Early-Holocene Paleo-Tropical Cyclone Activity Inferred from a Sedimentary Sequence in South Yellow Sea, East Asia

Although tropical cyclones play a critical role in global climate changes, their long-term variations in the past are not well documented. In this article, a sediment core from the South Yellow Sea was studied in order to reveal the influence of tropical cyclones on depositional processes. Integrating the results of radiocarbon dating and sediment grain-size analysis, we show that the studied sequence was deposited during the Holocene and the sedimentary dynamics were stable and at a relatively low level, with a median grain-size range of 5.3-8.7 mu m. It is found that coarse particles were likely transported by highly dynamic depositional events. Based on the findings, a record of paleo-tropical cyclones was derived for the Early Holocene, and several intervals with a reduced influence of tropical cyclones were identified. In addition, it reveals a good agreement between the grain-size results and the changes in solar activity, monsoonal intensity, and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. Overall, it can be concluded that the influence of tropical cyclones on the sedimentary evolution of the muddy zone of the South Yellow Sea was substantial during the Early Holocene on centennial timescales, and that solar maxima may control the intensity of tropical cyclones via strengthening the walker circulation over the tropical Pacific.

Automated summary

This study investigates the influence of tropical cyclones on depositional processes in the South Yellow Sea. The results show that tropical cyclones have a significant impact on the sedimentary evolution of the area, and solar activity may control the intensity of tropical cyclones through strengthening the walker circulation over the tropical Pacific.