Paleoclimate reconstruction during MIS5a based on a speleothem from Nerja Cave, Málaga, South Spain

Abstract

Speleothems from Nerja Cave in southern Spain provide a record during interglacial period MIS5a. Period of speleothem deposition occurred from 70,000 -90,000 yr ago. Oxygen (δ 18 O) and hy-drogen (δD) isotope ratios of speleothem and fluid inclusions enable the reconstruction of cli-matic variability in this region of southern Spain. Fluid inclusions trapped in speleothems repre-sent samples of drip water from which the spe-leothems grew. The isotopic compositions of cave dripwaters approximate average annual δ 18 O and δD of precipitation, therefore δ 18 O can be calculated from D/H of inclusion water using the MWL relationship δD = 8δ 18 O + 10. The mea-surements of the δD values of fluid-inclusion wa-ter and δ 18 O values from speleothems have been applied to paleoclimate reconstruction in Sou-thern Spain indicating a colder condition than at present.