Climatic and monsoon isotopic signals (δD, δ13C) of northeastern China tree rings -: art. no. 4074

[1] The deltaD and delta(13)C values of cellulose nitrate in tree rings (deltaD(tree) and delta(13)C, respectively) record annual climatic variations. However, very few data exist on the coherence of isotopic signals between trees and on the calibration of these signals versus climatic variations in monsoon areas. The deltaD(tree) and delta(13)C of annual wood increments were analyzed for the period 1958-1988 in two korean pines from a single site in northeast China. The correlation between isotopic variations in the two trees is better for deltaD(tree) than for delta(13)C. Correlation analysis was performed between the isotopic data and (1) local temperature, precipitation amount, and relative humidity and (2) the East Asian summer monsoon index (MI). No relationship is found with the summer precipitation amount. The best correlation is obtained between deltaD(tree) and temperature in the preceding summer. This stresses the need to include climatic variables from the preceding year in calibration studies as well as the potential of deltaD(tree) as a proxy for summer temperature in northeast China, where precipitation falls primarily in summer. The East Asian summer monsoon index also presents a significant relationship with deltaD(tree), which can be explained by the relationship between MI and summer temperature, which is observed at most weather stations in China.