Last Glacial warm events on Mount Hermon: the southern extension of the Alpine karst range of the east Mediterranean

This study focuses on warm Last Glacial episodes in the southernmost extension of the Alpine karst range of the Eastern Mediterranean (Levant) region through the study speleothems in Mizpe Shelagim Cave, located in Mt. Hermon. The Alpine karst range extends from Turkey through Syria and Lebanon, reaching its southern limit in Mt. Hermon at an elevation of more than 2000 m. Under present-day conditions, southern Mt. Hermon receives 1000-2000 mm precipitation, mostly as snow, that originates in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Speleothems deposition in this high altitude region was continuous during interglacials, but during the Last Glacial growth only occurred when average annual temperatures exceeded similar to 3 degrees C as inferred from the study of speleothem fluid inclusions. Warming episodes occurred at: similar to 65 ka, similar to 56 ka, 54.5 ka, similar to 52.5-51 ka, similar to 49 ka, similar to 42 ka, and similar to 36 ka and are coincident with maximum insolation at 65 degrees N. The main depositional period from similar to 56 ka to 51 ka coincides with Dansgaard-Oeschger interstadial 15 and 14, and warming in the northeastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Warming in the southern Alpine karst range of the Eastern Mediterranean was manifested by vegetation development, together with significant snow melting that resulted in the drainage of large amount of water to the Dead Sea Rift Valley. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.