High-resolution peat records for Holocene monsoon history in the eastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

The variations of summer and winter monsoons during the Holocene in the eastern Tibetan Plateau are shown to follow two basic models based on the reliable dating and high-resolution monsoon proxies determinations, one being a synchronous model in that both summer and winter monsoons are strengthening or decreasing, and the other to form a complementary pattern. These two different patterns evenly interact with each other on different time scales and together compose a complicated monsoon climatic model in this region. The climatic condition integrated by winter and summer monsoons is synchronous to the global pattern, which also shows the instability of the Holocene climate on centennial-millennial timescale. The abrupt monsoon event in about 6.2 ka cal. BP is much more severe than that in ca. 8.0 ka cal. BP, which indicates the regional character of the Asian monsoon and that the Asian monsoon climate is indeed a window on the global climate system. © Science in China Press 2006.