A dataset of loess sediment chronology and paleoclimate proxies in Central Asia

<p indent="0mm">Located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, Central Asia (CA) is influenced by various climate systems such as the westerlies, the Asian monsoon, and Siberian high. It is an important loess distribution area and dust source globally, and also a region sensitive to global climate change. Meanwhile, as the core area of the ancient Silk Road, CA holds an important strategic position in connecting Eastern and Western civilizations and facilitating material exchanges. Studying the loess in this area not only helps to reveal climate evolution and dust transport mechanisms in arid regions, but also provides important clues for exploring the relationship between human activities and environmental change. This dataset mainly compiles loess paleoclimate data obtained by the Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences in the past ten years and relevant chronological data in Xinjiang and neighboring CA countries, along with corresponding chronological data. It covers 64 loess profiles or drilling sites in western, northern and eastern CA, as well as a variety of paleoclimatic, physicochemical and biogenic index data, including a map of distribution in CA loess, 762 optically stimulated luminescence dating records (including OSL and pIRIR), 71 AMS ¹⁴C dating records, 18,875 grain size records, 5,552 magnetic susceptibility records, 425 of chromaticity data, and various geochemical elements, isotopes and mineral compositions. All the data included in this dataset have corresponding peer-reviewed publications and have undergone rigorous peer review. In quality control and evaluation, data reliability is ensured through multiple steps, including screening the initial data, removing irrelevant content, assessing the reliability of experimental methods and the credibility of results, verifying data entry and conducting field validation. This research has established extensive and comprehensive loess paleoclimate basic database in CA, which can provide key data support for in-depth research on regional paleoclimate reconstruction, multi-climate system interaction mechanisms, and quantifying the response of human activities to climate change. It also provides an important scientific basis for environmental archaeology and sustainable development research along the Silk Road.