NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Polyak and Asmerom 2001 Southwestern US Stalagmite and Climate Reconstruction Data

Columnar stalagmites in caves of the Guadalupe Mountains during the late Holocene record a 4000-year annually resolved climate history for the southwestern United States. Annual banding, hiatuses, and high-precision uranium-series dating show a present day-like climate from 4000 to 3000 years ago, following a drier middle Holocene. A distinctly wetter and cooler period from 3000 to 800 years ago was followed by a period of present day-like conditions, with the exception of a slightly wetter interval from 440 to 290 years before the present. The stalagmite record correlates well with the archaeological record of changes in cultural activities of indigenous people. Such climate change may help to explain evidence of dwelling abandonment and population redistribution.

瓜达卢佩山脉（Guadalupe Mountains）洞穴中形成于全新世晚期（Late Holocene）的柱状石笋，记录了美国西南部跨度达4000年的年分辨率气候历史。年层理（annual banding）、沉积间断（hiatuses）与高精度铀系测年（uranium-series dating）结果显示，在气候更为干旱的中全新世之后，距今4000至3000年的气候与现今状态相近。距今3000至800年为一段显著湿冷的时期，此后气候回归现今常态，仅在距今440至290年存在一段略偏湿润的时段。该石笋记录与当地原住民文化活动变迁的考古记录具有良好的相关性。此类气候变化或可解释考古发现中关于居所废弃与人口再分布的相关证据。