Red clay deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau during 11.0–2.6 Ma and its implications for long-term evolution of East Asian monsoon

Abstract

Loess and red clay on the Chinese Loess Plateau have produced a detailed history of the East Asia monsoon for the past eight million years. Recently, a well-conserved red clay sequence was discovered at Shilou on the eastern edge of Chinese Loess Plateau, extending the monsoon history back to approximately 11 Ma. By comparing lithologic features, particle size distribution, magnetic susceptibility and deposition rate of Shilou red clay sequence, the paleomonsoon evolution from 11 to 2.6 Ma can be divided into four stages: largely fluctuated stage (11.0–8.0 Ma), relatively strengthened period (8.0–6.5 Ma), extremely changed stage (6.5–4.9 Ma) and further intensified period (4.9–2.6 Ma). The new evidence indicates that variation of paleomonsoon has close relationship with uplifting of the Tibetan Plateau and ongoing global cooling and the consequent expansion of ice sheets during 11.0–2.6 Ma.