NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Ashalim Cave, Israel Plio-Pleistocene Speleothem Stable Isotope Data
This archived Paleoclimatology Study is available from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), under the World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology. The associated NCEI study type is Cave. The data include parameters of speleothems with a geographic location of Israel, Middle East. The time period coverage is from 3100000 to 115500 in calendar years before present (BP). See metadata information for parameter and study location details. Please cite this study when using the data.
Dataset Citation
- Cite as: Vaks, A.; Woodhead, J.; Bar-Matthews, M.; Ayalon, A.; Cliff, R.A.; Zilberman, T.; Matthews, A.; Frumkin, A. (2014-03-28): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Ashalim Cave, Israel Plio-Pleistocene Speleothem Stable Isotope Data. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/ya3v-sx92. Accessed [date].
- Please refer to Credit tab for full citation information.
Dataset Identifiers
- doi:10.25921/ya3v-sx92
- noaa-cave-16403
- NCEI DSI 1200_02
- NCEI DSI 1200_01
ISO 19115-2 Metadata
noaa-cave-16403
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Distributor |
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov |
Dataset Point of Contact |
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov |
Dataset Point of Contact | Data Center Contact NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology 828-271-4800 paleo@noaa.gov |
Coverage Description | Date Range: 3100000 cal yr BP to 115500 cal yr BP; |
Time Period | -3098050 to -113550 |
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates |
West: 34.7396
East: 34.7396
South: 30.9434
North: 30.9434
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Spatial Coverage Map |
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Data Presentation Form | Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns |
Dataset Progress Status | Complete - production of the data has been completed |
Data Update Frequency | Data update frequency not available |
Supplemental Information | STUDY NOTES: Stable isotope (d18O and d13C) data from speleothems collected in Ashalim Cave, Negev Desert, Israel. ABSTRACT SUPPLIED BY ORIGINATOR: The Middle-Late Pliocene climate was 2-3°C warmer than today, but with similar levels of atmospheric CO2. This period reflects climate conditions expected in the near future, and is therefore an important target for current data-modeling studies. This study reconstructs the Pliocene-Quaternary evolution of arid conditions on the northern margin of the Saharan-Arabian desert, using radiometrically (U-Pb) dated periods of speleothem deposition from three caves of the Negev Desert, Israel. Speleothem growth started between ~3.75 and ~3 Ma, at the end of the first significant tectonic uplift of the western shoulder of the Dead Sea Rift. Major speleothem deposition, indicating wet conditions, occurred during the Pliocene around ~3.1 Ma, with subsequent aridity during the last 3 Myr, punctuated by short wet episodes - the Pleistocene Negev Humid Periods (NHP). The oldest dated NHP occurred between ~1.7 and ~1.25 Ma, and other short humid episodes continued intermittently later. Speleothem d18O values (-6.9 per mil to -11.2 per mil) show that the humid episodes were associated with periods of low global ice volume and warm temperatures. After correction for rainfall d18O changes associated with ice volume and temperature effects, the observed relative constancy of speleothem d18O values from Pliocene to Late Pleistocene indicates rainfall was from a common source, most probably the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The humid Pliocene conditions could be generated by more southerly position of the Mediterranean coast (allowing the access of Mediterranean precipitation to the Negev), as well as by warmer Atlantic Sea Surface Temperatures, that weakened the Azores High Pressure Cell. Maximum amounts of precipitation were 500-600 mm/a during the Pliocene and >300 mm/a during Pleistocene NHP. The Pliocene and the earliest Pleistocene NHP are associated with formation of lakes in the Negev. Low 87Sr/86Sr ratios of ~0.7078 in the Pliocene speleothems are indicative of low dust supply, low water residence time in the vadose zone and relatively high weathering rates of the cave host rock. Increase of 87Sr/86Sr ratios to 0.7082-0.7083 in the Pleistocene suggest an increased supply of desert dust, high water residence time in the vadose zone and reduced host rock weathering. |
Purpose | Records of past temperature, precipitation, and other aspects of climate derived from mineral deposits found in caves. Parameter keywords describe what was measured in this dataset. Additional summary information can be found in the abstracts of papers listed in the dataset citations. |
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Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
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Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
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Last Modified: 2024-03-19
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov