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Marine Palynology of Interglacial-Glacial Transitions

  • Conference paper
Start of a Glacial

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASII,volume 3))

Summary

Marine pollen records from different parts of the world signal a general deterioration of climate at the end of the last interglacial (Substage 5e). Literature concerning marine pollen records covering Stage 5 is summarized. In more detail, results from the NE tropical Atlantic are discussed. Pollen influx indicating NE-trade vigor shows a strong increase during interglacial-glacial transitions at the end of Stages 7, 11, 13, and 15 and a stepwise increase during Stages 5 and 9. The extent of the tropical rain forest in northwest equatorial Africa was reduced during periods of strong trade winds, when Sahara, Sahel, savannas, and open forests shifted southwards indicating arid conditions in NW-Africa. A large southward shift of the Saharan-Sahelian boundary, from ca. 23°N during Substage 5e to ca. 14°N during Substage 5d, occurred in less than 5000 years after monsoonal activity during the last interglacial decreased. Other continents show increased aridity after the last interglacial, too. Temperatures and precipitation dropped during the substage transition 5e-5d in Japan and summer temperatures declined in NW America, while in Artie Canada and Greenland ice-growth started.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Palynology and Quaternary Sciences, Wilhelm-Weber-Str. 2, D-3400, Gôttingen, Germany

    Lydie M. Dupont

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  1. Lydie M. Dupont
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, Columbia University, 10964, Palisades, NY, USA

    George J. Kukla  & Ellen Went  & 

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Dupont, L.M. (1992). Marine Palynology of Interglacial-Glacial Transitions. In: Kukla, G.J., Went, E. (eds) Start of a Glacial. NATO ASI Series, vol 3. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76954-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76954-2_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-76956-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-76954-2

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