High Resolution Paleomonsoon Records from Central China

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Abstract ATM-9631673 Porter, Stephen C. University of Washington Title: High Resolution Paleomonsoon Records from Central China The Loess Plateau of central China contains a nearly continuous record of paleoenvironmental change spanning the last 2.5 million years. Studies over the past two decades have described and attempted to date the long loess/paleosol sequence that mantles the plateau, but only during the past several years has attention been directed toward obtaining high-resolution time-series of the last glacial/interglacial cycle in order to understand the factors that influenced the East Asian Monsoon system during the late Quaternary. This award supports a paleoclimate investigation in the climatically sensitive boundary zone between arid and semi-arid climates of central China where the changing monsoon effects are pronounced and well documented in sedimentary strata. Sampling of loess/paleosol profiles along the desert margin will help to assess temporal and regional variations in winter monsoon strength during the last glacial cycle and the Holocene. Data derived from this study also will be relevant to addressing problems of erosion, decertification, natural resource exploitation, and agricultural productivity in the densely inhabited transition zone between arid and semi-humid climates.