The Indian monsoon variability and civilization changes in the Indian subcontinent

Kathayat, Gayatri; Cheng, Hai; Sinha, Ashish; Long, Yi; Li, Xianglei; Zhang, Haiwei; Li, Hang-Ying; Ning, Youfeng; Edwards, R. Lawrence

doi:10.1126/sciadv.1701296

Cited by 237 publications

(225 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…18 O values of our records are used to refer to strong and weak monsoons, respectively, consistent with a number of previous studies (e.g., Dayem et al, 2010;Breitenbach et al, 2010;Sinha et al, 2011;Cheng et al, 2012;Sinha et al, 2011;Berkelhammer et al, 2012;Breitenbach et al, 2015;Myers et al, 2015, Dutt et al, 2015Cheng 160 et al, 2012;Kathayat et al, 2016;Kathayat et al, 2017).…”

Section: Proxy Interpretationsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…In South Asia, the 4.2 ka event has been linked to a weakening of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) and the ensuing deurbanization of the Indus Valley Civilization (Staubwasser et al, 2003;Madella and Fuller, 2006;Dixit et al, 2014;55 Giosan et al, 2012;Berkelhammer et al, 2012;Kathayat et al, 2017;Dixit et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This event has been generally described as an approximately a two centuries-long interval of aridity, which was superimposed on a long-term gradually declining trend in ISM in response to decreasing northern hemisphere summer insolation (e.g., Kathayat et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The numbering scheme is as follows: 1, Sahiya cave (Kathayat et al, 2017); 2, Lake Rara (Nakamura et al, 2016); 3, Kotla Dhar (Dixit et al, 2014); 4, Mawmluh Cave (Berkelhammer et al, 2012); and 5, Indus Delta (Staubwasser et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the latter may also stem from relatively large age uncertainties and low temporal resolution of the Sahiya Cave record around this time interval, which preclude a definitive assessment of the '4.2 ka event' (Kathayat et al, 2017 us to precisely characterize the timing, structure, and manifestation of the 4.2 ka event in the ISM regime. Particularly, we aim to provide better constraints on the timing of the onset of the event and refine the nature of the event's termination.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Timing and Structure of the 4.2 ka BP Event in the Indian Summer Monsoon Domain from an Annually-Resolved Speleothem Record from Northeast India

Kathayat

Cheng

Sinha

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Section: Proxy Interpretationsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Timing and Structure of the 4.2 ka BP Event in the Indian Summer Monsoon Domain from an Annually-Resolved Speleothem Record from Northeast India

Kathayat

Cheng

Sinha

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Debris flow events of 4000 a BP and its resulting archaeological site destruction in Qian River gorge, the upper reach of Wei River, central China

et al. 2020

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In the study of global change, the relationship between the Holocene climatic disaster events and the rise and fall of ancient civilization is of considerable significance to a profound understanding of civilization evolution and human-land harmony. During the geological survey in the western Wei River Basin, a debris-flow event that would have destroyed an archaeological site was uncovered in the Holocene loesson the south bank of the Qian River. They were studied by field observations and laboratory analysis, including magnetic susceptibility, particle size distribution, carbonate content determination, and AMS 14 C dating. The debris-flow event was dated at about 3702 BP to 4084 cal BP by using the AMS 14 C in combination with archaeological artefacts age determination. Mingling with cultural layer, whole pig bones, and covering ash pit and cellars, the debris flow incident was linked to the site destruction. Combined with the global climate background at about 4000 a BP, the palaeo-floods records in the Wei River Basin, and the regional palaeo-earthquakes, we infer that the debris-flow was triggered by large earthquake and heavy rainfall and was a regional hydrological response to the 4.0 ka global climate event. Moreover, the debris-flow incident and its resulting archaeological site ruin have essential scientific significance for exploring the climate environment evolution, the ancient civilization evolvement, and the human-land relationship development in the Wei River Basin and surrounding area.

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Coherent nature of speleothems petrographic and isotopic proxies for climate change: A case study from northwestern Himalaya

2022

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Speleothems are widely used terrestrial archives for the reconstruction of regional paleoclimatic conditions using mainly stable oxygen isotopes. However, the isotopic signals are quite vulnerable to post‐depositional recrystallization, and in the absence of detailed petrographic characterization, the validity of the isotopic dataset remains elusive. The present study is an attempt to bridge the gap between speleothem physical and geochemical proxies, their interrelationship and applicability, to reconstruct the regional climatic conditions in the northwestern Himalayas. We have identified different zones of depleted/enriched oxygen isotopes linked with the enhanced/decreased regional rainfall with strong/weak Indian summer monsoon. Prograding growth laminae and distinct columnar crystalline texture in calcite are associated with depleted oxygen isotopes. This suggests ample water availability and a higher drip rate in the cave, and further approves the wetter regional climate. Whereas, retractional growth laminae with dark micrite and microspar point towards slower drip rate and high evaporation associated with decreased rainfall. The presence of microspar in the studied stalagmite may indicate possible diagenetic alteration. However, oxygen isotopes data is unable to detect these small‐scale changes. Nevertheless, a coherency exists between isotopes and petrographic proxies for regional climate variability on a larger scale, and diagenesis in the studied sample possibly occurred during the early stage of precipitation. Therefore, isotopic studies coupled with detailed petrography can better ascribe paleoclimate conditions, and minimize the chances of erroneous interpretation because of diagenetic alterations of carbonate.

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The Indian monsoon variability and civilization changes in the Indian subcontinent

Abstract: Speleothem records of Indian monsoon provide climatic context to societal changes in Indian subcontinent over the last 5700 years.

Cited by 237 publications

References 44 publications

Timing and Structure of the 4.2 ka BP Event in the Indian Summer Monsoon Domain from an Annually-Resolved Speleothem Record from Northeast India

Timing and Structure of the 4.2 ka BP Event in the Indian Summer Monsoon Domain from an Annually-Resolved Speleothem Record from Northeast India

Debris flow events of 4000 a BP and its resulting archaeological site destruction in Qian River gorge, the upper reach of Wei River, central China

Coherent nature of speleothems petrographic and isotopic proxies for climate change: A case study from northwestern Himalaya

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