Inter-regional correlation of palaeoclimatic records for the Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition: a protocol for improved precision recommended by the INTIMATE project group

Abstract

The remit of the INTIMATE 2 2 Integration of Ice-core, Marine and Terrestrial Records (INTIMATE) is a core programme of the International Quaternary Union (INQUA) Palaeoclimate Commission.[INTIMATE @ http://www.geog.uu.nl/fg/palaeoclimate/intimate.] project of the INQUA Palaeoclimate Commission is to synthesise marine, terrestrial and ice-core data for the North Atlantic region during the Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition (LGIT: ca 13–10 14C kyr BP; ca 15–11.5 ice-core kyr BP). A major problem, however, is the difficulty of effecting correlations at a temporal resolution that are adequate for defining ‘leads’ and ‘lags’ between the polar ice, terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric realms. The limitations of the dating and correlation methods currently employed are summarised, and new quality assurance protocols are proposed. These include recommendations on the contextual information that should accompany radiocarbon dates, procedures for radiocarbon calibration, the use of an event-stratigraphic approach in inter-regional correlations, and the more widespread use of time-parallel marker horizons (based on tephra layers, oxygen isotope stratigraphy, palaeomagnetic stratigraphy, and radiocarbon ‘wiggle-matching’) to underpin the geochronology and correlation of events during the LGIT. These protocols will be adopted by the INTIMATE project in future international, collaborative research and are recommended to other groups working on this important time period.