Geological Society of America

24 Proxy Records of Abrupt Holocene Climate and Environmental Change

Friday, 5 April 2013
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Classroom 203

HOLOCENE CLIMATE VARIABILITY REVEALED BY HIGH-RESOLUTION SPELEOTHEM RECORDS FROM EAST-CENTRAL NORTH AMERICA

Paper number: 24-7
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 9:35 AM – 9:55 AM

Authors

Jessica Buckles Presenting Author
University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
Harry Rowe
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Yongli Gao
University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Gregory Springer
Ohio Univ, Athens, OH
Hai Cheng
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
R. Lawrence Edwards
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Abstract

Two speleothems from Harr Cave (HC), located in northeastern West Virginia, grew during the Holocene. Stable isotope carbon and oxygen and high-resolution trace element (Sr) results were obtained and are buttressed by 8 Th-230 age dates.

The Holocene paleoclimate record is dominated by Bond ice-rafting events in the North Atlantic, whose cyclicity may be observed within the HC record. The relationship between the climate ‘thermostat’ of the North Atlantic and the climate signals preserved within these speleothems provides a glimpse into the geochemical response to global climate perturbations as well as to regional variation throughout the Holocene. The HC record will be compared to other Holocene proxy records in an effort to further delineate regional versus global responses to climate events. An understanding of Holocene climate variability is an essential platform on which to interpret modern anthropogenic contributions to climate change.