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Last millennium fire history from Fuyun, northwestern China
  • +3
  • Chris Gouramanis,
  • Chong Wei Stephen Chua,
  • Marie Etchebes,
  • Yann Klinger,
  • Xiwei Xu,
  • Paul Tapponnier
Chris Gouramanis
Australian National University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Chong Wei Stephen Chua
Nanyang Technological University
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Marie Etchebes
Schlumberger Stavanger Research Center
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Yann Klinger
Université de Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS
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Xiwei Xu
Institute of Geology
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Paul Tapponnier
Nanyang Technological University
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Abstract

Burning histories derived from charcoal preserved in sediment archives offer scope to reconstruct past climate and landscape dynamics. The fault-bounded Aksay Pond in northwestern China preserved 24 macrocharcoals that when analysed for 14C using Accelerated Mass Spectrometry recorded three periods spanning two sigma error ranges of 1053 to 1379 CE, 1424 to 1622 CE and 1652 to 1990 CE. These periods of charcoal formation span the early to middle stages of the Medieval Climate Anomaly, the early stages of the Little Ice Age (LIA), and the transition from peak LIA to Recent Warming. The charcoal record from Aksay Pond differs from other Altai climate and burning records suggesting the region has a complex burning history.