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.     

22-Ma eolian deposits in China and long-term climate changes

The history of eolian dust deposition in northern China has been traced back to 22 million years ago （Ma） and the combination of different eolian formations provides a nearly continuous terrestrial climate record since the early Neogene. The spatial distribution of environmental indicators define a roughly EW zonal climate pattern in Asia throughout the Paleogene, attributable to a circulation pattern dominated by a Planetary Wind System （PWS）. A major rearrangement occurred near the Miocene/Oligocene boundary, characterized by a replacement of the zonal PWS by a monsoon circulation similar to that of the present day. This event is also marked by the onset of loess deposition in northern China. The Asian summer monsoon was likely rather weak during the Paleogene. The loess deposition and formation of numerous well-developed paleosols since the Early Miocene indicate that the following features of the modem-day circulation already existed 22 Ma ago： sizeable deserts in the Asian inlands as dust sources, the winter monsoon as dust carrier, and an energetic summer monsoon as a supply of moisture. Uplift of the Himalayan-Tibetan complex and changes in land-sea distribution were likely responsible for these joint changes in circulation and aridity. From 22 to 6 Ma, loess accumulation rates were much lower, suggesting moderate levels of ar/dity and winter monsoon strength. Evolution of the aridity was not strongly correlative with the cooling trends indicated by marine oxygen isotope records, suggesting a smaller impact of global cooling on drying of the Asian interior during this time interval. However, the general aridification history since about 6 Ma matches the ongoing high-latitude cooling and the consequent expansion of Arctic sea-ice/ice sheets. Some increases in aridification also coincide with proposed uplift of portions of the Tibetan Plateau.     

The Mid-Miocene Pollen Record of the Xunhua Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau: Implications for Global Climate Change

The northeastern Tibetan Plateau is located at the convergence of the Asian winter and summer monsoons and westerlies; thus, this area has witnessed historic climate changes.The Xunhua basin is an intermontane basin on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.The basin contains more than 2000 m of Cenozoic fluvial–lacustrine sediments, recording a long history of climate and environmental changes.We collected the mid-Miocene sediments from the Xunhua basin and used palynological methods to discuss the relationship between aridification in the interior of Asia, global cooling, and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.Based on the palynological analysis of the Xigou section, Xunhua basin, the palynological diagram is subdivided into three pollen zones and past vegetation and climate are reconstructed.Zone I, Ephedripites–Nitraridites–Chenopodipollis–Quercoidites(14.0–12.5 Ma), represents mixed shrub–steppe vegetation with a dry and cold climate.In zone II, Pinaceae–Betulaepollenites–Ephedripites–Chenopodipollis–Graminidites(12.5–8.0 Ma), the vegetation and climate conditions improved, even though the vegetation was still dominated by shrub–steppe taxa.Zone III, Ephedripites–Nitrariadites–Chenopodipollis(8.0–5.0 Ma), represents desert steppe vegetation with drier and colder climate.The palynological records suggest that shrub–steppe dominated the whole Xigou section and the content gradually increased, implying a protracted aridification process, although there was an obvious climate improvement during 12.5–8.0 Ma.The aridification in the Xunhua basin and surrounding mountains during 14.0–12.5 Ma was probably related to global cooling induced by the rapid expansion of the East Antarctic ice-sheets and the relatively higher evaporation rate.During the 12.5–8.0 Ma period, although topographic changes(uplift of Jishi Shan) decreased precipitation and strengthened aridification in the Xunhua basin on leeward slopes, the improved vegetation and climate conditions were probably controlled by the decrease in evaporation rates as a result of continuous cooling.From 8.0 to 5.0 Ma, the rapid development of the desert steppe can be attributed to global cooling and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.     

A 1000-year record of Mg/Li and Li/Ca ratios of ostracod shells in Lake Qinghai,NE Tibetan Plateau

正1 Introduction Lake Qinghai,famous as the largest inland saline lake in China,located on the high-altitude northeastern Tibetan Plateau,and four junctional zones of the East Asian summer monsoon(EASM),Indian summer monsoon(ISM),East Asian winter monsoon and the westerly jet stream prevail,making it sensitive to global climate change     

Distribution of Palygorskite in the Lingtai Profile of Chinese Loess Plateau： Its Paleoclimatic Implications

Palygorskite is a typical indicator mineral of the arid and strong evaporation environment. Distribution of palygorskite in loess-red clay sequences may act as an important indicator for reconstruction of the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate.In this paper,field emission scanning electron microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope observations on the red clay-loess-paleosol of the Renjiapo profile at Lingtai,Gansu Province indicate that palygorskite occurs widely in red clay sequences formed before 3.6 Ma,but no occurrence has been found in eolian sediments since 3.2 Ma.Micromorphological features and microstructure of palygorskite show that it is an autogenic mineral formed during pedogenesis,and transformed from illite-montmorillonite under the pore water action.In the Lingtai profile,the disappearance horizon of palygorskite is consistent with those of increasing magnetic susceptibility,dust flux and depositional rate.The distribution of palygorskite in the profile indicates that the interval of around 3.6 Ma was an important transformation period of the East Asian paleomonsoon,when changes took place in the East Asia paleoclimate pattern,i.e.a high-frequency strong fluctuation alternative evolution of the environment. Therefore,palygorskite is a key indicator mineral of the East Asian paleomonsoon evolution of that time.     

Distribution of Palygorskite in the Lingtai Profile of Chinese Loess Plateau: Its Paleoclimatic Implications

Palygorskite is a typical indicator mineral of the arid and strong evaporation environment. Distribution of palygorskite in loess-red clay sequences may act as an important indicator for reconstruction of the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate. In this paper, field emission scanning electron microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope observations on the red clay-loess-paleosol of the Renjiapo profile at Lingtai, Gansu Province indicate that palygorskite occurs widely in red clay sequences formed before 3.6 Ma, but no occurrence has been found in eolian sediments since 3.2 Ma. Micromorphological features and microstructure of palygorskite show that it is an autogenic mineral formed during pedogenesis, and transformed from iilite-montmorilionite under the pore water action. In the Lingtai profile, the disappearance horizon of palygorskite is consistent with those of increasing magnetic susceptibility, dust flux and depositional rate. The distribution of palygorskite in the profile indicates that the interval of around 3.6 Ma was an important transformation period of the East Asian paleomonsoon, when changes took place in the East Asia paleoclimate pattern, i.e. a high-frequency strong fluctuation alternative evolution of the environment. Therefore, palygorskite is a key indicator mineral of the East Asian paleomonsoon evolution of that time.     

Zircon U-Pb Ages of Quaternary Loess-Paleosol Sequences from the Luochuan Section: Implication for Sediment Provenance

<正>Objective The sediment provenances of the thick Quaternary Loess-Paleosol sequences of the Chinese Loess Plateau can provide clues to the evolution of the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment in East Asia.Furthermore,based on the proposed sediment sources and transport routes,the evolution of the East Asian monsoon can be evaluated.     

Magnetostratigraphy and Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility of the Lulehe Formation in the Northeastern Qaidam Basin

The timing of onset of deposition of the Lulehe Formation is a significant factor in understanding the genesis of the Qaidam basin and the evolution of the Tibetan Plateau. Here, we describe a detailed magnetostratigraphic and magnetic fabric study of the middle and lower parts of the Lulehe Formation. A total of 234 samples were collected from 117 sites throughout a thickness of almost 460 m of fluvial and lacustrine deposits at the Xitieshan section in the northeastern Qaidam basin. Out of these sites, 94 sites yielded well-defined characteristic remanent magnetization components by stepwise thermal demagnetization and were used to establish the magnetostratigraphy of the studied section. Based on correlation with the geomagnetic polarity timescale, the studied section spans the period from 53.8 Ma to 50.7 Ma. Our results show a three-fold decrease in sedimentation rates as well as marked change in facies from braided river to delta and shore–shallow lake around 52.6 Ma, which suggests tectonic uplift of the northeastern Qaidam basin margin ridge was rapid at the onset of formation of the Qaidam basin and subsequently weakened after 52.6 Ma. The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility results indicate that tectonic compression stress had reached the northeastern Tibetan Plateau by the early stages of Indo–Eurasian plate collision and that the direction of stress in the study area was NE–SW. Furthermore, a weakening of tectonic compression stress around 52.6 Ma is consistent with sedimentary records. The age of initial deposition of the Qaidam basin (around 53.8 Ma) was almost synchronous with that of the Qiangtang, Hoh Xil, Xining, and Lanzhou basins, which implies that stress was transferred rapidly through the Tibetan Plateau during or immediately after the onset of Indo–Eurasian collision.     

A New Model for Correlation between the Marine Benthic Oxygen Isotope and Red Clay Magnetic Susceptibility on the Chinese Loess Plateau

<正>Objective Aeolian sediments on the Chinese Loess Plateau contain some of the best continental archives of palaeoclimate change in the Late Cenozoic.The consensus that alternating MS in loess-paleosols in China was due to the strengthening and weakening of the East Asian palaeomonsoon provides an excellent climate record when correlated with global ice volume.Significantly,new basal dates from the red clay underlying the loess-paleosol sequence indicate that wind-blown dust began to accumulate on the Chinese Loess Plateau at least 22     

Late Holocene Moisture Changes in the Core Area of Arid Central Asia Reflected by Rock Magnetic Records of Glacier Lake Kalakuli Sediments in the Westernmost Tibetan Plateau and their Influences on the Evolution of Ancient Silk Road

The evolution of Ancient Silk Road(ASR) was deeply influenced by late Holocene moisture changes in Arid Central Asia(ACA). Nevertheless, controversies in Holocene moisture change pattern of ACA and poorly–constrained age models of related studies have made the discussion about late Holocene moisture changes in ACA and their influences on the evolution of ASR difficult. Recently, a high–resolution age model during the late Holocene was established for Kalakuli Lake, a small glacier lake located in the core area of ACA. A thorough rock magnetic investigation was carried out on Kalakuli Lake sediments based on this age model. The magnetic mineral assemblage of Kalakuli Lake sediments is still dominated by primary magnetite despite minor diagenetic effects. Comparisons of rock magnetic records to parameters previously used as indicator of glacier fluctuations suggest that clastic input to Kalakuli Lake was high(low) and magnetic grain size is relatively larger(smaller), when glaciers on Muztagh Ata advanced(retreated). The ARM/SIRM ratio, a magnetic grain size proxy, is directly related to lake hydrodynamics, which are ultimately controlled by glacier fluctuations on Muztagh Ata as the result of regional moisture changes. Late Holocene moisture changes indicated by the ARM/SIRM ratio are consistent with cool/wet and warm/dry oscillations indicated by the unweighted average of biomarker hydrogen isotopic data of the C_(26) and C_(28) n–alkanoic acids in a previous study about Kalakuli Lake, most moisture change records of the core area of ACA and winter insolation of the Northern Hemisphere, but opposite to Asian monsoon evolution. Given Asian monsoon and the westerlies are mutually inhibited, we propose that late Holocene moisture changes in the core area of ACA were controlled by the intensity of Asian monsoon versus the westerlies under the governance of solar insolation. Generally increased moisture since the late Holocene indicated by the ARM/SIRM ratio favored cultural exchange and integration between the western and the eastern Eurasia, which paved the way for the formation of ASR. Coincidence between significant increase in moisture at ～200 BC suggested by the ARM/SIRM ratio and the formation of ASR indicates moisture as an important factor that facilitated the formation of ASR. The onsets of three prosperity periods of ASR in the history generally correspond to periods when moisture was relatively high, nevertheless, stagnant periods of ASR do not coincide with periods when moisture was relatively low in the core area of ACA. Disorganized correlations between stagnant periods of ASR and moisture changes in the core area of ACA suggest that moisture is not the decisive factor influencing the evolution of ASR.     

青藏高原东部全新世泥炭灰分的粒度特征及其古气候意义

通过将红原泥炭地泥炭灰分的粒度特征与典型风成沉积物、湖泊沉积物、河流沉积物的粒度特征进行比较,发现泥炭灰分的粒度特征与典型风成沉积（如黄土、古土壤）相似,而与湖泊沉积以及河流沉积有较大差异。环境判别参数也显示泥炭灰分来源为风成的。据此,作者认为该地区泥炭沉积中的灰分物质是风成堆积,进而提出该地区泥炭灰分含量可以指示冬季风强度的变化。      

Millennial-scale oscillations of the westerly jet path during the last glacial period

It has been established that East Asian summer monsoon intensity varies with Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, suggesting a connection between the climates of East Asia and the North Atlantic on a millennial timescale. However, the dynamics of such a connection are still unsolved. Here we demonstrate that temporal changes in the provenance of aeolian dust in Japan Sea sediments, which we interpret to reflect changes in the westerly jet path over East Asia, exhibit variations in harmony with Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles. The dominance of dust with a Mongolian Gobi provenance during stadials suggests a westerly jet axis located to the south of the Himalaya–Tibetan Plateau throughout most of the year, whereas the co-dominance of dust from both the Taklimakan Desert and the Mongolian Gobi during interstadials suggests that the westerly jet axis jumped to the north of the Tibetan Plateau at latest in summer. As the shift of the westerly jet axis to the north of the Tibetan Plateau is closely related to the onset of the East Asian summer monsoon, changes of the westerly jet path apparently critically affect the teleconnection between the climates of Asia and North Atlantic on a millennial timescale.     

新近纪以来中国黄土高原的风尘记录

通过对黄土高原中部两个典型的风尘堆积序列的岩性和磁性地层研究 ,认为中国黄土高原风尘堆积的开始发育年龄至少约为 7.2 Ma B.P.。以红粘土和黄土—古土壤交互出现的风尘沉积 ,不仅真实地记录了东亚季风气候的形成演化 ,而且可能包含了青藏高原的阶段性隆升、北半球冰盖形成演化及大冰期发生等构造气候事件的印记。反映粉尘源区的干燥度及携带粉尘的大气环流强度的风尘沉积速率自 7.2 Ma B.P.开始、尤其是 4.5 Ma B.P.以来逐渐增大 ,似乎暗示了自新近纪以来亚洲内陆粉尘源区干旱化的逐级发展和东亚冬季风环流强度的逐渐增加     

Reorganization of the Asian Monsoon System at About 2. 6 Ma Ago and Its Implications for the Rising of the Tibetan Plateau

REORGANIZATION OF THE ASIAN MONSOON SYSTEM AT ABOUT 2.6 Ma AGO AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE RISING OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAUheChineseResearchFoundation(KZ 951 A1 2 0 4 )     

Combined tectonics and climate forcing for the widespread aeolian dust accumulation in the Chinese Loess Plateau since the early late Miocene

Currently mechanisms for the onset of the widespread aeolian dust accumulation in the Chinese Loess Plateau since 8–7 Ma remain elusive. In this study, we compile 11 records of climate (14–7 Ma) and tectonic activity of the Tibetan Plateau and its adjacent areas (15–6 Ma). The results suggest that strong tectonic activity in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau has produced massive debris and dust, which was deposited in the piedmont basins and reworked by weathering and fluviolacustrine erosion. At the same time, global cooling and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau over the period of 14–7 Ma intensified the East Asian winter monsoon and westerly winds (westerlies) while weakening the Asian summer monsoon, which led to the spread of dry land vegetation and aridification in interior China. Sediments in the piedmont basins were then exposed in the aridity and transported by the westerlies to the Chinese Loess Plateau and the North Pacific. We suggest that tectonic activity in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and shifting global climate together triggered the widespread aeolian dust accumulation in the Chinese Loess Plateau and the North Pacific since 8–7 Ma.     

East Asia winter monsoon variations on a millennial time‐scale before the last glacial–interglacial cycle

Grain size and magnetic susceptibility measurements on samples from a typical loess–palaeosol sequence on the central Chinese Loess Plateau are used to reconstruct the Pleistocene East Asian monsoon climate. The coarse‐grained fraction, i.e. the weight percentage > 30 μm of the bulk grain‐size distribution, is used as a sensitive proxy index of the East Asia winter monsoon strength. On the basis of an absolute time‐scale, time‐series variations of this proxy show that winter monsoon strengths varied on millennial time‐scales during the periods 145–165, 240–280, 320–350, 390–440, 600–640, 860–890, 900–930 and 1330–1400 kyr BP. The wavelength of these climatic oscillations varied between 1.89 and 4.0 kyr, as is shown by spectral analysis using the multitaper method. Although numerical simulation experiments show that high frequencies also can arise from measurement errors in the grain‐size analysis, the frequencies prove to be sufficiently stable when the spectral analysis is repeated with a different number of tapers. For the time being, we do not correlate these climatic oscillations with palaeoclimatic records in the North Atlantic deep‐sea sediments because both time‐scales need to be further improved. Our data, however, certainly demonstrate that millennial‐scale East Asian winter monsoon variations in the last 1.4 million years can be detected from terrestrial loess records. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

晚中新世以来亚洲季风阶段性演化的海陆记录

本文在综合对比晚新生代以来中国黄土高原黄土一红粘土沉积、西北太平洋粉尘沉积、南海有孔虫、阿拉伯海有孔虫记录的基础上,探讨了大约8Ma以来亚洲季风的阶段性演化历史。结果发现,黄土高原粉尘沉积在8Ma前后大规模出现,在3．5Ma前后大幅增加;印度季风在8Ma前后形成(或显著加强);南海ODP1146站位浮游有孔虫Neoglcboquadrina丰度也有两次明显增加,表明海水表面温度不断降低和海洋生产力的增加,指示东亚冬季风作用增强。北太平洋()DP885／886钻孔风成粉尘通量也有增加,指示亚洲内陆进一步的干旱化和冬季风作用的增强。印度洋沉积通量在11Ma前后开始增加。在9～8Ma时出现峰值,表明喜马拉雅山和青藏高原南部逐渐隆起。当隆起达到足够高度时,导致亚洲内陆干旱气候带扩大,同时提供大量粉尘并向东传输到中国北方和北太平洋地区。青藏高原北缘山前盆地的沉积记录显示,在3．6Ma时,高原北部的进一步快速隆升过程可能影响到整个高原,从而导致亚洲内陆更加干旱化,东亚季风增强,粉尘沉积加快,南海及印度洋陆源沉积作用加剧。     

西太平洋深海沉积物记录的～80ka以来风尘物质输入与东亚冬季风强度

大洋沉积物中的风尘记录良好地揭示了风尘源区干旱化过程和季风强度变化。以位于西太平洋采薇海山附近的柱状沉积物(MABC19孔)为研究对象,在基于地磁场相对古强度对比获取年代框架的基础上,从沉积物粒度组分和磁学参数中提取研究区~80ka以来风尘物质的记录。沉积物高矫顽力磁性矿物参数结果指示,研究区风尘输入量自~80ka以来总体呈逐渐增加趋势,在MIS3/MIS2转换阶段风尘输入量增加明显,揭示了风尘源区古气候条件的转变。通过碎屑沉积物粒径—标准偏差方法提取代表风尘输入的敏感组分,其平均粒径记录了东亚冬季风强度在MIS3/MIS2转换阶段显著增大,该记录与黄土地区风尘记录指示的东亚冬季风强度变化在MIS3阶段高度一致,在其余时段存在着差异,初步推测这是由于高空风尘输送机制的海、陆差异所致。     

Grain-Size Distribution of Detrital Sediment in the Amami Sankaku Basin Since Late Pleistocene and Its Provenance and Palaeoclimate Implications

The grain size composition of detrital sediments in Hole U1438A from the Amami Sankaku Basin(ASB) in the northwest of the Philippine Sea since the last 350 ka was analyzed. The result shows that the mean grain size of the detrital sediment is about 13.1 μm, ranging from 0.04 to 160 μm. The grain size distribution displays a four-peak pattern and positive skewness. Four independent grain size components were separated by using Weibull distribution function. The ultra-fine component varies from 0.04 to 0.9 μm, with a size mode at about 0.3 μm, which may be genetically related to marine authigenetic clay. The fine-grained fraction ranges from 0.2 to 32 μm, with a size mode at about 3.5 μm, and slightly coarser than the eolian dust of the North Pacific. We argued that this fraction was mainly derived from Asian dust. The coarse-grained and ultra-coarse-grained fractions show distinct size mode at about 10 μm and 40 μm, and range from 0.3 to 90 μm, and from 3 to 160 μm respectively. Both the coarse and ultra-coarse components represent volcanic materials which were mainly derived from the ridges and islands around ASB. The variation of the ratio of environmentally sensitive size population 1.3~2.2 μm/28~40 μm was similar with the ratio of fine-sized component (Asian dust) and coarse-sized component (volcanic material) (0.9~3 μm/>10 μm), showing higher value during glacial period than that during interglacial, which is also identical with the variation of the mass accumulation of eolian dust in the North Pacific and Chinese Loess Plateau, and grain size in Chinese Loess Plateau. The increased ratio responded to the enhanced aridity of Asian continent and strengthened East Asia Winter Monsoon (EAWM)/westerly during glacial period. We argued that the increase of eolian fraction was driven by the enhanced aridity of Asian continent and strengthened East Asia Winter Monsoon (EAWM)/westerly during glacial period. Therefore, the ratio of 0.9~3 μm/>10 μm can be used as a proxy of the increased aridity and enhanced atmospheric circulation of Asian continent. These results suggest that the grain size composition of the detrial sediment in the ASB can be used to reconstruct the history of Asian aridity and atmospheric circulation.