A high-resolution record of Holocene rainfall variations from the western Chinese Loess Plateau: antiphase behaviour of the African/Indian and East Asian summer monsoons.

Lancaster Environment Centre

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https://doi.org/10.1191/0959683606hl929rp
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Keywords

LOESS, PALAEOSOLS, RAINFALL VARIABILITY, TROPICAL CLIMATE, MONSOON INTENSITY, ANTIPHASING, INDIAN MONSOON, EAST ASIAN MONSOON, LOESS PLATEAU, CHINA, HOLOCENE

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A high-resolution record of Holocene rainfall variations from the western Chinese Loess Plateau: antiphase behaviour of the African/Indian and East Asian summer monsoons. / Maher, Barbara A; Hu, MengYu.
In: Holocene, Vol. 16, No. 3, 04.2006, p. 309-319.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Bibtex

@article{0f9c3591ca184a66bbbc604ae70f37a3,

title = "A high-resolution record of Holocene rainfall variations from the western Chinese Loess Plateau: antiphase behaviour of the African/Indian and East Asian summer monsoons.",

abstract = "Tropical monsoons are key mechanisms for transfer of heat and moisture to higher latitudes. Here we present a high-resolution, terrestrial proxy summer monsoon record for the southeast Asian monsoon, from a rapidly accumulating Holocene loess/soil sequence in the western Chinese Loess Plateau. We use magnetic and clastic grain size proxies to make quantitative estimates of Holocene rainfall and identify variations in winter monsoon intensity. Our record reveals cyclical millennial and multimillennial rainfall changes. As with the northwest African/southwest Asian monsoon records, a short arid interval at {\^a}�¼ 12.5 to 11.5 ka BP (the Younger Dryas) and subsequent summer monsoon intensification are recorded. However, at 6 ka BP, the southeast Asian summer monsoon weakened, when the northwest African/southwest Asian monsoons strengthened, and then, from {\^a}�¼ 5 ka BP, intensified, when northwest Africa/southwest Asia became dry. These antiphase monsoonal relationships may reflect competition between sea-surface temperature changes and solar forcing. The intensity of the southeast Asian winter monsoon intensified from {\^a}�¼ 9 ka BP onwards, varying in its phase relationships with summer monsoon intensity. After {\^a}�¼ 2.25 ka BP, extreme climatic instability is indicated by both climate proxies.",

keywords = "LOESS, PALAEOSOLS, RAINFALL VARIABILITY, TROPICAL CLIMATE, MONSOON INTENSITY, ANTIPHASING, INDIAN MONSOON, EAST ASIAN MONSOON, LOESS PLATEAU, CHINA, HOLOCENE",

author = "Maher, {Barbara A} and MengYu Hu",

year = "2006",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1191/0959683606hl929rp",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "309--319",

journal = "Holocene",

issn = "1477-0911",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",

number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - A high-resolution record of Holocene rainfall variations from the western Chinese Loess Plateau: antiphase behaviour of the African/Indian and East Asian summer monsoons.

AU - Maher, Barbara A

AU - Hu, MengYu

PY - 2006/4

Y1 - 2006/4

N2 - Tropical monsoons are key mechanisms for transfer of heat and moisture to higher latitudes. Here we present a high-resolution, terrestrial proxy summer monsoon record for the southeast Asian monsoon, from a rapidly accumulating Holocene loess/soil sequence in the western Chinese Loess Plateau. We use magnetic and clastic grain size proxies to make quantitative estimates of Holocene rainfall and identify variations in winter monsoon intensity. Our record reveals cyclical millennial and multimillennial rainfall changes. As with the northwest African/southwest Asian monsoon records, a short arid interval at â�¼ 12.5 to 11.5 ka BP (the Younger Dryas) and subsequent summer monsoon intensification are recorded. However, at 6 ka BP, the southeast Asian summer monsoon weakened, when the northwest African/southwest Asian monsoons strengthened, and then, from â�¼ 5 ka BP, intensified, when northwest Africa/southwest Asia became dry. These antiphase monsoonal relationships may reflect competition between sea-surface temperature changes and solar forcing. The intensity of the southeast Asian winter monsoon intensified from â�¼ 9 ka BP onwards, varying in its phase relationships with summer monsoon intensity. After â�¼ 2.25 ka BP, extreme climatic instability is indicated by both climate proxies.

AB - Tropical monsoons are key mechanisms for transfer of heat and moisture to higher latitudes. Here we present a high-resolution, terrestrial proxy summer monsoon record for the southeast Asian monsoon, from a rapidly accumulating Holocene loess/soil sequence in the western Chinese Loess Plateau. We use magnetic and clastic grain size proxies to make quantitative estimates of Holocene rainfall and identify variations in winter monsoon intensity. Our record reveals cyclical millennial and multimillennial rainfall changes. As with the northwest African/southwest Asian monsoon records, a short arid interval at â�¼ 12.5 to 11.5 ka BP (the Younger Dryas) and subsequent summer monsoon intensification are recorded. However, at 6 ka BP, the southeast Asian summer monsoon weakened, when the northwest African/southwest Asian monsoons strengthened, and then, from â�¼ 5 ka BP, intensified, when northwest Africa/southwest Asia became dry. These antiphase monsoonal relationships may reflect competition between sea-surface temperature changes and solar forcing. The intensity of the southeast Asian winter monsoon intensified from â�¼ 9 ka BP onwards, varying in its phase relationships with summer monsoon intensity. After â�¼ 2.25 ka BP, extreme climatic instability is indicated by both climate proxies.

KW - LOESS

KW - PALAEOSOLS

KW - RAINFALL VARIABILITY

KW - TROPICAL CLIMATE

KW - MONSOON INTENSITY

KW - ANTIPHASING

KW - INDIAN MONSOON

KW - EAST ASIAN MONSOON

KW - LOESS PLATEAU

KW - CHINA

KW - HOLOCENE

U2 - 10.1191/0959683606hl929rp

DO - 10.1191/0959683606hl929rp

M3 - Journal article

VL - 16

SP - 309

EP - 319

JO - Holocene

JF - Holocene

SN - 1477-0911

IS - 3

ER -

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