Comparison of isotope stages 1–61 with the Baoji-type pedostratigraphic section of north-central China

Abstract

Until now, comparisons between terrestrial and marine proxy climatic records have been achieved successfully only for the last 1.2 Ma or back to oxygen isotope stage 36. The Baoji loess–paleosol section of north-central China possesses 37 field-identifiable paleosols and 37 loess units representing a time span of about 2.5 Ma. The Baoji section is judged by the authors to be the most complete pedostratigraphic sequence in north-central China. This section, coupled with recent success in correlating isotope records back to stage 63, or approximately 1.88 Ma, has enabled a more detailed comparison over a longer time span. Using magnetic reversals as markers, the records are shown to have nearly equal numbers of identifiable warm and cold periods during the last 1.8 Ma. In addition, although there are exceptions, data sets reveal similar patterns during the same time intervals, indicating climatic events on a global scale.