Loess deposition in Asia: Its initiation and development before and during the Quaternary

Abstract

Dust is important in the Earth environment system. However, the role of dust in climate change remains largely unknown. A better understanding of the temporal and spatial variability of the dust accumulation in Asia forms an important step towards establishing the link between dust deposition and climate change. Here, a summary is given for the timing of the onset and expansion of loess deposition in Asia beginning in the early Miocene. Recent progress on some aspects of loess chronology and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction is also reviewed.