东亚季风区的极端气候事件及其原因

全球冰量和太阳辐射变化被认为是黄土区古环境在轨道时间尺度上演化的两个主要驱动因素。然而 ,黄土古土壤序列中记录了两类极端气候事件 :以发育程度较好的S4、S5 1和S5 3古土壤所代表的极端暖湿期及以砂黄土层L9和L15为代表的极端干冷期。它们既不能用全球冰量的变化来解释 ,也不能用太阳辐射的变化来直接解释。对渭南、长武和西峰剖面的研究揭示出 ,S4,S5 1和S5 3古土壤是形成于亚热带半湿润环境下的土壤 ,S5 1形成时的年均温至少比现今高 4～ 6℃ ,年降水量高 2 0 0～ 30 0mm ;砂黄土层L9和L15形成时高原中部的估算年均温和降水分别大致为 1 5～ 3℃和 15 0～ 2 5 0mm ,当时整个黄土高原地表裸露 ,风力强盛。上述事件在深海氧同位素记录中没有明确反映 ,但 3个极端暖湿期对应于世界大洋的碳同位素高峰 ,说明它们具全球性意义 ,同时表明这些古土壤的高成壤强度不是时间因素所致。海陆对比揭示出 ,上述两类极端气候事件分别对应于北大西洋深层流 (NADW )强度最强和最弱的时期。据此认为 ,北大西洋深层流强度变化是影响东亚季风气候的重要因素 ,且这种作用同时体现于古冬、夏季风的变化之中。

PLEISTOCENE CLIMATE EXTREMES IN EAST ASIA AND THEIR CAUSES

The loess-paleosol sequences of the last 1.2 Ma in China have recorded two kinds of climate extremes: the strongly developed S4, S5-1 and S5-3 soils (corresponding to the marine δ 18 O stages 11, 13 and 15, respectively) as evidence of three episodes of extreme warmth and two coarse-grained loess units (L9 and L15, corresponding to the marine δ 18 O stages 22～24 and 38, respectively) indicating severest glacial conditions. The climatic and geographical significance of these events are still unclear, and their causes remain a puzzle.Paleopedological, geochemical and magnetic susceptibility data from three loess sections (Xifeng, Changwu and Weinan) suggest that the S4, S5-1 and S5-3 soils were formed under sub-tropical semi-humid climates with a tentatively estimated mean annual temperature (MAT) of at least 4～6℃ higher and a mean annual precipitation (MAP) of 200～300 mm higher than the respective present-day values, indicating a much strengthened summer monsoon. The annual rainfall was particularly accentuated for the southern-most part of the Loess Plateau, suggesting that the monsoon rain belt (the contact of the monsoonal northward warm-humid air mass with the dry-cold southward one) might have stood at the southern part of the Plateau for a relatively long period each year. The loess units L9 and L15 were deposited under semi-desertic environments with a tentatively estimated MAT and a MAP of only about 1.5～3℃ and 150～250 mm,respectively, indicating a much strengthened winter monsoon, and that the summer monsoon front could rarely penetrate into the Loess Plateau region.Correlation with marine carbon isotope records suggests that these climate extremes have large regional, even global significance rather than being local phenomena in China. They match the periods with greatest/smallest Atlantic-Pacific δ 13 C gradients, respectively, indicating their relationships with the strength of Deep Water (NADW) production in the North Atlantic. These results suggest that the monsoon climate in the Loess Plateau region was significantly linked with the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation on timescales of 10 4 years.