AUTHOR=Yang Xiaoqiang , Peng Xuechao , Qiang Xiaoke , Li Niu , Zhou Qixian , Wang Yuejun 

TITLE=Chemical Weathering Intensity and Terrigenous Flux in South China during the Last 90,000 Years—Evidence from Magnetic Signals in Marine Sediments

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Earth Science

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/articles/10.3389/feart.2016.00047

DOI=10.3389/feart.2016.00047

ISSN=2296-6463

ABSTRACT=<p>The level of chemical weathering is strongly affected by climate. We presented magnetic properties associated with element ratios from the northern part of the South China Sea to denote links between chemical weathering intensity and monsoon changes in the previous 90,000 years. The magnetic parameter IRM<sub>AF80mT</sub>/SIRM, representing the variations of high coercivity minerals in marine sediments accompanied with the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> and the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), demonstrates strong chemical and physical weathering processes during the last 84–40 kyr when intensified Asian monsoon and warm climate occurred. High susceptibility, TiO<sub>2</sub> content, and relatively coarser magnetic mineral grain (relatively low ARM/SIRM ratio) also suggest more terrigenous clastic flux resulting from intensified physical erosion and river transport ability. During the 40–15 kyr period, a low IRM<sub>AF80mT</sub>/SIRM as well as chemical proxies indicate weak weathering as the climate cooled and precipitation decreased.</p>