Carbonate isotopic records of paleoclimate changes in Chinese loess

Oxygen and carbon isotopes of carbonate in concretion and bulk samples collected from Xifeng. Luochuan and Weinan loess sections, China, have been analyzed. It has been found that carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios of concretion in paleosol, as useful paleodimatic indicators, recorded temperature and humidity variation during their formation. Comparison of isotopic data from different locations may offer a spatial picture of past environmental changes. Isotopic data from carbonate of bulk sample also include useful environmental information. Carbon and oxygen isotopic curves of past 150ka in Weinan completely reflect the fluctuations of the paleodimate with different stratigraphical units. The curves can correlate well with those of other dimatic proxies and of the deep sea sediments.