Variability of East Asian Winter Monsoon in Quaternary Climatic Extremes in North China

In order to examine high-frequency variations of East Asian winter monsoon in Quaternary climatic extremes, two typical loess–paleosol sequences in the Chinese Loess Plateau were investigated. Sandy layers in the loess deposits, the “Upper sand” and “Lower sand” (layers L9 and L15, respectively), which represent a high-resolution record of paleomonsoon changes, have been sampled at intervals of 5–6 cm from sections at Luochuan and Xifeng. The grain size and magnetic susceptibility was measured for all samples. The grain-size results (a proxy of winter monsoon strength) indicate that the winter monsoon strength fluctuated on a millennial timescale during cold climatic extremes, with climatic events of a few hundred to a few thousand years. However, the winter monsoon was relatively stable during warm periods. The magnetic susceptibility signal (a proxy of summer monsoon intensity) is practically constant over the same period. This is tentatively explained by the assumption that the summer monsoon intensity was too low to be recorded in the magnetic susceptibility signal. The intensified winter monsoon events show periodicities in a range of 1000 to 2770 yr, with a dominant cycle of approximately 1450 yr. The detection of this oscillation in older glacial stages strongly suggests that it may be a pervasive cycle of the cold climatic phases of the Quaternary. Millennial-scale variations of the winter monsoon may be caused by instability of the westerly jet, which is determined by temperature differences between the polar and the equatorial regions.     

黄土-红粘土记录的构造尺度气候变化

晚新生代约5Ma以来,全球气候系统发生了一系列的重要转型,地球从单极(南极)常年有冰变为两极常年有冰,新生代从"温室"转为"冰室"的漫长历程至此完成.中国连续的黄土-红粘土沉积覆盖了约8～7Ma以来的时段,提供了完整的Pliocene-Pleistocene转型时期的陆相古气候记录,是研究晚新生代构造尺度气候变化和转型的重要记录.黄土-红粘土记录表明,其构造尺度变化既在相当程度上反映了晚中新世-上新世以来的全球变冷信号和Plio/Pleistocene转折、Mid-Pleistocene转折等重要构造事件,同时也对重要的区域构造和环境演化过程有显著的响应.今后需要通过对黄土-红粘土记录的研究,就上新世-更新世一系列的转型过程中重要气候系统成员的变化特征、高低纬气候系统相互作用特征以及转型机制等第四纪气候变化的根本问题作出有特色的回答.     

郑州邙山黄土碳酸盐和白云石含量记录的80 ka以来季风降水变化及驱动机制

揭示东亚季风气候精细变化过程和区域差异,是第四纪古气候学研究的重要内容。本文以季风影响显著的中原郑州黄土堆积上部31 m为研究对象,基于高密度光释光独立定年和619份样品的碳酸盐、白云石含量、磁化率测试,重建了约80 ka以来东亚季风降水/季风强度变化过程。黄土碳酸盐、白云石含量时间序列显示,末次间冰期末期以来,中原地区发生过数次季风降水增强事件,每次降水增强期持续时间短于岁差、偏心率等轨道周期,表明存在亚轨道时间尺度季风快速变化现象。中原黄土碳酸盐/白云石含量主要受土壤呼吸CO₂的影响,土壤呼吸CO₂含量由季风降水和土壤温度控制,因此,碳酸盐/白云石含量是东亚夏季风强度的良好替代指标。中原地区千年时间尺度的季风湿润和干旱事件与其他地区黄土、石笋记录具有同步性,证实在东亚季风降水核心区、中心区和边缘区千年时间尺度干湿变化的同步性,支持季风环流大空间同步增强的模式。这一季风降水型式与现代观测到的"南涝北旱"的"+-+"三极型季风降水分布不同,可能表明不同时间尺度季风降水型式有明显区别。进一步分析表明,季风降水增强/减少事件存在约22 ka和约1.6 ka的周期,表明低纬太阳辐射、大洋环流和高纬度冷事件对东亚季风的联合驱动作用。

     

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.     

陕西洛川黄土的粒度分维值及其意义

对陕西洛川剖面１５８０个黄土样品的粒度数据分析表明,黄土的基本粒级,即在２－５０μｍ的标度范围内,粒度分布具有分形特征。黄土的粒度分维值在２．１６－２．５１之间,平均值为２．３２;而古土壤的粒度分维值在２．２３－２．５１之间,平均值为２．４１;粒芳分维值对黄土与古土壤的形成环境的演变,有良好的指示意义。粒度分雏值显示,250万年以来,东亚季风不断增强,变化周期和变化幅度逐渐变大。在早更新世,季风较弱,变化周期短．变化幅度小,表现为2～4万年的周期;而在晚更新世,季风较强,冬季风和夏季风相互消长,变化周期长且明显,变化幅度大,表现出10万年的变化周期。     

末次盛冰期北美风成环境变化及其在全球气候突变事件中的意义

本文用末次冰期北美大冰盖南缘的风尘堆积记录来重建末次盛冰期的亚极地环境变化.磁化率、有机碳含量和潜育化程度的资料表明,末次盛冰期的前期(约21000～15000aB P.)植被覆盖较差,而后期(15000～10000aB.P.)植被覆盖较好,15 000aB.P.环境发生了急剧的变化,磁化率曲线显示了大约1000a的氧化-还原周期.这种大约1000a的环境变化周期很可能由低纬地区的海洋和大气的扰动所驱动,这种扰动的能量通过北美大冰盖及时地传递到北大西洋.     

东亚冬、夏古季风变化的相位差及热带太平洋在季风变化中的驱动作用

斋堂黄土剖面古气候记录表明：１)冬、夏季风在千年尺度上的变化存在相位差;２)冬、夏季风记录在变化趋势上具有互为消长的关系,而在变化幅度和频率方面则有明显的差异。这表明,冬、夏季风在千年尺度上的变化是分别由不同的因素和过程所控制。我们提出热带太平洋海气相互作用系统在东亚季风变化过程中起着直接的驱动作用。     

Zr/Rb ratio in the Chinese loess sequences and its implication for changes in the East Asian winter monsoon strength

The long-term dust accumulation sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) provide a valuable opportunity to study the evolution of East Asian winter monsoon strength. Grain size of bulk samples of loess deposits, though widely used, is a modified measure of the strength of winter monsoon wind due to modification by post-depositional weathering and pedogenesis. This study proposes a new and reliable geochemical climate proxy that records the variability of the East Asian winter monsoon on the CLP. Six loess-paleosol sections on the Plateau were selected for measuring concentrations of the trace elements Zr and Rb as well as grain size. Variations of the Zr/Rb ratio in all the sections encompassing the last 130 ka display a generally similar pattern to that of mean grain size of bulk samples (MGSB). Though a positive correlation exists between the Zr/Rb ratio and MGSB, the correlation coefficient decreases in southern and eastern sections where intense pedogenesis occurred in the relatively warm and humid climates. Long-term Zr/Rb variation in the Lingtai section exhibits amplitudes and frequencies similar to those in MGSB and the mean grain size of quartz particles (MGSQ, accepted as a more reliable proxy than MGSB) in the upper loess-paleosol sequence over the past 2.6 Ma. However, for the underlying Red Clay formation, in the interval from about 7-2.6 Ma B.P., the MGSB record is relatively stable, whereas both the Zr/Rb ratio and MGSQ show distinct variability and display amplitudes similar to those observed in the overlying loess-paleosol sequence. These results demonstrate that the Zr/Rb ratio reflects original eolian grain size and may serve as a reliable index of the strength of East Asian winter monsoon winds.     

Comparison of Milankovitch periods between continental loess and deep sea records over the last 2.5 Ma

A high-resolution East Asian winter monsoon proxy record reconstructed from the Baoji loess section in China shows two major shifts in climate modes over the past 2.5 Ma, one occurring at about 1.7–1.6 Ma BP and the other at about 0.8–0.5 Ma BP. The 1.7–1.6 Ma shift is characterized by a rather abrupt transition of winter monsoon variability from various periodicities to dominant 41-ka cycles, and accompanied by a substantial increase in intensity of winter monsoon winds as manifested by an increase in average loess grain size. The 0.8–0.5 Ma event shows a relatively gradual transition from constant 41-ka cycles to predominant 100-ka climatic oscillations with a significant increase in amplitude. The 0.8–0.5 Ma shift matches that registered in deep-sea δ¹⁸O records, whereas the 1.7–1.6 Ma shift is absent in global ice volume changes. This comparison suggests that at about 1.6 Ma BP, the ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere may have reached a critical size, sufficient to modulate changes in the global climate system. The discrepancy of climate cyclicity between loess and deep-sea records over the 2.5–1.6 Ma interval suggests that the older Matuyama climate evolution cannot be understood simply by a regular 41 ka cycle model on a global scale. More long proxy records derived from continental deposits are needed.     

最后4个冰期旋回中国黄土记录的东亚冬季风变化

开展高分辨率的黄土记录研究, 是揭示过去气候变迁和变率的主要途径.选择黄土高原中部的灵台和赵家川剖面, 对L5以上的黄土-古土壤序列进行了石英颗粒的提取和粒度分析.结果表明, 石英粗颗粒(> 43μm) 体积分数变化揭示了最后4个冰期旋回东亚冬季风存有的快速变化特征, 并同深海氧同位素记录具有良好的对应关系; 然而, 在每一个冰期时段, 石英粗颗粒体积分数的变化幅度和频率存有较大差异, 可能意味着对应的冰期下垫面状况和气候系统内部的非线性响应机制并不相同.值得注意的是由石英粗颗粒体积分数反映的东亚冬季风变化, 在某些时段不仅同磁化率记录的夏季风变化不协调, 而且同深海氧同位素记录存有明显差异.深入研究这种由不同代用指标反映的古气候变化间的差异, 对理解黄土记录的全球性意义显得尤为重要.      

中国黄土记录的季风快速变化

中国黄土高分辨率代用指标研究表明东亚季风气候存有亚轨道尺度的快速波动,与北半球高纬气候和大西洋经向环流变化关系密切。本文回顾前人在黄土高原地区多个典型剖面的研究结果,分末次冰期、最后两个冰期旋回及极端冰期（L₉和L₁₅）3个时段,阐述了粒度、元素比值、风化指数等代用指标揭示的冬、夏季风快速变化特征,并与冰芯、石笋和深海记录进行对比,探讨了季风突变事件的区域一致性和遥相关动力过程。结果表明,黄土高原西北部高分辨率黄土剖面代用指标对季风快速变化敏感,而东南缘黄土记录的突变事件不太清晰,这种差异受控于沉积速率和风化成壤的空间变化;在冰期-间冰期不同气候背景下,黄土粒度和元素比值的变化幅度和周期表现出较大差异,冰期幅度大、频率快,间冰期幅度小、频率慢,表明冰量大小对季风快速变化有调制作用;在两个极端寒冷期（氧同位素阶段22~24和38）,黄土粒度同样表现出快速变化特征,但与北大西洋浮冰碎屑记录似乎难以对应,可能与海陆记录的分辨率差异和年代标尺不确定性有关。综上所述,季风快速变化特征在沉积速率相对较高、成壤相对较弱的黄土剖面比较清晰,在冰期-间冰期不同下垫面条件下季风快速变化的特征和机理可能不同。未来的季风快速变化研究,一方面在时间尺度上拓展高分辨率敏感代用指标研究,揭示季风快速变化的起源和演化特征;另一方面加强地质记录和数值模拟结果的对比研究,获得季风快速变化动力机理的全面认识。

     

Impacts of grain size sorting and chemical weathering on the geochemistry of Jingyuan loess in the northwestern Chinese Loess Plateau

Major and trace elemental compositions of loess samples collected from the Jingyuan section in the northwestern Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) were analyzed to investigate the potential impacts of grain size sorting and chemical weathering on the loess geochemistry and to extract appropriate geochemical indices for better evaluating the East Asian monsoon variability. Based on variations of major and trace elements in different grain size fractions, seventeen elements were classified into three types: (1) Si and Na display higher contents with the increased particle sizes; (2) Al, Fe, Mg, K, Mn, Zn, Rb, Cr, V are mainly enriched in fine size fractions; (3) Ti, Ba, Zr, P, Ca and Sr show irregular variations among different size fractions. Comparison of Al-normalized elemental ratios with Zr/Rb and Rb/Sr ratios (two commonly employed indicators for grain size sorting and pedogenic weathering) indicates that Si/Al, Zr/Al, Ti/Al variations match well with Zr/Rb and grain size results, whilst Ca/Al, Sr/Al, P/Al ratios display similar variability as that of Rb/Sr ratio. Comparison of loess based proxies (e.g., elemental ratios, magnetic susceptibility, grain size) of Jingyuan section with speleothem and ice-core records confirms that elemental ratios of high-resolution loess sequences developed in the northwestern CLP can be employed to address fluctuations of the winter monsoon-induced grain size sorting and summer monsoon-related weathering and pedogenesis at glacial–interglacial and millennial timescales.     

第四纪时期东亚季风变化的动力机制

本文作者主张：古气候演化的动力机制研究应从动力因子和动力过程两个方面人手。通过对比东亚冬季风、夏季风、印度季风及全球冰量变化的时间特征和频率特征,我们得到以下认识：1）大致在过去0.8Ma这个时段,东亚冬、夏季风基本上具同相位、同周期的互为消长演化特征;2）东南季风演化具0.1Ma的主导周期,而印度季风变化则以较短周期为主;3）东亚冬、夏季风与全球冰量变化在时间范畴上可作很好的对比,尤其是这三者均含有主导性的0.1Ma周期。在此基础上,本文提出东亚季风演化的“全球冰量驱动模式”,并初步讨论了东亚季风变化对全球冰量变化响应的动力过程。     

黄土高原和南海陆架古季风演变的生物记录与Heinrich事件

宝鸡黄土中0.15Ma以来植物硅酸体研究表明,年均温度、1月份和年均降水量的变化与深海氧同位素变化有很好的一致性,而7月份降水量的变化与印度洋反映季风强弱的粒度变化相类似。南海陆架孢粉研究发现,14700-13900aB.P.和22900一20600aB.P.气候变冷期与北大西洋沉积物中H1、H2变冷事件存在成因上的联系。全球冰量通过冬季风等因素在“轨道尺度”上可能影响了夏季风对特定地区的控制时间,从而控制了黄土区气候的年均状况,但没有影响夏季风固有的变化周期和振幅。由低纬夏季太阳辐射控制的夏季风以其准20000a周期叠加在冬季风所具有的准0.1Ma周期上。冬、夏季风的演化行为具有较强的相对独立性,冬、夏季风同时减弱或增强的情况是存在的。Heinrich事件在东亚地区不仅影响了冬季风而且影响了夏季风。     

西宁黄土白云石和碳同位素记录的轨道尺度季风气候变化

第四纪轨道尺度东亚季风变化的主控周期及其驱动机制还没有一致的认识,高纬地区冰量和低纬岁差变化如何驱动季风气候变化没有定论。沉积过程连续、堆积速率快的黄土-古土壤序列是揭示轨道时间尺度季风气候变化的良好材料。我们选择青藏高原东北部西宁泮子山黄土堆积上部的60 m作为研究对象,通过钻探取样和分析最近280 ka以来黄土-古土壤序列的磁化率、碳酸盐含量、白云石含量、碳酸盐碳同位素等古气候代用指标,探讨青藏高原东北部东亚夏季风气候的变化规律和控制因素。利用频谱和小波分析方法对季风气候变化的时间序列进行分析。结果显示,最近280 ka以来东亚夏季风变化具有轨道尺度的变化周期,并与高纬冰量和北半球温度变化有一定的联系;同时,西宁黄土古气候时间序列具有显著23 ka的岁差周期,表明低纬过程对东亚季风的重要作用。岁差调制的低纬太阳辐射变化可能是驱动青藏高原东北部轨道尺度季风降水变化的主导因素,高纬冰量和温度变化对轨道尺度的季风变化也有一定的影响。

     

East Asian monsoon instability at the stage 5a/4 transition

The physics involved in the abrupt climate changes of the late Quaternary have eluded paleoclimatologists for many years. More paleoclimatic records characteristic of different elements of the global climate system are needed for better understanding of the cause-feedback relationships in the system. The East Asian monsoon is an important part of the global climate system and the mechanical links between the East Asian monsoon and other climatic elements around the world may hold a key to our knowledge of abrupt climate changes in East Asia and probably over a larger part of the globe. Previous studies have detected millennial-scale winter monsoon oscillations during the last glaciation and probably also during the last interglaciation in loess sequences across China. However, less attention has been paid to the abrupt summer monsoon changes and the stage 5a/ 4 transition, an important period for the evolution of the East Asian monsoon when the global climate shifted towards the last glaciation. Here we report on two loess sections from eastern China which were dated using a thermoluminescence (TL) technique. The pedogenic and other sediment parameters suggest that the summer monsoon experienced a two-step abrupt retreat at the stage 5a/4 transition. The variations in the proxies for the winter monsoon are synchronized with the summer monsoon proxies during this brief interval, implying a direct and immediate link between high latitude and low latitude mechanisms. These changes may be correlated with similar climatic oscillations observed in the North Atlantic, Europe and Antarctica, raising the possibility that the forcing factors that induced these changes are global in extent.     

最后两个冰期旋回季风-沙漠系统不稳定性的高分辨率黄土记录

黄土高原西北部黄土沉积的粒度变化同时受控于沙漠进退和冬季风强度波动,因此,此区粒度可视为季风-沙漠系统变迁的替代性指标。本研究以2cm为间隔,对李家塬和新庄源S2以上部分做了粒度分析。结果表明,倒数第二次冰期中的冰阶时段与末次冰期类似,存在着频繁的千年尺度的气候波动;而末次间冰期这类变化并不明显。     

Decou pled Summer and Winter Monsoon in Northeast Tibet and Northwest Loess Plateau During the Last Interglaciation

DECOUPLED SUMMER AND WINTER MONSOON IN NORTHEAST TIBET AND NORTHWEST LOESS PLATEAU DURING THE LAST INTERGLACIATIONtheNationalKeyProjectforBasicResearchonTibetPlateau (G19980 4 80 0 )andtheNationalNaturalSci encesFoundationofChina (No.4 990     

轨道调谐建立西宁厚层黄土堆积时间标尺的探索

青藏高原东北部西宁-互助地区堆积的厚层黄土是认识高原第四纪环境演化和气候变化的重要信息载体。对西宁泮子山厚层黄土钻孔（181.7m）进行了间隔5cm的采样,在实验室测量了全部样品的粒度,以粒度和北半球高纬太阳辐射数据为材料,选择古地磁年龄作为独立年代控制点,采用改进的自动轨道调谐方法,建立了西宁黄土早更新世以来天文轨道调谐的时间标尺。调谐后的粒度时间序列与ETP曲线在轨道周期上高度相关,在一定程度上证明了轨道调谐方法建立西宁厚层黄土堆积年代标尺的可行性。泮子山厚层黄土的沉积速率在1.0Ma前后发生了明显变化,1.0Ma以来沉积速率的相对高值可能反映了粉尘源区的干旱化程度增强,也指示了亚洲中部和青藏高原干旱环境的急剧发展。西宁厚层黄土年代标尺的建立,对深入认识晚新生代亚洲干旱气候发展过程和青藏高原的环境演化具有积极意义。     

Luminescence dating of sand–loess sequences and response of Mu Us and Otindag sand fields (north China) to climatic changes

The sand–loess transition zone in north China is sensitive to climate change, and is an ideal place to investigate past environmental changes. However, past climate change at millennial–centennial timescales in this region has not been well reconstructed because of limited numerical dating. Alternations of sandy loam soils with aeolian sand layers in the Mu Us and Otindag sand fields, which lie along the sand–loess transition zone, indicate multiple intervals of dune activity and stability. This change is probably a response to variations of the East Asian monsoon climate during the late Quaternary. The single aliquot regeneration (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocol, which has been successfully applied to aeolian deposits worldwide, is applied to these two sand fields in this study. The OSL ages provide reliable constraints for reconstruction of past climate changes at suborbital timescale. Sections in both sand fields contain aeolian sand beds recording millennial‐scale episodes of dry climate and widespread dune activation, including episodes at about the same time as Heinrich Event 5 and the Younger Dryas in the North Atlantic region. These results demonstrate the potential of aeolian sediments in semi‐arid north China to record millennial‐scale climatic events, and also suggest that dry–wet climate variation at the desert margin in China may be linked to climatic change elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, through atmospheric circulation. This article was published online on 27 November 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected (16 December 2008). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.