Magnetoclimatology and paleoprecipitation: Evidence from a north-south transect through the Chinese Loess Plateau

Abstract

Magnetic measurements and grain-size analyses are reported for eight sites along a 420-km north-south transect across the Chinese Loess Plateau with the goal of assessing the quantitative estimation of paleoprecipitation during the last interglacial (oxygen isotope stage 5, ∼130 kyr B.P.). The climofunction of Maher et al. [1994] suggests that precipitation was generally elevated by about 150 mm/yr over today's values, but with the same north-south gradient. However, in one area, low precipitation values are found that suggest no significant increase.