A remote input of African dust to Last Glacial Europe

During the Last Glacial Maximum global surface air temperatures were up to 6 °C lower than pre-industrial levels and the mineral dust cycle was highly active, with global dust loading two to four times higher than during the Holocene. Loess deposits and Greenland ice cores show peak dust concentrations during this time. While Asian sources were traditionally seen as the main contributors to dust transported to Greenland, recent studies using geochemical methods suggest a mix of Asian, North African, and European sources. Europe experienced intense dust activity, with mineral particles largely emitted from regional sources. Here we present the trace elements, and strontium and lead isotopes from Last-Glacial Maximum samples collected at 15 sites across Europe. The results reveal that fine dust originated from remote sources, potentially northern Africa. Earth System model simulations support this finding, highlighting Northern Africa’s substantial role in dust deposition during glacial periods across the Northern Hemisphere. The fine fraction of the last glacial dust in Europe mainly originates from a remote source, potentially Northern Africa, based on an analysis of isotopic samples from 15 sites and Earth system model simulations.