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Little is known about terrestrial climate dynamics in the Levant during the penultimate interglacial-glacial period. To decipher the palaeoclimatic history of the Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 glacial period, a well-dated stalagmite (~194 to ~154 ka) from Kanaan Cave on the Mediterranean coast in Lebanon was analyzed for its petrography, growth history, and stable isotope geochemistry. A resolved climate record has been recovered from this precisely U–Th dated speleothem, spanning the late MIS 7 and early MIS 6 at low resolution and the mid–MIS 6 at higher resolution. The stalagmite grew discontinuously from ~194 to ~163 ka. More consistent growth and higher growth rates between ~163 and ~154 ka are most probably linked to increased water recharge and thus more humid conditions. More distinct layering in the upper part of the speleothem suggests strong seasonality from ~163 ka to ~154 ka. Short-term oxygen and carbon isotope excursions were found between ~155 and ~163 ka. The inferred Kanaan Cave humid intervals during the mid–MIS 6 follow variations of pollen records in the Mediterranean basins and correlate well with the synthetic Greenland record and East Asian summer monsoon interstadial periods, indicating short warm/wet periods similar to the Dansgaard-Oeschger events during MIS 4–3 in the eastern Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeastern (NE) India experiences extraordinarily pronounced seasonal climate, governed by the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). The vulnerability of this region to floods and droughts calls for detailed and highly resolved paleoclimate reconstructions to assess the recurrence rate and driving factors of ISM changes. We use stable oxygen and carbon isotope ratios (δ18O and δ13C) from stalagmite MAW-6 from Mawmluh Cave to infer climate and environmental conditions in NE India over the last deglaciation (16–6ka). We interpret stalagmite δ18O as reflecting ISM strength, whereas δ13C appears to be driven by local hydroclimate conditions. Pronounced shifts in ISM strength over the deglaciation are apparent from the δ18O record, similarly to other records from monsoonal Asia. The ISM is weaker during the late glacial (LG) period and the Younger Dryas, and stronger during the Bølling-Allerød and Holocene. Local conditions inferred from the δ13C record appear to have changed less substantially over time, possibly related to the masking effect of changing precipitation seasonality. Time series analysis of the δ18O record reveals more chaotic conditions during the late glacial and higher predictability during the Holocene, likely related to the strengthening of the seasonal recurrence of the ISM with the onset of the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Conventional carbonate–water oxygen isotope thermometry and the more recently developed clumped isotope thermometer have been widely used for the reconstruction of paleotemperatures from a variety of carbonate materials. In spite of a large number of studies, however, there are still large uncertainties in both δ 18 O- and Δ 47 -based temperature calibrations. For this reason there is a need to better understand the controls on isotope fractionation especially on natural carbonates. In this study we analyzed oxygen, carbon and clumped isotopes of a unique set of modern calcitic and aragonitic travertines, tufa and cave deposits from natural springs and wells. Together these samples cover a temperature range from 6 to 95 °C. Travertine samples were collected close to the vents of the springs and from pools, and tufa samples were collected from karstic creeks and a cave. The majority of our vent and pool travertines and tufa samples show a carbonate–water oxygen isotope fractionation comparable to the one of Tremaine et al. (2011) with some samples showing higher fractionations. No significant difference between the calcite–water and aragonite–water oxygen isotope fractionation could be observed. The Δ 47 data from the travertines show a strong relationship with temperature and define the regression Δ 47 = (0.044 ± 0.005 × 10 6 )/ T 2 + (0.205 ± 0.047). The pH of the parent solution, mineralogy and precipitation rate do not appear to significantly affect the Δ 47 -signature of carbonates, compared to the temperature effect and the analytical error. The tufa samples and three biogenic calcites show an excellent fit with the travertine calibration, indicating that this regression can be used for other carbonates as well. This work extends the calibration range of the clumped isotope thermometer to travertine and tufa deposits in the temperature range from 6 °C to 95 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen isotopic fractionation between water and calcite is the cornerstone for estimating the formation temperature of calcite [1, 2, 3]. The oxygen isotope thermometer is one of the most valuable tools in geothermometry, palaeoclimatology and palaeoceanography. Despite 60 years of laboratory experiments and search for carbonate material precipitating at (near-)equilibrium [4, 5], establishing the temperature-dependent calcite-water fractionation factor has proven challenging. Here we address this problem with coupled traditional and clumped isotope measurements from an unconventional carbonate archive -- subaqueously-precipitated carbonates (SPC) which form in cave pools and drip sites, as well as natural hot springs. SPC include cave pearls, cave pool rim carbonates, hot spring pisoids, and carbonate geodes. Their common feature is subaqueous formation from supersaturated waters with an unlimited pool of calcium bicarbonate and very slow CO$_2$-degassing, which promote (near-)equilibrium conditions. Here, we expand on earlier work that used SPC as calibration material for clumped isotope thermometry [6] by measuring \delta$^{18}$O of 20 (sub-)modern SPC samples from caves and hot springs with known temperatures (0.8$^{\circ}$C and 76$^{\circ}$C) with calcite or aragonite mineralogies, together with their host water. Our results enable determination of the fractionation factor between carbonate and water for a wide temperature range. Additionally, clumped isotope measurements confirmed isotopic equilibrium for both, \delta$^{18}$O and \Delta$_{47}$ of the analysed SPCs, supporting the equilibrium equations of Coplen [4] and Watkins et al. [7]. SPC grown at thermodynamic equilibrium provide potential standard materials for temperature calibration of clumped isotopes.\textbf{References}\\1 McCrea J. M. (1950) On the isotopic chemistry of carbonates and a paleotemperatures scale. \textit{J. Chem. Phys.} 18, 163--171.\\2 Epstein S. et al. (1953) Revised carbonate-water isotopic temperature scale. \textit{Bull. Geol. Soc. Am.} 64, 1315--1326.\\3 Kim S.-T. and O'Neil J. R. (1997) Equilibrium and nonequilibrium oxygen isotope effects in synthetic carbonates. \textit{Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta} 61, 3461--3475.\\4 Coplen T.B. (2007) Calibration of the calcite--water oxygen-isotope geothermometer at Devils Hole, Nevada, a natural laboratory. \textit{Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta} 71, 3948--3957.\\5 Demeny A. et al. (2010) Empirical equations for the temperature dependence of calcite--water oxygen isotope fractionation from 10 to 70$^{\circ}$C. \textit{Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom.} 24, 3521--3526.\\6 Breitenbach S.F.M. et al. (2018) Combining Mg/Ca and clumped isotopes in foraminifera for redundant estimation of temperature. \textit{Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta} 236, 283-296.\\7 Watkins et al. (2014) The influence of temperature, pH, and growth rate on the \delta$^{18}$O composition of inorganically precipitated calcite. \textit{Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.} 404, 332--343. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most prominent seasonally recurring atmospheric circulation patterns, the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) plays a vital role for the life and livelihood of about one-third of the global population. Changes in the strength and seasonality of the ASM significantly affect the ASM region, yet the drivers of change and the varied regional responses of the ASM are not well understood. In the last two decades, there were a number of studies reconstructing the ASM using stalagmite-based proxies such as oxygen isotopes (\delta$^{18}$O). Such reconstructions allow examination of ASM drivers and responses, increasing monsoon predictability.In a review study [1], we focus on stalagmite \delta$^{18}$O records from India at the proximal end of the larger ASM region. Stalagmite-based time series are available from a number of caves in northern, northeastern and south Indian caves, as well as from the Andaman Islands. Despite widespread occurrence of carbonate rocks, data is lacking for Central and western India (the Vindhayans and Thar Desert), and Pakistan. We examine Indian stalagmite records collated in the Speleothem Isotope Synthesis and AnaLysis version 1 database [1] and support the database with a summary of record quality and regional climatic interpretations of the \delta$^{18}$O record during different climate states. Indian stalagmite \delta$^{18}$O records show well-dated, high-amplitude changes in response to the dominant drivers of the ASM on orbital to multi-centennial timescales, and indicate the magnitude of monsoon variability in response to these drivers.We suggest the most useful time periods (climatic events) and locations for further work using tools such as data-model comparisons, spectral analysis methods, multi-proxy investigations, and monitoring.References[1] Kaushal, N., Breitenbach, S.F.M., Lechleitner, F.A., Sinha, A., Tewari, V.C., Ahmad, S.M., Berkelhammer, M., Band, S., Yadava, M., Ramesh, R. and Henderson, G.M.: The Indian Summer Monsoon from a Speleothem $\delta^{18}$O Perspective -- A Review. Quaternary, 1, 29, https://doi.org/10.3390/quat1030029, 2018.\\[2] Atsawawaranunt, K., Comas-Bru, L., Amirnezhad Mozhdehi, S., Deininger, M., Harrison, S. P., Baker, A., Boyd, M., Kaushal, N., Ahmad, S. M., Ait Brahim, Y., Arienzo, M., Bajo, P., Braun, K., Burstyn, Y., Chawchai, S., Duan, W., Hatvani, I. G., Hu, J., Kern, Z., Labuhn, I., Lachniet, M., Lechleitner, F. A., Lorrey, A., P\'{e}rez-Mej\'{\i}as, C., Pickering, R., Scroxton, N., and SISAL Working Group Members: The SISAL database: a global resource to document oxygen and carbon isotope records from speleothems, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 10, 1687-1713, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-1687-2018, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Asia lies at the convergence between the Mediterranean and Asian monsoon climates, and there is a complex interaction between the westerlies with the monsoon to form the climate of that region and its variability. The region is highly vulnerable to changes in rainfall, highlighting the need to understand the underlying controls. We present a stalagmite-based δ 18 O record from Kesang Cave in western China, using MC-ICP-MS U-series dating and stable isotope analysis. Stalagmite calcite δ 18 O largely documents changes in the δ 18 O of precipitation. δ 18 O in stalagmites was low during the early and middle Holocene (10.0–3.0 ka BP), and shifted to higher values between 3.0 and 2.0 ka BP. After 2.0 ka BP, δ 18 O fluctuates with distinct centennial-scale variations. Drawing from results of state-of-the-art atmospheric general circulation model simulations for the preindustrial period and 9 ka BP, we propose that changes in moisture source regions and the wetter climate both contributed to the isotopic depletion of precipitation during the early and middle Holocene. Multiple records from surrounding regions indicate a generally wetter climate during the early and mid- Holocene, supporting our interpretation on the speleothem δ 18 O. Changes in precipitation seasonality do not appear to be a viable explanation for the observed changes, nor increased penetration of monsoonal moisture to the study site. We speculate that the climatic regime shifted around 3.0–2.0 ka BP towards a drier climate, resulting in temperature having dominant control on precipitation δ 18 O. The demise of three settlements around 500AD at the margin of Tarim Basin coincided with a period of decreased precipitation and increased temperature that likely affected local water resources, underscoring the potential impact of climate on human habitation in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precisely-dated stalagmites are increasingly important archives for the reconstruction of terrestrial paleoclimate at very high temporal resolution. In-depth understanding of local conditions at the cave site and of the processes driving stalagmite deposition is of paramount importance for interpreting proxy signals incorporated in stalagmite carbonate. Here we present a sub-decadally resolved dead carbon fraction (DCF) record for a stalagmite from Yok Balum Cave (southern Belize). The record is coupled to parallel stable carbon isotope (δ 13 C) and U/Ca measurements, as well as radiocarbon ( 14 C) measurements from soils overlying the cave system. Using a karst carbon cycle model we disentangle the importance of soil and karst processes on stalagmite DCF incorporation, revealing a dominant host rock dissolution control on total DCF. Covariation between DCF, δ 13 C, and U/Ca indicates that karst processes are a common driver of all three parameters, suggesting possible use of δ 13 C and trace element ratios to independently quantify DCF variability. A statistically significant multi-decadal lag of variable length exists between DCF and reconstructed solar activity, suggesting that solar activity influenced regional precipitation in Mesoamerica over the past 1500 years, but that the relationship was non-static. Although the precise nature of the observed lag is unclear, solar-induced changes in North Atlantic oceanic and atmospheric dynamics may play a role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Analysis of plant wax δD and branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers. [•] Area of research is a slope along the precipitation rich Meghalaya plateau, India. [•] We report an accurate representation of environmental changes by both proxies. [•] Plant wax δD agrees with measured stream water δD and modelled precipitation δD. [•] A revised calibration of the MBT/CBT proxy represents temperatures most accurately. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aragonitic speleothems are increasingly utilised as palaeoclimate archives due to their amenability to high precision U–Th dating. Proxy records from fast-growing aragonitic stalagmites, precisely dated to annual timescales, can allow investigation of climatic events occurring on annual or even sub-annual timescales with minimal chronological uncertainty. However, the behaviour of many trace elements, such as uranium, in aragonitic speleothems has not thus far been as well constrained as in calcitic speleothems. Here, we use uranium concentration shifts measured across primary calcite-to-aragonite mineralogical transitions in speleothems to calculate the distribution coefficient of uranium in aragonitic speleothems (derived D U = 3.74 ± 1.13). Because our calculated D U is considerably above 1 increased prior aragonite precipitation due to increased karst water residence time should strongly control stalagmite aragonite U/Ca values. Consequently, uranium concentrations in aragonitic speleothems should act as excellent proxies for effective rainfall. We test this using a high-resolution ICP-MS derived trace element dataset from a Belizean stalagmite. YOK-G is an aragonitic stalagmite from Yok Balum cave in Belize with an extremely robust monthly-resolved chronology built using annual δ 13 C cycles. We interpret seasonal U/Ca variations in YOK-G as reflecting changes in the amount and seasonality of prior aragonite precipitation driven by variable rainfall amounts. The U/Ca record strongly suggests that modern drying has occurred in Belize, and that this drying was primarily caused by a reduction in wet season rainfall. This is consistent with published stable isotope data from YOK-G also very strongly suggesting modern rainfall reductions, previously interpreted as the result of southward ITCZ displacement. Our results strongly suggest that U/Ca values in aragonitic speleothems are excellent proxies for rainfall variability. This new tool, combined with the exceptional chronological control characteristic of aragonitic stalagmites and the high spatial resolution afforded by modern microanalytical techniques, should facilitate the construction of new exquisitely resolved rainfall records, providing rare insights into seasonality changes as well as long-term changes in local recharge conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A ∼4-yrs resolution Holocene stalagmite δ 18 O record from central China was studied. • The variability of 100-500- and 500-3000-yrs were diminished from 8.5 to 4.9 ka BP. • Changes in tropical SST likely caused the mid-Holocene weak monsoon events. • Climate change has impacts on the evolution of ancient cultures in central China. Monsoon precipitation in East China shows distinct spatial distribution and its variability is closely linked with the changes of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM). Located in the transition zone between the southern subtropical humid climate and the northern warm temperate semi-humid climate, central China is a core region for recognizing and understanding the spatio-temporal variability of the EASM. Using U-series dating and stable isotope analysis on five stalagmites (MG-1, MG-2, MG-7, MG-40 and MG-64) from Magou Cave, Henan Province, Central China, we construct a high-resolution and precisely dated composite stalagmite δ 18 O time series covering most of the Holocene. This composite record reveals variations in precipitation δ 18 O between 11.7 and 1.1 ka BP with average resolution of ∼4 yrs. The Magou composite record demonstrates that EASM intensity dominates long-term changes in precipitation δ 18 O, which generally follows the northern hemisphere summer insolation (NHSI) trend. Both, Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) and wavelet filtering analyses real that the amplitudes of long-term (100-500 and 500-3000 yrs) components were slightly reduced between 8.5 and 4.9 ka BP, implying a weakened influence of climatic forcings on centennial and even millennial timescales during this warm period. Variance on 1-30-yr timescales is relatively low and ascribed to sampling resolution. Fourteen weak EASM intervals, including the 8.2 ka event, were identified within the period corresponding broadly with the Holocene Megathermal. Since no cold excursions other than the 8.2 ka event are found in the Greenland ice core records, we tentatively propose that oscillations in tropical sea surface temperature (SST) likely play an important role in steering other weak monsoon events. Aligning the Magou composite record and other moisture records with archaeological records from the study region, it seems that climate change influenced both the spatial distribution and agricultural practices of ancient cultures. However, overall moderate climatic changes in this region, most likely characterized by shifts between subtropical humid climate and warm temperate semi-humid climate, supported a generally consecutive development of ancient cultures without major hiatuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]