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Published on: August 17, 2016
Continuous 500,000-year climate record from vein calcite in devils hole, nevada
Summary
Paleoclimate records from Devils Hole, Nevada, reveal a 500,000-year temperature history. This continental record challenges the Milankovitch hypothesis, suggesting internal climate system feedbacks drive glacial cycles.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Geochemistry
- Quaternary Geology
Background:
- Oxygen isotope (delta(18)O) analysis of paleoclimatic archives provides insights into past temperature and ice volume.
- The Devils Hole calcite core (DH-11) offers a unique, continuous continental paleotemprecord.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reconstruct a long-term paleotemperature record from Devils Hole, Nevada.
- To compare this continental record with established Antarctic and marine paleoclimate archives.
- To investigate the drivers of Pleistocene glacial cycles and test the Milankovitch hypothesis.
Main Methods:
- Oxygen isotope (delta(18)O) analysis of a 36-cm vein calcite core (DH-11).
- Chronological dating using 21 replicated mass-spectrometric uranium-series dates.
- Comparison of the Devils Hole record with Vostok ice core and marine delta(18)O records.
Main Results:
- An uninterrupted 500,000-year paleotemperature record was established.
- The record closely matches major features of Vostok and marine ice-volume records.
- Glacial cycle durations varied significantly (80,000 to 130,000 years), indicating aperiodicity.
- Interglacial periods lasted approximately 20,000 years.
- Deglaciations were not primarily triggered by orbital insolation variations.
Conclusions:
- The Devils Hole paleotemperature record challenges the Milankovitch hypothesis as the sole driver of Pleistocene glacial cycles.
- Observed glacial cycle dynamics are consistent with internal nonlinear feedbacks within the Earth's climate system (atmosphere-ice sheet-ocean).
- Major climate changes appear to be aperiodic, driven by complex system interactions rather than solely external orbital forcing.
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