Reconstruction of MIS 5 climate in the central Levant using a stalagmite from Kanaan Cave, Lebanon

Lying at the transition between the temperate Mediterranean domain and subtropical deserts, the Levant is a key area to study the palaeoclimatic response over glacial–interglacial cycles. This paper presents a precisely dated last interglacial (MIS 5) stalagmite (129–84 ka) from the Kanaan Cave, Lebanon. Variations in growth rate and isotopic records indicate a warm humid phase at the onset of the last interglacial at 129 ka that lasted until 125 ka. A gradual shift in speleothem isotopic composition (125–122 ka) is driven mainly by the 18O source effect of the eastern Mediterranean surface waters during sapropel 5 (S5). The onset of glacial inception began after 122 ka, interrupted by a short wet pulse during the sapropel 4 (S4) event. Low growth rates and enriched oxygen and carbon values
until 84 ka indicate a transition

Jaar van publicatie:2015

Trefwoorden:Last Interglacial climate, Middle East, Speleothem, Stable isotopes

CSS-citation score:2

Toegankelijkheid:Open