Multiple episodes of aridity in southern Africa since the last interglacial period

摘要: There is generally a dearth of evidence the nature Quaternary climate change within desert systems, which has limited previous interpretations past environmental at low latitudes. The Last Glacial Maximum previously been identified as peak Late aridity, when systems expanded to five times their present extent1,2,3, and low-latitude aridity described for glaciations4. But little derived directly large basins, particularly southern Africa. Here we report new chronological (optical dating) arid episodes recorded in aeolian sediments from Mega Kalahari sand sea. Episodic activity northeastern margin, whereas more sustained evident southwestern core. Several significant events are apparent since last interglacial period, with dune-building (arid) phases ∼95–115, 41–46, 20–26 9–16 kyr before present. Existing atmospheric general circulation model simulations independent palaeoclimate data indicate that changes related northeast–southwest summer rainfall gradient, turn sea surface temperatures southeastern Atlantic Ocean.