High-resolution climate records from two stalagmites in Qixin Cave, southern Guizhou, and Heinrich events during the last glacial period

Abstract

The time sequence of high-resolution paleoclimatic changes since the last glacial period - 60,500 yr B.P. - has been reconstructed with high-precision TIMS-U series dates and analyses of the oxygen isotopes from Q4 and Q6 stalagmites of the Qixin Cave in southern Guizhou. Comparative analyses of δ18O curves from the GISP2' ice core and the two stalagmites shows that the depositional records of the Dansgaard-Oeschger cycle events 1-18 and Heinrich's events H1-H5 from the records of the two stalagmites reflect rapid climate changes over a short time scale since the last glacial stage, and indicates the precise boundary lines at which the cold events occurred. The study results have shown that the records of the cold and warm events from the two stalagmites since 60,500 yr B.P. are the reflection of the paleo-monsoon circulation. Changes are clearly affected by the climate oscillation of the North Atlantic Ocean, and indicate that they have a strong teleconnection with the paleoclimate changes that occurred in the North Polar region. The records of δ18O from the Q4 and Q6 stalagmites indicate that the δ18O values from 60,590 yr B.P. to 11,290 yr B.P. changed from a more negative (or lighter) drift to a heavier or positive drift trend in the last glacial period. The data reflect the weakening of the Asian summer monsoon and the climate which generally became drier and cooler.