Asian monsoons in a late Eocene greenhouse world

A. Licht (), M. van Cappelle, H. A. Abels, J.-B. Ladant, J. Trabucho-Alexandre, C. France-Lanord, Y. Donnadieu, J. Vandenberghe, T. Rigaudier, C. Lécuyer, D. Terry, R. Adriaens, A. Boura, Z. Guo, Aung Naing Soe, J. Quade, G. Dupont-Nivet and J.-J. Jaeger
Additional contact information
A. Licht: Institut de Paléoprimatologie, Paléontologie Humaine: Evolution et Paléoenvironnements, UMR CNRS 7262, Université de Poitiers
M. van Cappelle: Universiteit Utrecht, 3584CD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
H. A. Abels: Universiteit Utrecht, 3584CD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
J.-B. Ladant: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, UMR CNRS 8212, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
J. Trabucho-Alexandre: Durham University
C. France-Lanord: Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, UMR CNRS 7358, Université de Lorraine 54501 Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France
Y. Donnadieu: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, UMR CNRS 8212, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
J. Vandenberghe: Vrije Universiteit
T. Rigaudier: Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, UMR CNRS 7358, Université de Lorraine 54501 Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France
C. Lécuyer: Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon, Terre, Planètes, Environnement, UMR CNRS 5276, Université de Lyon, Institut Universitaire de France
D. Terry: Temple University
R. Adriaens: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
A. Boura: Centre de Recherche sur la Paléodiversité et les Paléoenvironnements – UPMC, MNHN, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
Z. Guo: Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, Peking University
Aung Naing Soe: Defence Services Academy, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar
J. Quade: University of Arizona
G. Dupont-Nivet: Universiteit Utrecht, 3584CD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
J.-J. Jaeger: Institut de Paléoprimatologie, Paléontologie Humaine: Evolution et Paléoenvironnements, UMR CNRS 7262, Université de Poitiers

Nature, 2014, vol. 513, issue 7519, 501-506

Abstract: Abstract The strong present-day Asian monsoons are thought to have originated between 25 and 22 million years (Myr) ago, driven by Tibetan–Himalayan uplift. However, the existence of older Asian monsoons and their response to enhanced greenhouse conditions such as those in the Eocene period (55–34 Myr ago) are unknown because of the paucity of well-dated records. Here we show late Eocene climate records revealing marked monsoon-like patterns in rainfall and wind south and north of the Tibetan–Himalayan orogen. This is indicated by low oxygen isotope values with strong seasonality in gastropod shells and mammal teeth from Myanmar, and by aeolian dust deposition in northwest China. Our climate simulations support modern-like Eocene monsoonal rainfall and show that a reinforced hydrological cycle responding to enhanced greenhouse conditions counterbalanced the negative effect of lower Tibetan relief on precipitation. These strong monsoons later weakened with the global shift to icehouse conditions 34 Myr ago.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/nature13704

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