Enhanced East Asian summer monsoon circulation during the Early to Middle Bronze Age
The Holocene East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) evolution has been extensively investigated, yet proxy records show inconsistent variations during the Bronze Age, and spatial patterns of hydroclimatic conditions remain controversial, limiting our understanding of monsoonal behavior and its potential association with culture development. Here we present multiple biomarker records from the northern coast of the South China Sea, which document the strength of monsoon-induced upwelling/mixing effect, to infer Holocene EASM variability. Our multiple biomarker records consistently indicate enhanced EASM circulation during ∼6000–9000 cal a BP and ∼3300–4500 cal a BP, superimposed on the long-term weakening trend. The enhanced EASM circulation during the Early to Middle Bronze Age challenges the presumed cool/dry climate background and lends support to a tripole pattern of hydroclimatic variability over East China during this period. • Alkenone and GDGT records from the northern South China Sea coast. • Holocene East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) evolution inferred. • Enhanced East Asian summer monsoon circulation during the Early to Middle Bronze Age. • Tripole pattern of hydroclimatic changes over East China during ∼3300–4500 cal a BP.
Authors
- Liang Yu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4597-885X)
- Jiawei Jiang
- Zhouqing Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1703-5157)
- Hong Yan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1230-096X)
- Zhonghui Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2168-8305)
- Huanye Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2149-3097)
- Deming Kong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9417-5044)
- Charlotte Wing Man Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-539X)
- Hongwei Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6471-131X)
- Yancheng Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4001-2634)
- Hongxuan Lu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9775-4348)
- Weiguo Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7081-9618)
- Bowen Meng
Institutions
- University of Science and Technology of China (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- China University of Geosciences (CN)
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development (CN)
- Institute of Earth Environment (CN)
- Qingdao Center of Resource Chemistry and New Materials (CN)
- Guangdong Ocean University (CN)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Quaternary Science Reviews
- Published
- 2025-05-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109439
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.30
Funders
- Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee
- Key Technologies Research and Development Program
- National Key Research and Development Program of China