Description: In this study we provide a correlative age model for last glacial loess at the Rasova-Valea cu Pietre site in the Lower Danube region, based on the correlation of palaeoenvironmental proxies to independently dated palaeoclimate archives, luminescence dating and independent age control provided by the geochemically confirmed presence of the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) tephra. The CI tephra, originating in the Phlegrean fields of southern Italy, has been dated elsewhere by 40Ar/39Ar to 39?40 ka BP, and is frequently found in the Lower Danube loess. As such, the CI tephra represents a valuable temporal and stratigraphic maker across loess deposits in the region. Our age model facilitates high-resolution correlation of palaeoenvironmental features observed at Rasova to palaeoclimate archives in Greenland and the Black Sea ? Mediterranean area. We observe semi-cyclic behaviour of the frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility throughout the profile, which we ascribe to millennial-scale climate variability also observed elsewhere in the Black Sea region. This is the first study to clearly identify millennial-scale climate variability over the Holocene and last glacial in the Lower Danube loess. Proxy variability in the Holocene indicates continuous aeolian sedimentation through this epoch.

Description: Loess-palaeosol sequences are valuable archives of past environmental changes. Although regional palaeoclimatic trends and conditions in Southeastern Europe have been inferred from loess sequences, large scale forcing mechanisms responsible for their formation have yet to be determined. Southeastern Europe is a climatically sensitive region, existing under the strong influence of both Mediterranean and continental climates. Establishment of the spatial and temporal evolution and interaction of these climatic areas is essential to understand the mechanisms of loess formation. Here we present high-resolution grain-size, environmental magnetic, spectrophotometric and geochemical data from the Stalac section (43°40.64812'N, 21°25.06967'E, 208 m a.s.l.) in the Central Balkans (Serbia) for the past ~350,000 years. The goal of this study is to determine the influence of the Mediterranean climate during this period. Data show that the Central Balkans were under different atmospheric circulation regimes, especially during Marine Isotope Stages 9 and 7, while continental climate prevailed further north. We observe a general weakening of the Mediterranean climate influence with time. Our data suggest that Marine Isotope Stage 5 was the first interglacial in the Central Balkans that had continental climate characteristics. This prominent shift in climatic conditions resulted in unexpectedly warm and humid conditions during the last glacial.

Description: Reconstructions of dust flux have been used to produce valuable global records of changes in atmospheric circulation and aridity. These studies have highlighted the importance of atmospheric dust in marine and terrestrial biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling. By investigating a 10800-year-long paleoclimate archive from the Eastern Carpathians (Romania) we present the first peat record of changing dust deposition over the Holocene for the Carpathian-Balkan region. Using qualitative (X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanning) and quantitative inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer(ICP-OES) measurements of lithogenic (K, Si, Ti) elements, we identify 10 periods of major dust deposition between 9500-9200, 8400-8100, 7720-7250, 6350-5950, 5450-5050, 4130-3770, 3450-2850, 2000-1450, 800-620, and 60 cal yr BP to present. In addition, we used testate amoeba assemblages preserved within the peat to infer local palaeohydroclimatic conditions. Our record highlights several discrepancies between eastern and western European dust depositional records and the impact of highly complex hydrological regimes in the Carpathian region. Since 6100 cal yr BP, we find that the geochemical indicators of dust flux have become uncoupled from the local hydrology. This coincides with the appearance of millennial-scale cycles in the dust input and changes in geochemical composition of dust. We suggest that this is indicative of a shift in dust provenance from local-regional (likely loess-related) to distal (Saharan) sources, which coincide with the end of the African Humid Period and the onset of Saharan desertification.

Description: Physical propoerty data particularly of the frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility in depth and time show (semi)cyclic behaviour, which we ascribe to millennial scale climate variability also seen in the Black Sea region and large parts of the northern hemisphere.

Description: During the last twelve years the ELSA Project (Eifel Laminated Sediment Archive) at Mainz University has drilled a total of about 52 cores from 27 maar lakes and filled-in maar basins in the Eifel/Germany. Dating has been completed for the Holocene cores using 6 different methods (210Pb and 137Cs activities, palynostratigraphy, event markers, varve counting, 14C). In general, the different methods consistently complement one another within error margins. Event correlation was used for relating typical lithological changes with historically known events such as the two major Holocene flood events at 1342 AD and ca 800 BC. Dating of MIS2?MIS3 core sections is based on greyscale tuning, radiocarbon and OSL dating, magnetostratigraphy and tephrochronology. The lithological changes in the sediment cores demonstrate a sequence of events similar to the North Atlantic rapid climate variability of the Last Glacial Cycle. The warmest of the MIS3 interstadials was GI14, when a forest with abundant spruce covered the Eifel area from 55 to 48 ka BP, i.e. during a time when also other climate archives in Europe suggested very warm conditions. The forest of this 'Early Stage 3 warm phase' developed subsequently into a steppe with scattered birch and pine, and finally into a glacial desert at around 25 ka BP. Evidence for Mono Lake and Laschamp geomagnetic excursions is found in two long cores. Several large eruptions during Middle and Late Pleistocene (Ulmener Maar - 11,000 varve years BP, Laacher See - 12,900 varve years BP, Mosenberg volcanoes/Meerfelder Maar 41-45 cal ka BP, Dümpel Maar 116 ka BP, Glees Maar - 151 ka BP) produced distinct ash-layers crucial for inter-core and inter-site correlations. The oldest investigated maar of the Eifel is 40Ar/39Ar dated to the time older than 520 ka BP.