Climate and Environmental Change

Paleoenvironmental significance investigation of loess magnetic fabric in a semiarid region

Expand
  • Key Laboratory of Western China's Environment System, MOE, College of Resource and Environment Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

Received date: 2004-11-10

  Revised date: 2005-02-21

  Online published: 2005-06-25

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40471016; No.40401007; The Doctoral Foundation of Ministry of Education of China, No.20030730017

Abstract

Here we report our recent magnetic fabric investigation of loess deposition in Shagou section, located at the northeastern Qilian Mountains, the northeastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau. On the basis of environmental magnetism data, we indicate that the variation of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) parameters, especially the foliation (F) and degree of anisotropy (P), might be more sensitive to the environmental change in the arid and semiarid regions than the magnetic susceptibility fluctuation. During the investigated interval, from 0.83 to 0.128 Ma, most of the middle to late Pleistocene significant climate change can be unraveled by the AMS parameters, such as the strengthening of cold/dry climate, the step drying event occurred nearly 250 ka, and the severe environmental change in MIS16. Our results also suggest that there is strong correlation between median diameter (Md) of grain size, F, and P. We propose that the AMS parameters can act as an important paleoenvironmental change indicator in the arid and semiarid regions.

Cite this article

WANG Yong, PAN Baotian, GUAN Qingyu, GAO Hongshan, ZHANG Hui, LI Qiong, LIU Xiaofeng . Paleoenvironmental significance investigation of loess magnetic fabric in a semiarid region[J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2005 , 15(2) : 210 -216 . DOI: 10.1360/gs050209

References


[1] An Zhisheng, John E Kutzbach, Warren Prell et al., 2001. Evolution of Asian monsoons and phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau since late Miocene times. Nature, 411: 62-66.

[2] Chen Qingqiang, Li Congxian, Cong Youzi, 1998. Relationship between magnetic fabric parameters and dynamic characteristics of deposits in different environments. Chinese Science Bulletin, 43(10): 1106-1109.

[3] Ding Z L, Derbyshire S L, Yang et al., 2002. Stacked 2.6-Ma grain size record from the Chinese loess based on five section and correlation with deep-sea δ18O record. Paleoceanography, 17(3): 5-1, 5-21.

[4] France Lagriox, Subir K Banerjee, 2002. Paleowind directions from the magnetic fabric of loess profiles in central Alaska. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 195: 99-112.

[5] Heller F, Liu T S, 1982. Magnetostratigraphical dating of loess deposits in China. Nature, 300: 431-433.

[6] Laurence Thistlewood, Sun Jianzhong, 1991. A paleomagnetic and mineral magnetic study of the loess sequence at Liujiapo, Xian, China. Journal of Quaternary Science, 6(1): 13-26.

[7] Leah H Joseph, David K Rea, Ben A van der Pluijm, 1998. Use of grain size and magnetic fabric analysis to distinguish among depositional environments. Paleoceanography, 13(5): 491-501.

[8] Leonardo Sagnotti, Fabio Speranza, Aldo Winkler, 1998. Magnetic fabric of clay sediments from the external northern Apennines (Italy). Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 105: 73-93.

[9] Liu Dongsheng, 1987. Loess and Environment. Beijing: China Ocean Press.

[10] Liu Baozhu, Li Cunxian, 1994. Applications of magnetic fabrics to the studies of late Quaternary paleosol in the Changjiang River Delta area. Marine Geology and Quaternary Geology, 14(2): 55-62. (in Chinese)

[11] Liu X M, Xu T C, Liu T S, 1989. The Chinese loess in Xifeng: II. a study of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of loess from Xifeng. Geophysics. J., 92: 349-353.

[12] Liu Xiuming, Tim Rolph, Zhisheng An et al., 2003. Paleoclimatic significance of magnetic properties on the red clay underlying the loess and paleosols in China. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology, 199: 153-166.

[13] Lv Houyuan, Han Jiamao, Wu Naiqin et al., 1994. The analysis of modern soil magnetic susceptibility and its paleoclimate significance. Science in China (Series B), 24(12): 1290-1297. (in Chinese)

[14] Miwa Yokokawa, Sven-Oliver Franz, 2002. Changes in grain size and magnetic fabric at Blake-Bahama outer ridge during the late Pleistocene (marine isotope stages 8-10). Marine Geology, 189: 123-144.

[15] Pan Baotian, Chen Fahu, Li Jijun, 1995. Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: a driver and amplifier of global climate change. Journal of Lanzhou University (Natural Science), 31(3): 120-128. (in Chinese)

[16] Pan Baotian, Wu Guangjian, Wang Yixiang et al., 2000. Age and genesis of the Shagou River terraces in eastern Qilian Mountains. Chinese Science Bulletin, 45(24): 2669-2675.

[17] Pan Yongxin, Zhu Rixiang, 1999. The recent progress in magnetic fabrics. Progress in Geophysics, 13(1): 52-59. (in Chinese)

[18] Raposo M I B, M S D'Agrella-Filho, 2000. Magnetic fabrics of dike swarms from SE Bahia State, Brazil. Precambrian Research, 99: 309-325.

[19] Ress A I, 1965. The use of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in the estimation of sedimentary fabrics. Sedimentology, 4: 257-271.

[20] Rolph T C, J Shaw, E Derbyshire, 1989. A detailed geomagnetic record from Chinese loess. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 56: 151-164.

[21] Shi Yafeng, 2002. A suggestion to improve the chronology of Quaternary glaciations in China. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 24(6): 687-692. (in Chinese)

[22] Wang Nai'ang, Zhang Hucai, 1997. The primary investigation of magnetostragraphy of loess deposition in the southern margin of Tengger Desert. J. of Lanzhou University (Natural Science), 33(4): 144-146. (in Chinese)

[23] Wu Haibin, Chen Fahu, 1998. A study on the relationship between magnetic anisotropy of modern eolian sediments and wind direction. Acta Geophysica Sinica, 41(6): 811-817. (in Chinese)

[24] Wu Haibin, Guo Zhengtang, Fang Xiaomin et al., 2002. Extension of drylands in northern China around 250 kaBP linked with the uplift of the southeast margin of Tibetan Plateau. Chinese Science Bulletin, 47(17): 1341-1346.

[25] Wu Hanning, Yue Leping, 1997. The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of Aeolian dust sediment: the paleowind field in Chinese Loess Plateau. Acta Geophysica Sinica, 40(4): 487-494. (in Chinese)

[26] Zhao Zhijun, Fang Xiaomin, 2001. Paleomagnetic dating of the Jiuquan gravel in the Hexi Corridor: implication on mid-Pleistocene uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Chinese Science Bulletin, 46(23): 2001-2005.

[27] Zheng Benxing, Qinqi Xu, Yongping Shen, 2002. The relationship between climate change and Quaternary glacial cycles on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: review and speculation. Quaternary International, 97-98: 93-101.

[28] Zhu R X, 2000. History of anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility and its implications: preliminary results along an E-W transect of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geophysics Research Abs., 2: 226.

[29] Zhu Rixiang, Kazansky Alexey, Matasova Galina et al., 2000. Rock-magnetic investigation of Siberia loess and its implication. Chinese Science Bulletin, 45(11): 1200-1205.

[30] Zhu Rixiang, Qingsong Liu, Michael J Jackson, 2004. Paleoenvironmental significance of magnetic fabrics in Chinese loess-paleosoils since the last interglacial (<130 ka). Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 7034: 1-15.

[31] Zhu R X, G. Matasova, A. Kazansky et al., 2003. Rock magnetic record of the last glacial-interglacial cycle from the Kurtak loess section, south Siberia. Geophysical Journal International, 152: 335-343.

Outlines

/