Abstract
Isotopic records from speleothems are an important source of information about past climates and, given the increase in the number of isotope-enabled climate models, are likely to become an important tool for climate model evaluation. SISAL (Speleothem Isotopes Synthesis and Analysis) have created a global database of isotopic records from speleothems in order to facilitate regional analyses and data-model comparison. The papers in this Special Issue showcase the use of the database for regional analyses. In this paper, we discuss some of the important issues underpinning the use of speleothems and how the existence of this database assists palaeoclimate research. We also highlight some of the lessons learned in the creation of the SISAL database and outline potential research going forward.
Highlights
Isotopic records from speleothems are an important source of information about past climates and, given the increase in the number of isotope-enabled climate models, are likely to become an important tool for climate model evaluation
Many different measurements can be made on speleothems, the most common types for palaeoclimate reconstructions are the stable isotopes of oxygen and carbon (δ18 O, δ13 C)
Drawing from the experience with SISAL, we have identified several issues that, if taken on board by the community, would help improve the quality and re-usability of future speleothem studies (Table 1) as well as enable more robust science across research disciplines
Summary
Speleothems are secondary cave deposits that form when water percolates through carbonate bedrock. Atmospheric CO2 and CO2 generated by root respiration and the decomposition of organic matter is dissolved by rainwater as it percolates through the soil, which produces carbonic acid that rapidly dissociates to produce weakly acidic water. Changes in speleothem δ18 O are primarily driven by changes in precipitation amount, temperature, or precipitation source linked to atmospheric circulation changes [3,4,5] These records can be affected by changes in drip water residence time in the overlying karst, the cave temperature, and ventilation dynamics or kinetic fractionation during carbonate deposition, all of which are linked indirectly to changes in climate. Been used to infer shifts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone [10], glacial-interglacial transitions, There has been a marked increase in speleothem-based publications over the last few decades Patterns of isotopic changes, which is necessary to facilitate reconstructions of large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation, is the not SISAL possibleDatabase unless the > 700 published speleothem records are documented
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