Counting chronology and climate records with about 1000 annual layers of a Holocene stalagmite from the Water Cave in Liaoning Province, China

One active stalagmite from the Water Cave in Liaoning Province contains growth layers of three sizes. Based on thermal ionization mass spectrometry 230Th dating, we found that middle size layers are annual layers, with each middle layer consisting of one narrow dark layer and a wide bright layer. The small layers within middle layers are sub-annual layers and the large layers are multi-year layers. Based on the layer-counting method, we established a high-resolution time scale for layer thickness. Our results reveal two dramatic century-scale climate cycles over the past 1000 years in this region.     

石笋的荧光特征及其高分辨率气候环境记录

在分析石笋荧光特征的基础上，综述了石笋荧光应用于高分辨率气候环境记录的研究进展。石笋荧光强度反映了石笋中的有机酸含量，荧光波长特征受石笋中有机酸类型的控制，石笋中的有机酸由地表有机质经土壤水、洞穴滴水运移随碳酸盐而淀积，荧光强度与波长特征都是对地表气候环境信息的响应。通过提高荧光谱扫描精度，可得到高分辨率(1～10a)的气候环境变迁记录。分析了目前研究中存在的问题，并对发展趋势和进一步研究方向提出看法。     

CLIMATIC RECORDS FROM ANNUAL LAYERS AND STABLE ISOTOPES OF A STALAGMITE IN BEIJING OVER THE LAST 2300 YEARS

Ｉ.ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＳｔａｌａｇｍｉｔｅｓｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎａｐｐｌｉｅｄｔｏｕｓｅａｓｈｉｇｈｒｅｓｏｌｕｔｉｏｎｐａｌｅｏｃｌｉｍａｔｉｃｉｎｄｉｃａｔｏｒｓｓｉｎｃｅｔｈｅａｎｎｕａｌｇｒｏｗｔｈｂａｎｄｉｎｇｗａｓｒｅｃｏｇｎｉｚｅｄｉｎｓｔａｌａｇｍｉｔｅｓ[1,2].Ａｎｎｕａｌｇｒｏｗｔｈｂａｎｄｉｎｇｃａｎｂｅｍａｎｉｆｅｓｔｅｄｉｎｓｅｖｅｒａｌｍａｎｎｅｒｓｄｅｆｉｎｅｄｂｙ1)ａｌｔｅｒｎａｔｉｎｇｆｌｕｏｒｅｓｃｅｎｔａｎｄｎｏｎ-ｆｌｕｏｒｅｓｃｅｎｔｃａｌｃｉｔｅ[3,4];2)…     

杭州地区石笋稳定同位素古气候探索

用１４Ｃ测年技术和稳定同位素地球化学古温度方法，对浙江省临安瑞晶洞穴的石笋进行了１４Ｃ的测年和碳、氢、氧同位素测试，获得５～１万年间杭州地区古气候演化记录、该记录表明，在５～１万年间有三次较明显的周期性古温度变化，最高温度为１４．９℃，最低温度为６．６℃，最大温差为８℃左右，平均温差３～５℃。这段时期正处在大理冰期后期，但大理冰期并不是一个持续的低温阶段，它至少有３次温度波动。与我们获得的石笋同位素古温度相一致。另外，我们将５～１万年间杭州地区古气候变化与同期东南沿海的海平面变化进行了对比，在时间上也较为吻合，也就是温度上升、海平面也上升，温度下降、海平面也随之下降     

中国南方发现大型文石笋

中国南方大量石笋剖面研究表明,石笋矿物组成有方解石、文石、方解石-文石三种类型。石笋沉积纹(微)层结构构造特征大同小异,但是文石石笋的放射状纹(微)层构造更显著。文石石笋沉积生长的气候环境是滴水多而稳定,水温低、气温略高的冷、湿的洞穴气候条件。文石转变为方解石常保留文石的针状、柱状晶形,并存在于石笋沉积生长的始终。文石结构构造转化在常温或低温、常压或低压下自调整作用的成晶成岩环境进行,其强度取决于所在洞穴气候环境、滴水在石笋的渗流和石笋的含水度。转化作用不影响同位素分馏,石笋同时全面记录古气候环境信息。研究文石石笋对重建古气候环境、成岩成矿作用都有重要理论和实践意义。     

东亚季风气候对Heinrich2事件的响应:来自石笋的高分辨率记录

据湖北省神农架天鹅洞一支石笋11个230Th年龄和254个δ18O数据,建立了28.5～22.0kaB.P.同位素分辨率平均约30a的东亚季风气候变化序列。该石笋δ18O曲线与南京葫芦洞石笋记录在重叠时段基本一致,说明本区石笋δ18O反映了区域性东亚季风经向环流特征。在24.3kaB.P.左右,石笋δ18O明显正偏,持续时间近1ka,指示一次显著的弱夏季风事件,与北大西洋倒数第二次冰漂碎屑事件(Heinrich2)同步发生,可视为东亚季风气候对H2事件的响应。高分辨率的δ18O序列揭示了H2事件的内部结构特征:(1)事件发生的突变性,石笋δ18O记录指示事件发生时在100a内δ18O从-8.59‰迅速正偏为-6.75‰,振幅达1.84‰;(2)事件结束的渐变性,δ18O正偏到-6.75‰后便以阶梯状缓慢负偏到-8.86‰至事件结束,持续时间近900a。这一过程与末次盛冰期东亚季风气候H1事件表现的季风强弱转换方式基本一致,说明末次盛冰期东亚季风气候H型事件具有共同的内部结构特征。研究表明,末次盛冰期东亚季风气候H事件的突变可能受北大西洋驱动并经青藏高原冰川变化放大。     

High-resolution climate variability of southwest China during 57-70 ka reflected in a stalagmite δ18O record from Xinya Cave

A 26-cm-long stalagmite (XY2) from Xinya Cave in northeastern Chongqing of China has been ICP-MS ²³⁰Th/U dated, showing a depositional hiatus at 2.3 cm depth from the top. The growth of the 2.3–26 cm interval determined by four dates was between 57 ka and 70 ka, with a linear growth rate of 0.023 mm/a. We have analyzed 190 samples for δ ¹⁸O and δ ¹³C, mostly in the 2.3–26 cm part. The δ ¹⁸O and δ ¹³C values between 57 ka and 70 ka reveal decadal-to-centennial climatic variability during the glacial interval of Marine Isotope Stage 4 (MIS4), exhibiting much higher resolution than that of the published Hulu and Dongge records during this interval. Speleothem δ ¹⁸O in eastern China, including our study area can be used as a proxy of summer monsoon strength, with lighter values pointing to stronger summer monsoon and higher precipitation, and vice versa. Two decreases in the δ ¹⁸O signature of XY2 record around 59.5 and 64.5 Ka are argued to correspond to the Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) events 17 and 18 respectively. The Heinrich event 6 (H6) can be identified in the record as a heavy δ ¹⁸O peak around 60 ka, indicating significant weakening of the monsoon in Chongqing during the cold period. The XY2 δ ¹⁸O record shows very rapid change toward to the interstadial condition of the D-O event, but more gradual change toward to the cold stadial condition. This phenomenon found in the Greenland ice core records is rarely observed so clearly in previously published speleothem records. According to SPECMAP δ ¹⁸O record, the glacial maximum of MIS 4 was around 64.5 ka with the boundary of MIS 3/4 around 60 ka. Unlike the marine record, the speleothem record of XY2, China, exhibits much high frequency variations without an apparent glacial maximum during MIS 4. However, the timing of MIS 3/4 boundary seems to be around 60 ka when the H6 terminated, in agreement with the marine chronology. The growth period of sample XY2 during glacial times probably reflects a local karstic routing of water, rather than having climatic significance. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40672165, 90511004, 40672202) and the Academician Special Project of Chongqing Science Committee (Grant No. 2003-7835)     

北京石花洞第四纪钟乳石剖面的年代学研究

北京石花洞位于房山花岗岩体边缘向形带的东北扬起端,与北京猿人遗址南北相望。地层为460Ma前形成的中奥陶统马家沟组石灰岩,洞穴大形态从25Ma前的上新世开始形成,洞内钟乳石从0.37Ma前的中更新世开始形成。在中国岩溶洞穴中,北京石花洞的层数最多,洞穴钟乳石种类齐全,裂隙渗透水沉积的石盾多、体积大,滴水沉积的石笋叠置关系明显,池水沉积的月奶石发育好,全新世石笋微层理发育清晰。该洞的大形态反映了北京西山新构造运动的期次,可以同华北地文期和永定河阶地对比,洞内钟乳石记录了中更新世以来北京西山古环境的变化,可以建立第四纪剖面,与周口店洞穴群碎屑沉积物剖面进行对比。钙板的铀系年龄为334.99～366.74ka,可定名钙板组。粗犷石笋的铀系年龄为169～235ka,粗犷石笋的电子自旋共振年龄为130～518ka,为中更新世沉积,可定名云水洞组。杆状石笋的铀系年龄为14.9±2.1～100.3±11.1ka,为晚更新世沉积,可定名石花洞组。在全新世石笋中,微层与微层之间存在厚约1μm的条带状纹线,是划分微层层数的标志,具有微层理的石笋14C年龄为为0.58～2.50ka,AMS14C年龄为为130±100～670±130a,可定名守备支洞组。     

Applications of interannual-resolution stable isotope records of speleothem: Climatic changes in Beijing and Tianjin, China during the past 500 years—the δ 18O record

δ¹⁸O of a stalagmite collected from Shihua Cave, 50 km southwest of Beijing is analyzed. The uppermost 2 cm was sampled at about 3-year intervals by a computer-controlled microsampling device. A total of 133 samples were analyzed, covering the last 480 years. A comparison of the δ¹⁸O record with the instrumentally recorded precipitation in Beijing and Tianjin back to 1840 AD shows that high precipitation correlates with negative δ¹⁸O peaks. The long-term δ¹⁸O trend records temperature changes. Between 1620 and 1900 AD, the temperature was cooler than the average value for the 480-year record, corresponding to the Little Ice Age. Temperatures warmer than the average prevailed during 1520–1620 and 1900—present. Superimposed on the long-term trend are about 14 δ¹⁸O cycles of 30–40-year periodicity, with wet periods centered around 1985, 1955, 1910, 1880, 1840, 1800, 1760, 1730, 1690, 1660, 1630, 1600, 1560 and 1530 AD. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 9615875).     

Formal subdivision of the Holocene Series/Epoch: a Discussion Paper by a Working Group of INTIMATE (Integration of ice‐core,marine and terrestrial records) and the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (International Commission on Stratigraphy)

This discussion paper, by a Working Group of INTIMATE (Integration of ice‐core, marine and terrestrial records) and the Subcommision on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS), considers the prospects for a formal subdivision of the Holocene Series/Epoch. Although previous attempts to subdivide the Holocene have proved inconclusive, recent developments in Quaternary stratigraphy, notably the definition of the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary and the emergence of formal subdivisions of the Pleistocene Series/Epoch, mean that it may be timely to revisit this matter. The Quaternary literature reveals a widespread but variable informal usage of a tripartite division of the Holocene (‘early’, ‘middle’ or ‘mid’, and ‘late’), and we argue that this de facto subdivision should now be formalized to ensure consistency in stratigraphic terminology. We propose an Early–Middle Holocene Boundary at 8200 a BP and a Middle–Late Holocene Boundary at 4200 a BP, each of which is linked to a Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP). Should the proposal find a broad measure of support from the Quaternary community, a submission will be made to the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), via the SQS and the ICS, for formal ratification of this subdivision of the Holocene Series/Epoch. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.