Climate Variability in the Western Mediterranean between 121 and 67 ka Derived from a Mallorcan Speleothem Record

Oana-Alexandra Dumitru, Bogdan P. Onac, Victor J. Polyak, Jonathan G. Wynn, Yemane Asmerom, Joan J. Fornós

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

<p> <p id="x-x-sp0035"> The western Mediterranean <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/region" title="Learn more about Region from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> region </a> is exceptionally vulnerable to predicted climate changes of increasing temperature and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/aridity" title="Learn more about Aridity from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> aridity </a> . Characterizing past <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/climate-oscillation" title="Learn more about Climate Oscillation from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> climate oscillations </a> since the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/last-interglacial" title="Learn more about Last Interglacial from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> last interglacial </a> (LIG) is critical to understand climate patterns during the present warm period. Here we present an accurately dated <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/speleothem" title="Learn more about Speleothem from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> speleothem </a> record (CAM-1) of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/paleoclimate" title="Learn more about Paleoclimate from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> paleoclimate </a> between 121 and 67 ka from the island of Mallorca. The growth history combined with the isotopic record and mineral changes, provides evidence of dramatic climatic shifts in the western Mediterranean. Isotopic equilibrium deposition was assessed by Hendy tests and by comparing the &delta; <sup> 18 </sup> O in modern drip water with newly precipitated <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/calcite" title="Learn more about Calcite from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> calcite </a> . We argue that variability of &delta; <sup> 18 </sup> O in CAM-1 is mainly related to changes in source of precipitation, whereas high &delta; <sup> 13 </sup> C values reflect a dry climate. Calcite rather than <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/aragonite" title="Learn more about Aragonite from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> aragonite </a> growth is related to cooler, drier climate. The MIS 5e/5d transition, C24, C23, and C21 cold events concomitantly recorded in CAM-1, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/ocean-drilling-program" title="Learn more about Ocean Drilling Program from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> ODP </a> 984, and NGRIP highlights the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/teleconnection" title="Learn more about Teleconnection from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> teleconnection </a> between high and mid-latitudes in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/northern-hemisphere" title="Learn more about Northern Hemisphere from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> Northern Hemisphere </a> . Our record reveals a prolonged aridity during MIS 5c and a sudden climate shift from drier to wetter conditions beginning with MIS 5b. A growth <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/hiatus" title="Learn more about Hiatus from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> hiatus </a> at 67 to 53 ka probably marks the driest period, after which slow calcite growth indicates markedly drier climate during the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/last-glacial" title="Learn more about Last Glacial from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> last glacial </a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/holocene" title="Learn more about Holocene from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> Holocene </a> than during MIS 5. Many of the significant changes in growth rates and stable <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/isotopic-composition" title="Learn more about Isotopic Composition from ScienceDirect's AI-generated Topic Pages"> isotopic composition </a> are synchronous with events that are likely driven by regional climate and large circulation patterns linked to the North Atlantic. </p></p>
Original languageAmerican English
JournalPalaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Volume506
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2018

Keywords

  • Stalagmite
  • Stable isotopes
  • U-series ages
  • Paleoclimate
  • Campanet Cave

Disciplines

  • Earth Sciences

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