Abstract
High-resolution (annual to decadal) stable isotope records of oxygen and carbon are analysed from an annually laminated stalagmite from NW Scotland. The sample, which was deposited for ~1000yrs until 1996AD, has previously provided annual resolution climate reconstructions of local rainfall and regional winter North Atlantic Oscillation (wNAO) from variations in annual growth rate. For our stalagmite, for which modern cave monitoring demonstrates that equilibrium deposition is highly likely for δ18O but not for δ13C, stalagmite δ13C originally derives from soil CO2 produced predominantly by microbial respiration, modified by degassing-related kinetic fractionation, and δ18O from the composition of infiltrating water during periods of infiltrating water. Both the presence of fluorescent laminae and modern drip-water monitoring demonstrate a drip hydrology that comprises both event and storage components. Over the instrumental period, no correlations between stalagmite or rainfall δ18O and precipitation amount or temperature are observed, but correlations are observed between rainfall δ18O and 500mb height at regional IAEA monitoring stations. However, no correlations are observed between stalagmite δ18O and instrumental and reconstructed atmospheric circulation, preventing a simple palaeoclimate interpretation of the stalagmite δ18O proxy. Stalagmite δ13C has a stronger temporal autocorrelation than δ18O, indicative of soil mixing of respired CO2 and significant variability between drips and at different times; correlations with instrumental climate data are therefore not possible. The relative timing of changes in growth rate, δ18O and δ13C are discussed, and interpretations compared with other regional climate records. We conclude that, over the last millennium at this mid-latitude cave site, neither δ18O nor δ13C cannot be interpreted as a simple paleoclimate proxy.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 303-311 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Global and Planetary Change |
| Volume | 79 |
| Issue number | 3-4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2011 |
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Keywords
- Atmospheric circulation
- Carbon isotope
- Oxygen isotope
- Paleoclimate
- Rainfall
- Stalagmite
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Global and Planetary Change
- Oceanography
Cite this
High resolution δ18O and δ13C records from an annually laminated Scottish stalagmite and relationship with last millennium climate. / Baker, Andy; Wilson, Rob; Fairchild, Ian J.; Franke, Joerg; Spötl, Christoph; Mattey, Dave; Trouet, Valerie M; Fuller, Lisa.
In: Global and Planetary Change, Vol. 79, No. 3-4, 12.2011, p. 303-311.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - High resolution δ18O and δ13C records from an annually laminated Scottish stalagmite and relationship with last millennium climate
AU - Baker, Andy
AU - Wilson, Rob
AU - Fairchild, Ian J.
AU - Franke, Joerg
AU - Spötl, Christoph
AU - Mattey, Dave
AU - Trouet, Valerie M
AU - Fuller, Lisa
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - High-resolution (annual to decadal) stable isotope records of oxygen and carbon are analysed from an annually laminated stalagmite from NW Scotland. The sample, which was deposited for ~1000yrs until 1996AD, has previously provided annual resolution climate reconstructions of local rainfall and regional winter North Atlantic Oscillation (wNAO) from variations in annual growth rate. For our stalagmite, for which modern cave monitoring demonstrates that equilibrium deposition is highly likely for δ18O but not for δ13C, stalagmite δ13C originally derives from soil CO2 produced predominantly by microbial respiration, modified by degassing-related kinetic fractionation, and δ18O from the composition of infiltrating water during periods of infiltrating water. Both the presence of fluorescent laminae and modern drip-water monitoring demonstrate a drip hydrology that comprises both event and storage components. Over the instrumental period, no correlations between stalagmite or rainfall δ18O and precipitation amount or temperature are observed, but correlations are observed between rainfall δ18O and 500mb height at regional IAEA monitoring stations. However, no correlations are observed between stalagmite δ18O and instrumental and reconstructed atmospheric circulation, preventing a simple palaeoclimate interpretation of the stalagmite δ18O proxy. Stalagmite δ13C has a stronger temporal autocorrelation than δ18O, indicative of soil mixing of respired CO2 and significant variability between drips and at different times; correlations with instrumental climate data are therefore not possible. The relative timing of changes in growth rate, δ18O and δ13C are discussed, and interpretations compared with other regional climate records. We conclude that, over the last millennium at this mid-latitude cave site, neither δ18O nor δ13C cannot be interpreted as a simple paleoclimate proxy.
AB - High-resolution (annual to decadal) stable isotope records of oxygen and carbon are analysed from an annually laminated stalagmite from NW Scotland. The sample, which was deposited for ~1000yrs until 1996AD, has previously provided annual resolution climate reconstructions of local rainfall and regional winter North Atlantic Oscillation (wNAO) from variations in annual growth rate. For our stalagmite, for which modern cave monitoring demonstrates that equilibrium deposition is highly likely for δ18O but not for δ13C, stalagmite δ13C originally derives from soil CO2 produced predominantly by microbial respiration, modified by degassing-related kinetic fractionation, and δ18O from the composition of infiltrating water during periods of infiltrating water. Both the presence of fluorescent laminae and modern drip-water monitoring demonstrate a drip hydrology that comprises both event and storage components. Over the instrumental period, no correlations between stalagmite or rainfall δ18O and precipitation amount or temperature are observed, but correlations are observed between rainfall δ18O and 500mb height at regional IAEA monitoring stations. However, no correlations are observed between stalagmite δ18O and instrumental and reconstructed atmospheric circulation, preventing a simple palaeoclimate interpretation of the stalagmite δ18O proxy. Stalagmite δ13C has a stronger temporal autocorrelation than δ18O, indicative of soil mixing of respired CO2 and significant variability between drips and at different times; correlations with instrumental climate data are therefore not possible. The relative timing of changes in growth rate, δ18O and δ13C are discussed, and interpretations compared with other regional climate records. We conclude that, over the last millennium at this mid-latitude cave site, neither δ18O nor δ13C cannot be interpreted as a simple paleoclimate proxy.
KW - Atmospheric circulation
KW - Carbon isotope
KW - Oxygen isotope
KW - Paleoclimate
KW - Rainfall
KW - Stalagmite
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80655124970&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80655124970&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.12.007
DO - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.12.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80655124970
VL - 79
SP - 303
EP - 311
JO - Global and Planetary Change
JF - Global and Planetary Change
SN - 0921-8181
IS - 3-4
ER -