Abrupt climatic changes on the Tibetan Plateau during the Last Ice Age——Comparative study of the Guliya ice core with the Greenland GRIP ice core

Abstract

Based on a comparative study of the Guliya ice core with the Greenland GRIP ice core, the abrupt climatic changes on the Tibetan Plateau during the Last Ice Age have been examined. The major stadial-interstadial events and 7 warm events (Brφrump, Odderade, Oerel, Glinde, Hengelo, Denekamp, BQlling) are consistent in the two ice cores. However, there are some unique features in the Guliya ice core records. The transition from warm to cold periods in the Guliya ice core is faster than that in the Greenland GRIP ice core. The magnitude of the climatic changes in the Guliya ice core is also larger than that in the Greenland GRIP ice core. Another significant feature of the Guliya ice core records is that there is a series of cycles of about 200 a from 18 to 35 kaBP. 22 warm events and 20 cold events with a fluctuation magnitude of 71 have been distinguished. The warm and cold events with a fluctuation magnitude within 3 ℃ are as high as 100. It is speculated that the abrupt climatic changes in different periods are caused by different driving forces. The abrupt climatic changes from stadial to interstadial are driven by insolation and are amplified by the snow cover on the Tibetan Plateau. The abrupt climatic changes on shorter time scales are the consequence of interaction between sun activity and the monsoon.