Start of the last interglacial period at 135 ka: Evidence from a high Alpine speleothem

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 2002 Start of the last interglacial period at 135 ka: Evidence from a high Alpine speleothem Christoph Spötl; Christoph Spötl 1Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Augusto Mangini; Augusto Mangini 2Forschungsstelle Radiometrie, Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Norbert Frank; Norbert Frank 2Forschungsstelle Radiometrie, Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Rene Eichstädter; Rene Eichstädter 2Forschungsstelle Radiometrie, Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften, Im Neuenheimer Feld 229, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Stephen J. Burns Stephen J. Burns 3Department of Geosciences, Morrill Science Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2002) 30 (9): 815–818. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0815:SOTLIP>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 02 Nov 2001 rev-recd: 07 May 2002 accepted: 15 May 2002 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Christoph Spötl, Augusto Mangini, Norbert Frank, Rene Eichstädter, Stephen J. Burns; Start of the last interglacial period at 135 ka: Evidence from a high Alpine speleothem. Geology 2002;; 30 (9): 815–818. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0815:SOTLIP>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A detailed study of growth periods of a flowstone from Spannagel Cave in the Zillertal Alps (Austria) at ∼2500 m above sea level, a site highly sensitive to climate changes, offers unprecedented new insights into Pleistocene climate change in Central Europe. Flowstone sample SPA 52 has a high U content (to 116 ppm); analyses of this sample reveal that episodes of calcite deposition started at 204 ± 3 ka, 135 ± 1.2 ka, and 122 ka, suggesting that at these times, the mean air temperature at this high Alpine site was within 1.5 °C of the present-day condition. The beginning of growth at 135 ka corresponds to the ending of the last glaciation and is concordant with a midpoint age for the penultimate deglaciation at 135 ± 2.5 ka, as deduced from the absolutely dated oxygen isotope curve in sediments from the Bahamas, as well as with recent coral evidence from Barbados indicating a high sea level already by 135.8 ± 0.8 ka. This set of data supports evidence against Northern Hemisphere forcing of termination II, because the insolation maximum is at 127 ka. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.