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Stable isotope variations in stalagmites from northwestern Sweden document changes in temperature and vegetation during the early Holocene: a comment on Sundqvist et al. 2007a

Hammarlund, Dan LU and Edwards, Thomas W. D. (2008) In The Holocene 18(6). p.1007-1008
Abstract
We offer an alternative palaeoenvironmental interpretation of oxygen-isotope data obtained on two early-Holocene stalagmite records from caves in the Scandes Mountains of northern Sweden (Korallgrottan and Labrintgrottan), and the well-known Soylegrotta (Norway) SG93 record with which they are compared, that differs in several respects from that proposed by the authors. Contrary to viewing these as inverted palaeotemperature records, we suggest that they primarily reflect changes in the delta O-18 of local annual precipitation, modified by secondary temperature-dependent variation in water-calcite oxygen-isotope fractionation, at each of the three sites. This is supported by the striking similarity over the entire Holocene between the SG93... (More)
We offer an alternative palaeoenvironmental interpretation of oxygen-isotope data obtained on two early-Holocene stalagmite records from caves in the Scandes Mountains of northern Sweden (Korallgrottan and Labrintgrottan), and the well-known Soylegrotta (Norway) SG93 record with which they are compared, that differs in several respects from that proposed by the authors. Contrary to viewing these as inverted palaeotemperature records, we suggest that they primarily reflect changes in the delta O-18 of local annual precipitation, modified by secondary temperature-dependent variation in water-calcite oxygen-isotope fractionation, at each of the three sites. This is supported by the striking similarity over the entire Holocene between the SG93 calcite delta O-18 record and the lacustrine carbonate delta O-18 record from Lake Tibetanus (northern Sweden), which implies straightforward transfer of annual precipitation delta O-18 signals into cave drip waters. Recent studies of drip waters in Korallgrottan also support this model. This further enhances the value of cave deposits as palaeoclimate archives in this region and provides additional evidence of the sensitivity of the precipitation 'isotope thermometer' to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Sweden, Scandinavia, Holocene, atmospheric circulation, climate change, speleothem, oxygen isotopes
in
The Holocene
volume
18
issue
6
pages
1007 - 1008
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000258754900014
  • scopus:52649117624
ISSN
0959-6836
DOI
10.1177/0959683608093541
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1d28948a-5a0f-4a5f-877f-0e7462ee5e90 (old id 1249405)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:35:53
date last changed
2022-01-26 07:26:16
@misc{1d28948a-5a0f-4a5f-877f-0e7462ee5e90,
  abstract     = {{We offer an alternative palaeoenvironmental interpretation of oxygen-isotope data obtained on two early-Holocene stalagmite records from caves in the Scandes Mountains of northern Sweden (Korallgrottan and Labrintgrottan), and the well-known Soylegrotta (Norway) SG93 record with which they are compared, that differs in several respects from that proposed by the authors. Contrary to viewing these as inverted palaeotemperature records, we suggest that they primarily reflect changes in the delta O-18 of local annual precipitation, modified by secondary temperature-dependent variation in water-calcite oxygen-isotope fractionation, at each of the three sites. This is supported by the striking similarity over the entire Holocene between the SG93 calcite delta O-18 record and the lacustrine carbonate delta O-18 record from Lake Tibetanus (northern Sweden), which implies straightforward transfer of annual precipitation delta O-18 signals into cave drip waters. Recent studies of drip waters in Korallgrottan also support this model. This further enhances the value of cave deposits as palaeoclimate archives in this region and provides additional evidence of the sensitivity of the precipitation 'isotope thermometer' to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns.}},
  author       = {{Hammarlund, Dan and Edwards, Thomas W. D.}},
  issn         = {{0959-6836}},
  keywords     = {{Sweden; Scandinavia; Holocene; atmospheric circulation; climate change; speleothem; oxygen isotopes}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1007--1008}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{The Holocene}},
  title        = {{Stable isotope variations in stalagmites from northwestern Sweden document changes in temperature and vegetation during the early Holocene: a comment on Sundqvist et al. 2007a}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959683608093541}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0959683608093541}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}