Holocene paleoclimatic records from Chakrata area, Northwest Himalaya

Abstract

We present monsoon variability records for the Holocene using multi-proxy approach (environmental magnetism, carbon isotope, and total organic carbon) from a 146 cm thick sedimentary profile in the Kotikanasar meadow (Chakrata), Northwest Himalaya. The chronology of the record was constrained by five AMS 14C ages. The carbon isotope (δ13C) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) data highly variable which vary between -26.62‰ and -22.46‰ (C3-plants) and 0.1 to ∼4%, respectively, indicating paleo-vegetation history and productivity of the studied area. The environmental magnetics indicates highly fluctuating in the Early Holocene with high concentrations of magnetic minerals during high monsoon conditions and vice-versa. Intense Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) phases were identified during the Early and Late Holocene i.e., ∼9.2 to 7.4 ka, and ∼4.8 ka to Modern which shows warm and wet climate. While decline in the ISM intensity during ∼7.4 to 4.8 ka which indicates cold and dry climatic condition in the Northwest Himalayan regions. From ∼9.2 to 7.4 ka highly fluctuating climate linked with the Early Holocene warming. Sediment profile exhibits aridity in climate accompanying with the high influence of mid-latitude westerlies during ∼7.4 to 4.8 ka from Northwest Indian regions (Enzel et al., 1999). Hence the long-term fluctuation in the climate governed by the changes in the North Atlantic Ocean circulation as well as variations in the incoming solar radiations.