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Isotopic evidence for dramatic climatic changes in East Africa during the Pleistocene

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Abstract

RAINFALL decreased dramatically in the Lake Turkana region 1.8–2.0 Myr ago and in the Olduvai Gorge region 0.5–0.6 Myr ago. This is documented by a major increase in the δ18O values of pedogenic and groundwater carbonates at these times. The data suggest that meteoric water of the earlier, more humid climate was 2–4 per mil lower in 18O content than modern waters of these regions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720

    T. E. CERLING & R. L. HAY

  2. United States Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, 94025

    J. R. O'NEIL

Authors
  1. T. E. CERLING
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  2. R. L. HAY
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  3. J. R. O'NEIL
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CERLING, T., HAY, R. & O'NEIL, J. Isotopic evidence for dramatic climatic changes in East Africa during the Pleistocene. Nature 267, 137–138 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267137a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267137a0

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