North Atlantic abrupt climatic events of the last glacial period recorded in Ukrainian loess deposits

Abstract

Abstract. Loess deposits are widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, where they have recorded not only the glacial-interglacial cycles, but also millennial-timescale changes resembling those in marine and ice cores. Such abrupt variations are clearly marked in western European series, but have not yet been evidenced in the East of the continent. Here we present results of the high-resolution investigation of a Weichselian Upper Pleniglacial loess sequence (∼38-15 ka) from Stayky, Ukraine. The stratigraphy shows an alternation of loess horizons and embryonic soils, similar to sequences from western Europe. Similarities are also found between variations of a grain-size index (ratio between coarse and fine material fractions) in Stayky and in western European profiles. Based on these similarities and in agreement with the luminescence dates, the embryonic soils are associated with the Greenland interstadials (GIS) 7 to 2, and the Vytachiv paleosol at the base of the sequence, with GIS 8. Pollen analysis indicates a wetter climate for these interstadials, allowing the development of arboreal vegetation, than for the stadials, which are marked by loess formation. The grain-size index reaches the highest values for intervals correlated with the Heinrich events 3 and 2. Thus, it appears that the North Atlantic abrupt climate changes have extended their influence and modulated the loess sedimentation at least as far as eastern Europe. This result is supported by recent

Rapid and cyclic dust accumulation during MIS 2 in Central Asia inferred from loess OSL dating and grain-size analysis

“…And the NGRIP δ 18 O and Ca 2 +  records and Qinghai Lake WI also show wetter and warmer climate from 30 ka to 11 ka, but the grain size of Ili loess shows an opposite trend. we find, on millennial timescales and long trend, the grain size of the Stayky loess from the eastern Europe29 is similar with that of XEBLK, showing H1 is colder than LGM, wetter and warmer climate from 30 to 16 ka and colder and dryer climate form 16 to 11 ka (Fig. S4).…”

Excursions to C<sub>4</sub> vegetation recorded in the Upper Pleistocene loess of Surduk (Northern Serbia): an organic isotope geochemistry study

“…This scenario is in agreement with the enhancement in the frequency of storms from the N/NW, as suggested by Antoine et al (2009b) based on a sedimentological study, and corroborates the possible predominant dust deposition direction proposed by Marković et al (2008) for the Surduk area based on a loess thickness investigation. It also fits with the 850 hPa winds reconstructed by Rousseau et al (2011) and Sima et al (2013).…”

Modeling dust emission response to North Atlantic millennial-scale climate variations from the perspective of East European MIS 3 loess deposits

“…Rapid environmental changes have also been identified in loess sequences further east (Haesaerts et al, 2003;Rousseau et al, 2001Rousseau et al, , 2007Rousseau et al, , 2011Gerasimenko and Rousseau, 2008;Antoine et al, 2009). They are expressed in the loesspaleosol stratigraphic succession, and in the variations of different indices: grain size index, magnetic properties, carbon isotope ratios, and, where available, in the pollen records.…”

“…Following investigations by Kukla (1977), a link between Central and Eastern Europe was established on the basis of sequences from Dolní Věstonice, in the Czech Republic (e.g., Fuchs et al, 2012;Antoine et al, 2013), and Vyazivok, in the Ukraine (e.g., Rousseau et al, 2001). Recently, using high-resolution data from Nussloch, Germany, and another Ukrainian site, Stayky, Rousseau et al (2011) suggested that the North Atlantic climate signal has been recorded throughout the European loess band, at least as far as 30 • E.…”