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of eolian calcite entering the North Pacific Ocean, are 11.75 μmol/g and 0.71032, respectively. The calculated values in this study are close to the recommended values by Jacobson [Jacobson A. D. (2004) Has the atmospheric supply of dissolved calcite dust to seawater influenced the evolution of marine ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios over the past 2.5 million years? Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 5(12), 1–9, Q12002. doi:10.1029/2004GC000750]. Using the same model as that of Jacobson (2004), the effect of Asia dust on the evolution of seawater Sr isotopes is evaluated. (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_seawater increases by 0.3 × 10⁻⁵ if the lower dust flux of 2.34 × 10⁸ mol Sr/yr is used in the model, suggesting the little effect of Asian dust on the seawater Sr record in the Quaternary. The increase in (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_seawater is 1.5 × 10⁻⁵ if the higher value of 1.17 × 10⁹ mol Sr/yr is used, as observed in the Quaternary Sr record. These results further support the suggestions of Jacobson (2004).     

Climate variability at the southern boundaries of the Namib (southwestern Africa) and Atacama (northern Chile) coastal deserts during the last 120,000 yr

In this study, we present grain-size distributions of the terrigenous fraction of two deep-sea sediment cores from the SE Atlantic (offshore Namibia) and from the SE Pacific (offshore northern Chile), which we ‘unmix’ into subpopulations and which are interpreted as coarse eolian dust, fine eolian dust, and fluvial mud. The downcore ratios of the proportions of eolian dust and fluvial mud subsequently represent paleocontinental aridity records of southwestern Africa and northern Chile for the last 120,000 yr. The two records show a relatively wet Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) compared to a relatively dry Holocene, but different orbital variability on longer time scales. Generally, the northern Chilean aridity record shows higher-frequency changes, which are closely related to precessional variation in solar insolation, compared to the southwestern African aridity record, which shows a remarkable resemblance to the global ice-volume record. We relate the changes in continental aridity in southwestern Africa and northern Chile to changes in the latitudinal position of the moisture-bearing Southern Westerlies, potentially driven by the sea-ice extent around Antarctica and overprinted by tropical forcing in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.     

西菲律宾海现代风尘物质组成特征及其物源指示意义

为识别西菲律宾海现代风尘物质的具体来源及其携带动力,本次研究于2015年冬季对西菲律宾海上空风尘进行了采集,并系统分析了碎屑态组分的矿物组成和常、微量元素组合特征.西菲律宾海现代风尘沉积物中碎屑矿物成分主要有石英、伊利石、斜长石和石膏等,矿物形态均呈次棱角状,具有明显的风成沉积特征.所研究样品的Al₂O₃-TiO₂投影主要与鄂尔多斯沙漠和巴丹吉林沙漠物质相似,而其微量元素Zr-Th-Sc组成则表现为鄂尔多斯沙漠和塔克拉玛干沙漠物质的两端元混合,说明鄂尔多斯沙漠是西菲律宾海现代风尘的主要源区,而塔克拉玛干沙漠和巴丹吉林沙漠的风尘输入对该区的影响较小.后向轨迹分析表明,西菲律宾海冬季的风尘携带动力主要是东亚冬季风.      

浑善达克沙地近50年来风沙活动的湖泊记录

干旱、半干旱地区湖泊沉积物能否有效地记录大气粉尘源区的风沙活动历史对理解沙尘暴发生的气候和环境背景具有重要的意义。对于位于内蒙古浑善达克沙地南缘的夏日淖(湖)近代沉积物进行 137Cs/210Pb定年和沉积学分析显示,碎屑沉积物具有两个明显的粒度组分,其一是与当地沙丘砂粒度分布相同的中细砂组分; 另一为与大气降尘粒度相似的粉砂组分,自1957年以来反映这两个粒度组分相对变化的中值粒径和>63μm砂的含量都具有显著的变化。与浑善达克地区和中国北方气象记录对比发现,沉积物中值粒径和>63μm砂的含量分别与沙尘暴和6m/s风速(或大风)发生频次呈正相关,与温度呈负相关; 最近50年来这些沉积和气候参数具有总体一致的变化。这样的事实说明,夏日淖沉积物主要由风力搬运沉积的,其粒度与风沙活动存在内在联系,粗粒沉积物增加是风沙活动加强的结果。因此,干旱、半干旱地区湖泊中风力搬运的沉积物粒度受风沙活动强度控制,可以成为重建过去风沙活动历史的重要标志。     

中北太平洋铁锰结壳钕同位素演化研究

现代海洋中的水成 Fe－Mn 结壳的 Nd 来自当时周围海水，因此利用 Fe－Mn 结壳可以恢复新生海洋 Nd 同位素演化历史，进面了解古海洋环境和古气候变迁信息。海洋中 Nd 的来源包括河流或陆源 Nd、大陆边缘沉积物和风成粉尘中的可溶 Nd，以及洋中脊热液蚀变来源的 Nd。对海水、水成成因铁锰结壳和结核、洋脊热液喷发和河流输入的 Nd 同位素研究发明，陆源物质控制着大洋中溶解的 Nd。对于风尘输入对大洋中的REE的影响还存在争议。有研究表明来自大陆和火山的风尘是某些局部大洋中的 REE 的重要来源，风尘与海水间的 REE 交换引起了某些洋区中 Nd 同位素组成的变化。相反，另有学者认为风尘对北太平洋中的溶解 Nd 总量没有影响。笔者分板子一块来自中北太平洋的铁锰结壳样品（MDD53）的 Nd，Pb 同位素，得到了该区新生代以来的 Nd，Pb 同位素演化历史。通过对比该结壳和岩心 LL44－GPC3 中粉尘的同位素演变曲线，发现二者的 Pb 同位素变化规律十分相似，证明结壳中的 Pb 主要来自粉尘。与 Pb 同位素相反，二者的 Nd 同位素演化完全不同。中国黄土的ENd值远低于中太平洋深水中的ENd值。因此，笔者认为风成粉尘对太平洋深水中溶解的 Nd 总量的影响可以忽略不计。结壳的 ENd值介于大陆和岛弧火山的值之间，说明新生代太平洋海水中的 Nd 主要来自河流、大洋边缘大陆风化及大洋环流携带大源自其他大洋的 Nd，新生代 Nd 同位素比值的增长主要是国为太平洋边缘岛弧的风化剥蚀作用和火山活动的增强。     

中国北方过去2000年沙尘事件与气候变化*

文章依据冰芯、树木年轮等自然记录和历史文献记录,分析了中国北方不同地区近2000年的沙尘事件及其与气候变化的关系。结果表明,在干旱区西部,历史时期的沙尘变化主要受温度变化的制约,无论在10年尺度,还是百年尺度上,沙尘事件与温度变化均表现为显著的反相关,即气候寒冷期与沙尘频发事件相对应,气候温暖期与沙尘发生变弱期一致;在半干旱区,在10年尺度上温度和降水序列与沙尘发生频率均显著负相关,但在百年尺度上沙尘与降水变化的关系更为密切;在干旱区东部,沙尘与气候变化的关系具有明显的过渡性特征,气候变化对沙尘事件的作用主要在百年尺度上体现出来,沙尘与温度记录的负相关比降水更好,在10年尺度上气候与沙尘序列尽管也是负相关,但不显著。通过对现代气象记录的气温、降水变化和沙尘事件频数分析,其结果与历史时期情况基本一致。     

黄土高原风尘沉积的物质来源研究:回顾与展望

黄土高原风尘沉积是青藏高原构造隆升和东亚季风系统共同影响下的产物。由于风尘物质的来源变化,不仅反映了亚洲内陆的干旱化过程,而且同过去大气环流格局变迁关系密切,因而,风尘物质来源的示踪一直是黄土研究的热点问题之一。文章首先回顾黄土来源的示踪方法、黄土物质的可能源区以及黄土物源在构造和轨道时间尺度上的变化特征3个方面取得的研究进展,然后探讨目前物源研究存在的问题及未来的研究展望。     

Quaternary eolian dunes in the Savannah River valley,Jasper County,South Carolina,USA

Sand hills in the Savannah River valley in Jasper County (South Carolina, USA) are interpreted as the remnants of parabolic eolian dunes composed of sand derived from the Savannah River and stabilized by vegetation under prevailing climate conditions. Optically stimulated luminescence ages reveal that most of the dunes were active ca. 40 to 19 ka ago, coincident with the last glacial maximum (LGM) through early deglaciation. Modern surface winds are not sufficient for sustained eolian sand transport. When the dunes were active, winds blew at velocities of at least 4 m/s from west to east, and some vegetation was present. The ratio of annual precipitation to potential evapotranspiration (P:PE) was less than the modern ratio of 1.23 and may have been < 0.30, caused by stronger winds (which would have resulted in greater evaporation) and/or reduced precipitation. The Savannah River dunes are part of a larger assemblage of eolian dunes that were active in the eastern United States during and immediately after the LGM, suggesting that eolian sediment behavior in this region has been controlled by regional forcing mechanisms during the Quaternary.