Formation of the desert landscape in central and eastern Asia in the late Pliocene supported by new evidence and forcing mechanism

Eolian deposit (loess) in the Chinese Loess Plateau is an excellent record of paleo-climate change since Neogene. The detrital zircon age of loess in Luochuan, Jiaxian and Xining site in the Chinese Loess Plateau are analyzed to trace the provenance of the eolian deposit. These provenance study can provide information about paleo-atmospheric circulation and evolution of desertification and aridification of East Asia. All loess layers in the Chinese Loess Plateau process similar conspicuous peaks at 250-350 Ma and 350-540 Ma, and the small peaks between 1200-540 Ma, and 2800-1200 Ma.