High-resolution reconstruction of infiltration in the Southern Cook Islands based on trace elements in speleothems

Abstract

This study utilizes speleothem trace elements as climate proxies to reconstruct hydroclimate variability over approximately 350 years in the Southern Cook Islands. Stalagmites Pu17 and Pu4 from Pouatea cave were analyzed using high-resolution LA-ICP-MS for trace elements (Mg, Na, Sr, P, U, Y). By monitoring cave dripwater and conducting regression analysis, we found that Mg, Sr, and Na in Pouatea dripwater mostly originated from marine aerosols, while Sr and Ba were primarily from bedrock, with additional Ba coming from marine aerosols and weathered oceanic basalt leaching. Mg was identified as the most reliable element for hydroclimate reconstruction due to its predominantly marine aerosol origin. Infiltration, via dilution of marine aerosols and bedrock inputs, was identified as the main driver of trace element variations in Pouatea at a seasonal scale. Transfer functions were established between each trace element and effective infiltration was calculated, with Mg showing the strongest correlation. The reconstructed infiltration data were compared with climate indices, showing an overarching role of the SPCZ and ENSO in controlling rainfall in the South Pacific. This research demonstrates the potential of speleothem trace elements for paleohydroclimate reconstructions, improving understanding of rainfall variability in the climatically vulnerable South Pacific Islands over the past millennia.