NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - South China Sea ODP1146 AIM 24-25 Foraminiferal Stable Isotope Data

High-resolution planktic and benthic d18O records at Site 1146 (northern South China Sea) include structure within Marine Isotope Stage 5.4, 118.5-105.9 ka, that is not captured in stacked d18O records commonly used for age model construction and as proxies for global ice volume. Leveraging a common monsoonal influence, Site 1146 planktic d18O was aligned to speleothem d18O from southeastern China to derive a radiometrically calibrated (RC) age model. On the RC age model, the benthic d18O record contains structure equivalent in time to Antarctic Isotope Maximum (AIM) events 24 and 25. Sea level reconstructions for isotopic event 5.4 suggest that these benthic d18O events (AIM 24 and 25) derive from isotopic change (ice volume) although some temperature change cannot be completely excluded.