Soreq Cave, Israel Speleothem Oxygen Isotope Data 2.2-0.9 ky BP Orland, I.J.; Bar-Matthews, M.; Kita, N.T.; Ayalon, A.; Matthews, A.; Valley, J.W. Orland, I.J. Bar-Matthews, M. Kita, N.T. Ayalon, A. Matthews, A. Valley, J.W. earth science/paleoclimate/speleothems (delta 18O,calcite,two standard deviations,per mil VPDB,null,speleothems,raw,multiple collector secondary ion mass spectrometry,N,spot-to-spot reproducibility; 10um-diameter analysis spots) earth science/paleoclimate/speleothems (age,null,null,calendar year before present,null,speleothems,null,null,N,present defined as 1950 CE; age model is a linear interpolation between U-Th ages with data that are not bracketed by ages assigned a growth rate equal to the average growth rate across all 8 ages) earth science/paleoclimate/speleothems (delta 18O,calcite,null,per mil VPDB,null,speleothems,raw,multiple collector secondary ion mass spectrometry,N,10um-diameter analysis spots) earth science/paleoclimate/speleothems (Soreq Cave>LATITUDE 31.45>LONGITUDE 35.03) Analysis of oxygen isotope ratios (d18O) by ion microprobe resolves a sub-annual climate record for the Eastern Mediterranean from a Soreq Cave stalagmite that grew between 2.2 and 0.9 ka. In contrast to conventional drill-sampling methods that yield a total variation of 1.0 permil in d18Ocalcite values across our sample, the methods described here reveal up to 2.15 permil variation within single annual growth bands. Values of d18O measured by ion microprobe vary in a regular saw-tooth pattern that correlates with annual, fluorescent growth banding where calcite grades from light to dark fluorescence. Modern records of precipitation and of cave dripwater indicate that variable d18Ocalcite values record regular seasonal differences in d18Orainfall modified by mixing in the vadose zone. Large differences in d18O values measured across a single band (i.e., between the dark and light fluorescent calcite, or Delta18Odark-light) are interpreted to indicate wetter years, while smaller differences represent drier years. Oxygen isotopes record: 1) month-scale growth increments, 2) changes in Delta18Odark-light that represent seasonality, 3) a systematic, long-term decrease in maximum Delta18Odark-light values, and 4) an overall increase in average d18Ocalcite values through time. These results suggest a drying of regional climate that coincides with the decline of the Roman and Byzantine Empires in the Levant region. STUDY NOTES: Oxygen isotope data and age model from sample 2-6 of Soreq Cave near Jerusalem, Israel NCDC-Paleoclimatology https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data - Bauer Bruce Investigator : Orland, I.J. Investigator : Bar-Matthews, M. Investigator : Kita, N.T. Investigator : Ayalon, A. Investigator : Matthews, A. Investigator : Valley, J.W. 2017-11-07 ONLINE Files online, ASCII https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/23098 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/speleothem/asia/israel/soreq2009d18o.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/speleothem/asia/israel/soreq2009d18o.txt English https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/23098 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/speleothem/asia/israel/soreq2009d18o.txt Ian J. Orland, Miryam Bar-Matthews, Noriko T. Kita, Avner Ayalon, Alan Matthews, John W. Valley2009Climate deterioration in the Eastern Mediterranean as revealed by ion microprobe analysis of a speleothem that grew from 2.2 to 0.9 ka in Soreq Cave, IsraelQuaternary Research71127-3510.1016/j.yqres.2008.08.005 START YEAR: 2142 cal yr BP * END YEAR: 894 cal yr BP 35.03 31.45 35.03 31.45