Atmospheric circulation and the differentiation of precipitation sources during the Holocene inferred from five stalagmite records from Demänová Cave System (Central Europe)

The Holocene ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 834-846
Author(s):  
Helena Hercman ◽  
Michał Gąsiorowski ◽  
Jacek Pawlak ◽  
Marcin Błaszczyk ◽  
Michał Gradziński ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Cave System ◽  
Oxygen Isotope Ratios ◽  
Stable Isotopic ◽  
Rayleigh Distillation

Five stalagmites from the Demänová Cave System (DCS, Western Carpathians, Slovakia), spanning the period from 13,000 to 500 a BP, were analyzed for their oxygen and carbon stable isotopic composition of the calcite. The isotopic data obtained from several stalagmites located in one cave system allow us to separate the changes of regional/global importance from the local changes. Oxygen isotope ratios point to dynamic changes in the environment at the onset of the Holocene. Despite the local differences, carbon isotope data express the gradual and steady development of vegetation on the surface above the cave from the beginning of the Holocene until 6,000 a BP. The oxygen isotope values in the DCS stalagmites are higher than that derived from the Rayleigh distillation model until approximately 9,000 a BP, suggesting (1) an increase in the isotopic gradient to the east of Europe, probably caused by a different seasonality in precipitation amount or (2) different sources of meteoric water, transported from the Mediterranean and Black Sea region, in Central and Eastern Europe compared to the Western, circum-Atlantic part of the continent. The younger part of the DCS records falls in the range described by the model and points to the increasing role of the westerlies in the determination of the climatic conditions of Central Europe during middle- and late-Holocene.

Stratigraphic, isotopic, and mineralogical evidence for an early Holocene thaw unconformity at Mayo, Yukon Territory

1986 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 794-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Burn ◽  
F. A. Michel ◽  
M. W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Average Rate ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Yukon Territory ◽  
Mackenzie Delta ◽  
Delta Area ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Oxygen Isotope Ratios ◽  
Abrupt Changes ◽  
Mineralogical Evidence

Ice-rich glaciolacustrine sediments near Mayo, Yukon Territory, reveal a thaw unconformity in the form of truncated ice wedges and abrupt changes in cryotexture. The unconformity has been radiocarbon dated at 8870 ± 200 years BP, which is within the Holocene period of optimal climatic conditions in northern Yukon and the Mackenzie Delta area reported by other workers. Analysis of the mineralogy of the sediments indicates that the material above the unconformity is enriched in minerals that are the products of a more intense weathering environment than those deeper in the profile. Oxygen-isotope ratios of ground ice in the sediments suggest the presence of two genetically distinct ice units above and below the unconformity. An average rate of upward permafrost growth in this area of 0.1–0.2 mm year−1 is calculated for the period since the climatic optimum.

scholarly journals Speleothem Stable Isotope Records from Eastern Europe & Turkey

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Kern ◽  
Attila Demény ◽  
István Gábor Hatvani
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Carbon And Oxygen Isotope

The region of Eastern Europe & Turkey contributed to the SISAL (Speleothem Isotopes Synthesis and AnaLysis) global database with stable carbon- and oxygen isotope time-series from 18 entities from 14 cave systems. The currently available oldest record from this region is the ABA-2 flowstone record (Abaliget Cave; Hungary) reaching back to MIS 6. The temporal distribution of the compiled 18 entities points out a ~20-kyr-long period, centering around 100 ka, lacking speleothem stable isotope record in the region. The regional subset of SISAL_v1 records displays a continuous coverage for the past ~90 kyr for both δ18O and δ13C, with a mean temporal resolution of ~12 yr for the Holocene, and >50 yr for the pre-Holocene period. The highest temporal resolution both for the Holocene and the pre-Holocene was achieved in the So-1 record (Sofular Cave; Turkey). Assessing the data, an important split was found regarding the climatic interpretation of speleothem δ18O. While the oxygen isotope composition of more continental formations is thought to reflect mainly temperature variations and changes in moisture transport trajectories, it may strongly reflect fluctuations of precipitation amount in the southern part of the region. Variations of δ13C primarily interpreted as humidity changes reflecting dry/wet periods across the region. Elevation gradients from three non-overlapping time periods from the region - for the last 5kyr - indicated systematically prevailing elevational gradients around -0.26‰ 100m-1 in δ18O. The regional comparison of SISAL_v1 speleothem δ18O and the temporal distribution of coarsely crystalline cryogenic cave carbonate occurrences back to 45ka does not appear to confirm the finding that occurrence of the latter coincides with the warming from stadial to interstadial conditions.

Secular changes in the oxygen isotope ratios of mollusc shells during the Holocene of Central Japan

1987 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 155-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyotaka Chinzei ◽  
Hiroko Koike ◽  
Tadamichi Oba ◽  
Yoshiaki Matsushima ◽  
Hiroshi Kitazato
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Isotope Ratios ◽  
Central Japan ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Secular Changes ◽  
Oxygen Isotope Ratios ◽  
Mollusc Shells

Processes Affecting Oxygen Isotope Ratios of Atmospheric and Ecosystem Sulfate in Two Contrasting Forest Catchments in Central Europe

2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 703-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Novák ◽  
Myron J. Mitchell ◽  
Iva Jačková ◽  
František Buzek ◽  
Jana Schweigstillová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Isotope Ratios ◽  
Oxygen Isotope Ratios

scholarly journals Speleothem Records from the Eastern Part of Europe and Turkey—Discussion on Stable Oxygen and Carbon Isotopes

Quaternary ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoltán Kern ◽  
Attila Demény ◽  
Aurel Perşoiu ◽  
István Gábor Hatvani
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Elevation Gradients ◽  
East Central Europe ◽  
East Central ◽  
East Europe ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
South East Europe ◽  
Precipitation Δ18o

The region comprising of East Central Europe, South East Europe and Turkey contributed to the SISAL (Speleothem Isotopes Synthesis and AnaLysis) global database with stable carbon and oxygen isotope time-series from 18 speleothems from 14 caves. The currently available oldest record from the studied region is the ABA-2 flowstone record (Abaliget Cave; Hungary) reaching back to MIS 6. The temporal distribution of the compiled 18 records from the region points out a ~20 kyr-long period, centering around 100 ka BP, lacking speleothem stable isotope data. The regional subset of SISAL_v1 records displays a continuous coverage for the past ~90 kyr for both δ13C and δ18O, with a mean temporal resolution of ~12 yr for the Holocene, and >50 yr for the pre-Holocene period. The highest temporal resolution both for the Holocene and the pre-Holocene was achieved in the So-1 record (Sofular Cave; Turkey). The relationship between modern day precipitation δ18O (amount weighted annual and winter season mean values; 1961–2017) and climatological parameters was evaluated. The strong positive correlation found in East Central Europe reinforces the link between modern day precipitation δ18O, temperature and large-scale circulation (North Atlantic Oscillation) expected to be preserved in the speleothem δ18O record; while a negative relationship was documented between precipitation amount and oxygen isotope compositions in South East Europe. Variations of δ13C values are primarily interpreted as reflecting dry/wet periods across the region. Elevation gradients from three non-overlapping periods of the last ~5 kyr indicated elevation gradients around −0.26‰ per 100 m−1 for calcite δ18O.

scholarly journals Simulated oxygen isotopes in cave drip water and speleothem calcite in European caves

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 2777-2817 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Wackerbarth ◽  
P. M. Langebroek ◽  
M. Werner ◽  
G. Lohmann ◽  
S. Riechelmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Drip Water ◽  
Cave System ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Geographical Regions

Abstract. Interpreting stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) records from stalagmites is still one of the complex tasks in speleothem research. Here, we present a novel model-based approach, where we force a model describing the processes and modifications of δ18O from rain water to speleothem calcite (Oxygen isotope Drip water and Stalagmite Model – ODSM) with the results of a state-of-the-art atmospheric general circulation model enhanced by explicit isotope diagnostics (ECHAM5-wiso). The approach is neither climate nor cave-specific and allows an integrated assessment of the influence of different varying climate variables, e.g. temperature and precipitation amount, on the isotopic composition of drip water and speleothem calcite. First, we apply and evaluate this new approach under present-day climate conditions using observational data from seven caves from different geographical regions in Europe. Each of these caves provides measured δ18O values of drip water and speleothem calcite to which we compare our simulated isotope values. For six of the seven caves modeled δ18O values of drip water and speleothem calcite are in good agreement with observed values. The mismatch of the remaining cave might be caused by the complexity of the cave system, beyond the parameterizations included in our cave model. We then examine the response of the cave system to mid-Holocene (6000 yr before present, 6 ka) climate conditions by forcing the ODSM with ECHAM5-wiso results from 6 ka simulations. For a set of twelve European caves, we compare the modeled mid-Holocene-to-modern difference in speleothem calcite δ18O to available measurements. We show that the general European changes are simulated well. However, local discrepancies are found, and might be explained either by a too low model resolution, complex local soil-atmosphere interactions affecting evapotranspiration or by cave specific factors such as non-equilibrium fractionation processes.

scholarly journals Simulated oxygen isotopes in cave drip water and speleothem calcite in European caves

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1781-1799 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Wackerbarth ◽  
P. M. Langebroek ◽  
M. Werner ◽  
G. Lohmann ◽  
S. Riechelmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxygen Isotope ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Before Present ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Drip Water ◽  
Cave System ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Geographical Regions

Abstract. Interpreting stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) records from stalagmites is still one of the complex tasks in speleothem research. Here, we present a novel model-based approach, where we force a model describing the processes and modifications of δ18O from rain water to speleothem calcite (Oxygen isotope Drip water and Stalagmite Model – ODSM) with the results of a state-of-the-art atmospheric general circulation model enhanced by explicit isotope diagnostics (ECHAM5-wiso). The approach is neither climate nor cave-specific and allows an integrated assessment of the influence of different varying climate variables, e.g. temperature and precipitation amount, on the isotopic composition of drip water and speleothem calcite. First, we apply and evaluate this new approach under present-day climate conditions using observational data from seven caves from different geographical regions in Europe. Each of these caves provides measured δ18O values of drip water and speleothem calcite to which we compare our simulated isotope values. For six of the seven caves modeled δ18O values of drip water and speleothem calcite are in good agreement with observed values. The mismatch of the remaining caves might be caused by the complexity of the cave system, beyond the parameterizations included in our cave model. We then examine the response of the cave system to mid-Holocene (6000 yr before present, 6 ka) climate conditions by forcing the ODSM with ECHAM5-wiso results from 6 ka simulations. For a set of twelve European caves, we compare the modeled mid-Holocene-to-modern difference in speleothem calcite δ18O to available measurements. We show that the general European changes are simulated well. However, local discrepancies are found, and might be explained either by a too low model resolution, complex local soil-atmosphere interactions affecting evapotranspiration or by cave specific factors such as non-equilibrium fractionation processes. The mid-Holocene experiment pronounces the potential of the presented approach to analyse δ18O variations on a spatially large (regional to global) scale. Modelled as well as measured European δ18O values of stalagmite samples suggest the presence of a strong, positive mode of the North Atlantic Oscillation at 6 ka before present, which is supported by the respective modelled climate parameters.

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